Story by
How NFL experts graded the Eagles' 2026 draft class
- Story by
- How NFL experts graded the Eagles' 2026 draft class
The Philadelphia Eagles completed their 2026 NFL draft, making slight overhauls to Sean Mannion's unit by adding five talented, versatile offensive players to the roster. The first two picks are future stars and likely 2025 starters, while all five players offer elite skill sets and the potential to develop into critical starters. Further signifying a change is coming at wide receiver, Philadelphia traded up to add Makai Lemon , all but officially signaling the end of the A.J. Brown era.
Experts around the league have been handing out grades for all 32 teams, and we have an Eagles -related roundup.
Advertisement
ESPN: A
So it was no surprise when Philadelphia moved up three spots to No. 20 to stop Makai Lemon 's mini slide. If you have any doubt a trade-up was needed to get him, look no further than the video circulating of Lemon on the phone with the Steelers , who had intended to take him at No. 21 before they learned the Eagles had jumped the line.
Lemon (No. 11 on my board) is a tough, physical receiver despite his 5-11, 192-pound frame. He snags the ball on the run and turns upfield through traffic without fear, helping him to 1,156 yards in the 2025 season. He will match well with DeVonta Smith , Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown .
NFL.com: B+
The Eagles jumped ahead of the in-state rival Steelers for Lemon, sending two fourth-rounders to division foe Dallas to add the ultra-competitive receiver, giving up draft capital to secure a potential replacement for A.J. Brown despite Lemon's average athleticism. Stowers was an excellent pick in the second round as a combo slot receiver/tight end, and the 6-9, 346-pound Bell should become at least a solid swing tackle. Their Day 2 grade also reflects their acquisition of edge rusher Jaelan Phillips in exchange for a third-round choice last season; he had two sacks in eight games with the Eagles before leaving as a free agent.
The Athletic: 7th best
Arguably the most quarterback-friendly pass catcher in this class, Lemon represents a philosophical shift for the Eagles' offense. With his play strength and route manipulation, he has a realistic chance to lead all rookies in targets.
PFF: B+
This was the chalk for the Ravens at this spot in mock drafts, and it materialized. The Ravens had a clear need to improve their interior offensive line — especially after losing Tyler Linderbaum this offseason — and Ioane should help stabilize things. The bulk of his time at Penn State came at left guard, where he earned an 80.2 PFF grade across nearly 1,500 offensive snaps over the past two seasons.
Fox Sports: A-
The popular expression "Fly Eagles Fly" took on new meaning with Philadelphia adding swift pass-catchers Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers with its first two selections. Lemon is a playmaking dynamo whose competitiveness and ability to create before and after the catch should quickly make him a favorite of Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia's fan base. Stowers, similarly, has the explosiveness to project as a big-play threat and provides the Eagles with a young option behind Dallas Goedert . Speaking of contingency plans, I especially liked the selection of massive right tackle Markel Bell and exciting developmental quarterback Cole Payton. But as much as I like all of those selections, it was a pair of lottery tickets Howie Roseman picked up in the seventh round that made this the best draft class in the NFL, in my opinion. Uar Bernard did not play college football. He is from the International Pathway Program that the Eagles previously used to unearth hidden gem Jordan Mailata , now Philadelphia's starting left tackle. Bernard is sushi-raw but possesses remarkable athleticism, as does twitchy edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby. Reinforcing a roster as talented as the Eagles' is difficult and Roseman does it creatively and effectively every year, lengthening the team's Super Bowl window.
CBS Sports: B+
Trading up to select a receiver effectively cements the idea that A.J. Brown is on the way out. The Eagles will reportedly ship their star pass-catcher to the Patriots later this offseason, so it makes sense to find a replacement. It was far from a guarantee that Lemon, the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner as college football's top wide receiver, would be available this late in the first round, so moving up three spots to get him is justifiable and makes this a great value pick.
USA Today: A-
They jumped the Steelers for slot receiver extraordinaire Makai Lemon 20th overall. Second-round TE Eli Stowers projects as quite a weapon, even if he's ultimately a plus-sized receiver. Mammoth fourth-round OT Markel Bell might inherit RT Lane Johnson 's job one day − soon. And leave it to EVP/GM Howie Roseman to also acquire a Pro Bowl pass rusher (Jonathan Greenard) at the cost of two third-rounders. WR A.J. Brown is almost certainly soon be a goner , while presumably fetching prized 2027 draft assets, but Philly seems pretty well positioned to evolve effectively without him.
Sports Illustrated: A
"The Eagles' draft class is filled with intrigue. After doing dirty business with the hated Cowboys to trade up in the first round, the team finalized its post–A.J. Brown plans by selecting Lemon, the savvy playmaker with reliable hands. It's going to be difficult to replace Brown's production if he is traded after June 1, but the Eagles are in a good spot with the trio of Lemon, DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks . Philadelphia also added Stowers to give Jalen Hurts another playmaker. After GM Howie Roseman delivered in the draft, it's on Hurts (and new OC Sean Mannion) to take this offense to another level, with or without Brown. Adding some drama, Roseman took a flyer on Payton, a dual-threat quarterback with upside."
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Experts hand out final grades for Eagles' 2026 NFL draft class
