2025 NFL Draft: Insiders Revealing Eagles’ First Round Targets

The 2025 NFL Draft is being hosted in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with plenty of intrigue at the top of the First Round. But 1,000 Miles away, the Philadelphia Eagles are focused on the back half of this year's NFL Draft.

Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman has an NFL Draft selection at the end of the first round for the third time in the last eight years. Last week, when speaking to the media, Roseman explained the organization's perspective heading into this year's draft:

"I think that you have to be patient, one. You have to allow things to come to you. The chances that you're trading up into the top 10, top 15, top 20 are slim. That's hard to do. So you have to really kind of understand the strengths of the draft."

Here's what the Eagles did the last three opportunities they had to make a draft pick in the bottom ten of the NFL Draft First Round:

-2024 NFL Draft: Quinyon Mitchell (22nd overall)
-2023 NFL Draft: Nolan Smith (30th overall)
-2018 NFL Draft: Eagles traded the 32nd overall pick for three draft picks that the team used to acquire Dallas Goedert, Avonte Maddox, and Miles Sanders

Now, in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Eagles' GM Howie Roseman explained the team's mentality when evaluating Draft Prospects who are projected to be available at the back end of the First Round:

"You have to spend a lot of time being realistic about who you think you have an opportunity to get so you can spend a lot of time with (those prospects)....So it's not my best quality, patience, but I think in this situation, understanding the reality of where we are in the draft, what's going to be available to us potentially, and making sure we know those guys backwards and forwards."

Since 2016, Howie Roseman's Front Office has selected 26 Offensive and Defensive Linemen for the Eagles. This offseason, Philadelphia lost two key defensive linemen (Josh Sweat and Milton Williams) along with starting Cornerback Darius Slay in Free Agency. The team also traded away Safety CJ Gardner-Johnson for Interior Offensive Lineman Kenyon Green (a former First Round Pick).

So Who Could The Eagles Select In The First Round Of The 2025 NFL Draft?

After reviewing Mock Drafts by different NFL Draft Analysts and insights by NFL Insiders, here is a list of the potential targets for Howie Roseman and the Eagles in this year's Draft Class:

*Jihaad Campbell, Linebacker, Alabama
The two-year starter for the Crimson Tide Defense was one of the last High School Recruits that former Head Coach Nick Saban brought to Alabama before his retirement. Campbell finished the 2024 College Football season in the top five in the SEC in Tackles.

Even though the Eagles have not drafted a Linebacker in the First Round since 1979 (Jerry Robinson), ESPN NFL Draft Insiders Mel Kiper Jr and Field Yates have projected Campbell as a target for the Eagles in this year's draft.

Donovan Ezeiruaku, Defensive End, Boston College
One of the BC Defensive Captains set the school's single-season sack record (16.5) and was selected a 2024 Consensus All-American. Ezeiruaku is a graduate of Williamstown High School, so the South Jersey Athlete would be a homecoming story for the Eagles.

Donovan Ezeiruaku, who had a pre-draft visit with the Eagles, has been described by NFL Draft Analyst Bucky Brooks as a "relentless, energetic" pass rusher who will be a target for the Eagles at 32nd overall.

Maxwell Hairston, Cornerback, Kentucky
With Six Interceptions and 70 Solo Tackles in his last 20 games played in college, Hairston is considered one of the best Cornerbacks in this year's draft class. The Kentucky Corner ran the fastest time at this year's NFL Draft Combine and has been described as a willing tackler.

Maxwell Hairston is rated the 35th best prospect in this year's draft class by NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, and ESPN NFL Insider Peter Schragger projects Hairston as a target for the Eagles at 32nd overall.

Landon Jackson, Defensive End, Arkansas
The 6'6" Edge Rusher has been a riser on NFL Draft Prospect rankings due to his elite performance at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Draft Combine. Jackson averaged 0.5 Sacks per game over his final 24 college games for an Arkansas team that only won 11 games over the last two years.

NFL Insider Adam Caplan describes Jackson as "a day one starter" for the Eagles and Inside The Birds Eagles Reporter Geoff Mosher says he is a player the Eagles could be targeting in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Walter Nolen, Defensive Tackle, Ole Miss
The 2024 Consensus All-American is considered one of the top Interior Defensive Line Propsects in this year's draft class. But character concerns that led to him transfering from Texas A&M to the University of Mississippi have some teams unwilling to select the physically gifted athlete.

NFL Network Draft Analyst Eric Edholm and ESPN NFL Nation Eagles Reporter Tim McManus both project Walter Nolen as a target for the Eagles at the 32nd overall pick. He has visited with the Eagles during the pre-draft process and the organization has done a lot of homework on who he is on and off the field.

TJ Sanders, Defensive Lineman, South Carolina
One of the key defenders for the South Carolina Defense in 2024 was this 6'4", 300 300-pound defender. Sanders averaged over One Tackle for Loss per game in his last 15 games played in College, and he has visited with the Eagles during the Pre-Draft Process.

NFL Network Draft Insider and former Eagles Scout Daniel Jeremiah has projected TJ Sanders as a player the Eagles could select in the First Round.  Inside The Birds Eagles Insiders Adam Caplan and Geoff Mosher have reported the Eagles value analytics as part of their draft evaluation process, so Sanders' high Athletic Testing Score (9.38) could be a factor in the Eagles interest in drafting him.

Nic Scourton, Edge Rusher, Texas A&M
After compiling 10 Sacks for Purdue in 2023, the Power Edge Rusher only had five sacks in 2024 at Texas A&M. Scourton is the second-youngest player in this year's draft class, so he is considered still a Raw Talent Prospect by many analysts.

Inside The Birds Eagles Reporter and Draft Analyst Andrew DiCecco projects that Nic Scourton could be a target for the Eagles at 32nd overall. The 6'3", 260 Edge Rusher had a pre-draft visit with the Eagles in recent weeks.

Malaki Starks, Safety, Georgia
The versatile Bulldogs' Safety was one of the Eagles' Draft Prospect visits in recent weeks. While the Eagles have never drafted a Safety, we know Howie Roseman has zeroed in on selecting many Georgia players in recent years.

NFL Network NFL Draft Insider and Former Eagles Scout Daniel Jeremiah said in a recent interview he wouldn't be surprised if Howie Roseman trades up for a player in the First Round. Jeremiah has Starks as his 25th best player in this year's draft class, a player who should be in range for the Eagles at 32nd overall.

Mason Taylor, Tight End, LSU
In a deep Tight End Draft Class, one unique prospect is the 6'5" Pass Catcher from LSU. Taylor is the most productive Tight End in LSU Football history with 129 Catches and has been described as a willing Run Blocker by Draft Analysts.

NFL Network Analyst Charles Davis and NFL Draft Insider Todd McShay both project Mason Taylor as a target for the Eagles at 32nd overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. With rumors continuing to circulate that Philadelphia will trade current starting Tight End Dallas Goedert, they could draft Taylor as the heir apparent.