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One thing to love about every pick in the Eagles' 2026 NFL draft class
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- One thing to love about every pick in the Eagles' 2026 NFL 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.
With OTAs fast approaching, we're looking at one thing to love about each of the eight draft picks.
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1st round-20th overall: Makai Lemon, WR, Southern Cal
Grade: A+
Lemon is a gritty running back who plays receiver and utilizes his 5-11, 192-pound frame to dominate in yards after catch. Lemon doesn't let the ball hit the ground (2.8 percent career drop rate) and was the only Big Ten player with more than 500 YAC in 2025.
2d-54: Eli Stowers , TE, Vanderbilt
Grade A:
A former QB, Stowers set the NFL scouting combine record for vertical leap at his position with a 45½-inch mark while also logging a 4.51-second 40-yard dash and an 11-3 broad jump.
3d-68: Markel Bell, T, Miami
Grade: B
Bell brings size, length, and allowed zero sacks in 558 pass pro snaps for the Miami Hurricanes in 2025.
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5th-178: Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
Grade: B-
Payton brings athleticism, mobility, and a versatile skill set that could fit well within the Eagles ' new offensive system under first-year coordinator Sean Mannion. With the Bison, he showed the ability to make plays both through the air and on the ground, giving him potential value as a multi-dimensional quarterback at the next level.
6th-207: Micah Morris, G, Georgia
Grade: B-
At Georgia, Morris developed a reputation for his strength at the point of attack and his ability to hold up in both the run and pass game. His versatility along the interior gives the Eagles another developmental piece who can compete for depth roles early while learning behind one of the league's most established offensive line groups.
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7th-244: Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech
Grade: C+
A talented, but stiff safety who could replicate Reed Blankenship 's rise, Wisniewski finished as the third-leading tackler on the team with 78 total tackles (38 solo), leading all defensive backs and trailing only linebackers Jacob Rodriguez (128) and Ben Roberts (90). Wisniewski was one of four Red Raiders to record 70 or more tackles, marking a first for the team since 2015.
7th-251: Uar Bernard, DT, Nigeria
Grade: B+
A 300+ pound defensive player who can run faster than running backs, the International Pathway Program pick brings a rare blend of size and athleticism, measuring in at 6-foot-4½ and 306 pounds with 36-inch arms, 11-inch hands, a 39-inch vertical, and a reported 4.63 40-yard dash.
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7th-252: Keyshawn James-Newby, Edge, New Mexico
Grade: C+
The talented edge rusher had nine sacks last year and 10.5 the season before. He has started 46 games in his college career and registered 23.5 sacks.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: One thing to love about every pick in the Eagles' 2026 NFL draft class
