2026 NFL draft: Latest Philadelphia Eagles updates, intel, buzz
The2026 NFL draftbegins Thursday in Pittsburgh, when thePhiladelphia Eagleswill pick at No. 23 in Round 1. The draft continues with Rounds 2-3 on Friday and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday (ESPN, ABC and ESPN App).
The Eagles have eight total picks: Nos. 23, 54, 68, 98, 114, 137, 178, 197. But how will they use them? Which positions need to be addressed? Which prospects are coming in for visits and getting buzz with the Philadelphia front office and coaching staff?
Eagles reporter Tim McManus has the latest intel on the team's draft plans, potential targets and more in the lead-up to the 2026 draft. We will update this page right up until Round 1 begins.
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Tuesday, April 21: An A.J. Brown trade to the New England Patriots post-June 1 is now likely, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It's as clear as ever that drafting a receiver early is in play for Philadelphia.
Does that mean it's definitely happening? No.
The recent additions of Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore to complement DeVonta Smith make it so general manager Howie Roseman doesn't have to reach for a wideout.
But if the stars align, the Eagles could draw from what is considered a quality receiver class.
Washington's Denzel Boston is projected to be drafted around the Eagles' pick (23rd overall). At 6-foot-4, 209 pounds, Boston could potentially fill the role of a big-bodied receiver opposite the 6-foot, 170-pound Smith.
Thursday, April 16:General manager Howie Roseman said he thinks about his first-round draft misses "every day really, if I'm being honest with myself." It's seared into memory to the point that Roseman said he tends to overcompensate and will look at things skeptically when evaluating players with similar profiles as the ones that didn't work out.
"I feel like they've also helped me really get better at my job," he said. "I think if it wasn't for those mistakes, a lot of the successful picks may not have happened. I can't go back and change the past. I'm very comfortable understanding that as much as I'm trying, I'm not going to be perfect, but I'm going to try my hardest to be as perfect as I can be."
His hit rate has been outstanding in the first round of late, landing DeVonta Smith, Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell and Jihaad Campbell going back to 2021. Outside of Mitchell, a common denominator is that the players hail from major college programs in Georgia and Alabama. When you've excelled against the best of the best, it eliminates a good bit of the guess work."
Tuesday, April 14: Will the Eagles draft right tackle Lane Johnson's eventual replacement later this month?
General manager Howie Roseman spoke about that idea during media availability Tuesday.
As Roseman noted, they did that with center Jason Kelce by selecting Cam Jurgens in the second round of the 2022 draft. It benefitted Jurgens to learn directly from Kelce before Kelce's eventual retirement in March 2024. The key ingredient in that decision was their conviction in Jurgens as a player, first and foremost.
"There's value [in] that as long as the player...is worthy of the selection of wherever you're taking him."
In other words, don't expect Philadelphia to force a succession plan. It will only happen if the front office fully believes in the tackle on the board.
Friday, April 10: A trend of note as reports of the Eagles' predraft visits trickle in: The majority have been offensive linemen to this point, including tackles Caleb Lomu of Utah and Max Iheanachor of Arizona State.
The Eagles had an uncharacteristically down year along the front in 2025, due in large part to lingering health issues. A pair of standouts in right tackle Lane Johnson and left guard Landon Dickerson pondered retirement this offseason.
Given those factors and Philadelphia's organizational philosophy of building from the inside out, it's fair to assume the Eagles will invest some resources in the trenches later this month. They have done a strong job of evaluating and developing linemen in the past but are now operating without Jeff Stoutland, the venerable offensive line coach who was heavily involved in Philly's draft process over the past decade-plus.
Will the hit rate dip in his absence?
Will QB Tanner McKee draw trade interest, again?
Eagles backup QB Tanner McKee drew trade interest around the draft last year and that will likely be the case again later this month.
The 6-foot-6 McKee was a sixth-round pick by Philadelphia in 2023 and has generally impressed in spot duty for the Eagles, throwing five touchdowns to one interception.
The front office has some incentive to explore a trade given that McKee is entering the last year of his rookie deal, and they added insurance by acquiring Andy Dalton in March.
But general manager Howie Roseman doesn't sound like he's in a hurry to move him.
"From our perspective, having a guy like Tanner is incredible security for us," he said at the annual league meeting in Arizona. "The way I think about these three quarterbacks, when I go to bed at night and I know we have three quarterbacks who can play, I sleep better. That's just how I roll."
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