Just The Process

The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles have officially transitioned from celebration to preparation, as the offseason is in full swing.

The first phase of the roster-building process is already underway, beginning this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

While coaches and executives from around the NFL meet with the media earlier in the week, the latter stages of the Combine pertain to prospect testing, where players can help – or plummet – their stock via on-field performance and team interviews.

The Eagles currently hold seven picks in April’s draft. With that, here’s a look at my first of a series of mock drafts this cycle.

GETTY IMAGES: Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen would help replace potential free-agent departure Milton Williams.

Round 1 (32nd overall): Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

Flying a bit under the radar, the moderate depth in the Eagles’ defensive tackle room last season never became a talking point, as the team reaped the benefits of good health. And operating under the assumption that Milton Williams – who in 2024 accounted for 48 percent of the defensive snaps – departs via free agency, the Eagles will likely have a glaring need at the position. In a draft rich in interior defensive line depth, the Eagles in this scenario land one of the best in Nolen.

Nolen (6-3, 305) in 13 games last season accumulated 48 tackles (14 for loss) to go along with 6.5 sacks. The Ole Miss product boasts power and physicality at the point of attack and exhibits plus lateral movement and change of direction. Raised pad level occasionally proved problematic at the college level, but Nolen is an instant-impact addition who would pair splendidly with Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo.

Round 2 (64th overall): Kyle Kennard, EDGE, South Carolina

Josh Sweat is primed for a hefty payday, one that I find difficult to fathom the Eagles will be willing to match. Sweat, who collected 2.5 sacks in Super Bowl LIX, will forever live in Eagles lore, but the separation always felt imminent after Sweat agreed to a pay cut last March. Still, the 2018 fourth-round pick will be rewarded for his standout postseason.

Complicating matters slightly is that Nolan Smith, an ascending third-year talent, tore his triceps during Super Bowl LIX. Smith is reportedly expected to be ready for the start of the 2025 season, however. There’s also second-year edge defender Jalyx Hunt, whom I’m expecting to take seismic steps forward. Bryce Huff, inactive for the Super Bowl, is the big wild card in this equation; perhaps we’ll learn in a matter of months if he’s adapted better to Vic Fangio’s system and if a fully healed wrist unlocks the potential the Eagles saw in him.

But given the Eagles’ philosophical value on prioritizing the offensive and defensive lines, I’m not sure the team waits past the second round to bolster the group. Kennard, a Georgia Tech transfer, 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner and second-team AP All American, enjoyed a career campaign, logging 28 tackles (16 for loss), 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in his lone season with the Gamecocks.

The 6-foot-5, 238-pound pass-rusher is twitched up and provides speed and explosiveness off the edge. He’ll likely need to continue to build up his frame to hold his ground and regularly set the edge.

GETTY IMAGES: With TE Dallas Goedert’s future uncertain, his replacement could be Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson.

Third round (96th overall) Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon

In a mild surprise, the Eagles bypassed selecting a tight end last spring, but with Dallas Goedert turning 30 along with durability concerns and financial investment, this feels like the right spot to identify his eventual successor. It’s also worth noting that Grant Calcaterra, Goedert’s top backup, enters the final year of his rookie deal.

Texas’ Gunnar Helm might well be off the board at this point, but here the Eagles land a worthy consolation in Ferguson. The production might have been relatively moderate for the 6-foot-5, 255-pounder – Ferguson never managed more than 43 receptions or 591 yards in a season – but Ferguson always felt underutilized in the Ducks offense.

Alignment-versatile, athletic and physical as a blocker, Ferguson possesses a well-rounded skill set that suggests he can be a three-down, multi-dimensional option for quarterback Jalen Hurts and new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.

Fourth round (129th overall): Miles Frazier, G, LSU

Mekhi Becton’s status notwithstanding, the Eagles are a bit thin at interior offensive line. Frazier, a Senior Bowl participant and three-year starter for the Tigers, brings size (6-5, 325) and is a powerful road grader who displaces defenders while offering length and positional versatility (experience at tackle as well). Adding to his appeal is that Frazier, a Camden, N.J. native, played against some of the premier talent in college football. Admission into Stoutland University would take his game to the next level.

Fifth round (162nd overall): Damien Martinez, RB, Miami

There’s a world in which unsung, do-it-all running back Kenny Gainwell commands interest in free agency. Whether he’s offered a more prominent role or an opportunity to start, Gainwell is likely to draw interest from teams with a clearer path to playing time and willingness to deliver a hike in salary.

The Eagles are prepared for a potential departure, however, by their selection last year of Will Shipley in the fourth-round. Even with if they’re ready for Shipley to become RB2, the Eagles are still razor thin in depth, with Future/Reserve signings Ty Davis-Price and Lew Nichols rounding out the group.

Martinez (5-11, 226), an All-ACC Honorable Mention selection who rushed for 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns, would bring a power element to the backfield. While showcasing his downhill prowess and contact balance, Martinez does have some wiggle to his game, just don’t expect those back-breaking, home-run style dashes. Would be a really solid complement to Shipley, who offers plenty of juice and natural receiving ability.

GETTY IMAGES: Florida LB Shemar James could be an ideal Day 3 pick for the Eagles to add depth on defense and special teams.

Fifth round (No. 166): Shemar James, LB, Florida

Remove Zack Baun from the equation and I’d still argue that linebacker is the Eagles’ thinnest position, certainly on the defensive side. Oren Burks, a starter in Super Bowl LIX, is a pending free agent. Nakobe Dean, a 15-game starter last season for the team, tore his patellar tendon and must undergo an extensive rehab process. Even third-year linebacker Ben VanSumeren, who made the 53-man roster in 2024, is recovering from his own season-ending knee injury, though I’m told he’s ahead of schedule. As such, look for the Eagles to add to the room on draft weekend.

James, a 2024 team captain for the Florida Gators and Senior Bowl participant, totaled 64 tackles (four for loss), two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in his final season in Gainesville. The 6-foot-1, 229-pound linebacker would bring speed, range and explosiveness to Philadelphia, and would immediately thrive as a special teams piece. The Eagles strengthen the group and add some competition here.

Fifth round (169th overall): Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State

Nick Sirianni and Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell share a close relationship, so the Eagles should know just about everything relevant about Travis. The 6-foot-7, 340-pound Travis started 11 games at left tackle for the Cyclones in 2024. He also performed well enough to warrant Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors (Coaches).

A Senior Bowl participant, Travis plays with savvy and refined footwork for a player of his size, and his game is still developing. He’ll need to continue honing in on his play strength, but Travis gives Eagles offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland another mammoth mauler to develop, furnishing an established tackle room with intriguing depth.

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.