D
Philadelphia Eagles
Grand theft in pick 185: the Eagles steal Howard and grade out a D.
by SD ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 2 steals
· 1 reaches
The phones were a trap the Eagles kept walking into, shipping out surplus on nearly every deal.
They will regret leaving interior defensive lineman for another day if the season turns on it. Reaching for Dumas-Johnson left real value on the table behind him. The Howard value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere.
Add it up and it is a weekend the front office will hope everyone forgets, interior defensive lineman very much included.
Pick-by-Pick
They did well to land Emeka Egbuka in the 25th pick, just ahead of his grade. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They paid sticker price for Xavier Nwankpa in slot 34, and that is fine. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A market-rate wide receiver, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Tez Johnson. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A reach for Jamon Dumas-Johnson in No. 86; a little patience would have been rewarded. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
A quiet steal in pick No. 121: Tahj Brooks for less than the market said. It fills a real need, too.
Maxwell Hairston in the 152nd overall pick lands just on the right side of the ledger. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Reuben Fatheree II at No. 153 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They barely believed it either: Will Howard still on the board at the 185th pick. The roster fit checks out.
Steve Linton in pick No. 202 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
By-the-book stuff, Gavin Bartholomew at the 213th overall pick squarely in line with his ranking. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Fair-plus on Ben Bywater, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. Stacking talent where they were already deep.