The Philadelphia Eagles spoiled themselves with four consecutive draft classes.
From 2021 to 2024, Howie Roseman built an empire of successful draft picks -- especially in the first two rounds of the draft.
DeVonta Smith , Landon Dickerson , Jordan Davis , Cam Jurgens , Jalen Carter , Nolan Smith, Quinyon Mitchell , and Cooper DeJean were all selected in the first two rounds of those years. All are starters on this roster, and some were Pro Bowlers and All-Pros. All of them started on the Super Bowl LIX championship team.
This list isn't even including third-round picks Nakobe Dean , Tyler Steen , Milton Williams , and Jalyx Hunt . That's an enormous hit rate for Roseman and the front office, and a sign the Eagles couldn't keep everyone.
The Eagles allowed Dean and Williams to walk. Massive extensions were given to Smith, Dickerson, Jurgens, Davis, and Carter. Mitchell and DeJean will both get them as well.
Because of the hit rate from the 2021 though 2024 draft classes, that put the 2025 draft class under enormous pressure to perform immediately. The Eagles had to select potential replacements for free agents they weren't going to retain (Dean, Williams, and Reed Blankenship ) -- which is how the 2025 draft class was formed.
The forward thinking was correct, but the results haven't been there with this draft class. The top draft picks in this class just haven't had the instant impact the high draft picks from the previous four draft classes had (2021 to 2024).
And that's affecting the 2026 Eagles, on the field and roster decisions to come. Safe to say the 2025 draft class has been disappointing -- so far.
The Eagles handed two jobs on the defense to their top two draft picks from last year, Campbell (their first-round pick) and Mukuba (second-round pick). Philadelphia let Dean walk because they drafted Campbell to be the long-term solution at off-ball linebacker and Mukuba was a starter at safety in year one due to the Eagles moving on from C.J. Gardner-Johnson (again).
Through three games in their second season, both Campbell and Mukuba are liabilities in the defense . Campbell has made plays in three games (sack and forced fumble), but opposing quarterbacks are also 9-of-11 for 116 yards with a TD targeting Campbell as the primary defender -- a 140.9 rating.
Dean, meanwhile, has 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in three games with the Las Vegas Raiders . It shouldn't be a surprise Dean is playing this well, and the Eagles weren't going to bring him back due to having Campbell in the fold -- along with all the playmakers they have to pay (and had paid) on defense.
Campbell's struggles are on the defense as a whole, but his first three games as the starter at off-ball linebacker haven't been great.
Mukuba was a playmaker in year one, but has been anything but that in year two. He has five missed tackles and a 118.8 passer rating allowed in coverage. Blankenship has struggled with the Houston Texans , allowing two pass touchdowns and an 127.6 passer rating in coverage through three games.
Blankenship does have an interception, which is one more takeaway than the entire Eagles defense. The Eagles just haven't been making plays on defense, and part of that has been Campbell and Mukuba.
Campbell and Mukuba aren't getting benched, but that even has to be written shows the issues the top two draft picks from the 2025 draft class have so far. Patience will be a virtue with them.
The Eagles may not be able to afford such patience.
Give the Eagles credit for developing Kendall under two offensive line coaches in two years, as he's looking as a long-term fixture on the offensive line -- particularly at center.
Kendall took 31 pass-blocking snaps and didn't allow a single pressure against the Bears, a very encouraging sign for the second-year player. His pressure rate allowed per dropback is 2.7% in two starts and has been a solid presence in the run game.
The 2025 draft class hasn't made a massive impact, but Kendall does appear to be a late find. Kendall would have been fine if he played left guard instead of center when Landon Dickerson got injured, but the Eagles appear to have a long-term starter on this offensive line.
Ty Robinson (fourth-round pick) has made strides this preseason, but the jury remains out on him until Moro Ojomo and Byron Young depart -- and the duo will likely walk in free agency for better opportunities elsewhere.
The last four draft picks -- Kyle McCord , Myles Hinton , Cameron Williams , and Antwaun Powell-Ryland -- aren't even with the organization. Mac McWilliams (fifth-round pick) could soon join them.
The 2025 draft class hasn't made the impact the previous draft classes had, but it's so early in year two. Credit to the Eagles for finding instant success with the other draft classes, and heightening the expectations for this one.
Patience is a virtue. We'll see if the Eagles have it with Campbell and Mukuba.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/eagles/onsi as The 2025 Draft Class Has Not Produced What Eagles Wanted -- And It's Affecting Decisions This Year .
