Final Eagles Day 1 draft predictions: Who experts love for Philly, from Jihaad Campbell to Walter Nolen

The reigning Super Bowl champions will be among the hardest teams to project on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft, as the Philadelphia Eagles sit at pick No. 32 overall and have all options on the table.

The Eagles traded away starting safety C.J. Garnder-Johnson at the start of the new league year, so his replacement could be coming in the early rounds of this draft. Ditto for the cornerback position, as the team cut ties with veteran Darius Slay Jr. and could look to add to a group that already includes a pair of rising superstars in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.

Philly locked up their latest offensive lineman this week by inking center Cam Jurgens to a lucrative extension. One spot remains in flux entering draft weekend, and that’s right guard, the position manned by Mekhi Becton in 2024. The Eagles could also go back to the well at wide receiver, as current WR3 Jahan Dotson is set to enter a contract year, and tight end has been a hot projection with trade rumors swirling around longtime starter Dallas Goedert.

MORE: Philadelphia Eagles draft picks tracker: Updated list of 2025 selections, next pick predictions

The Eagles won the Super Bowl thanks largely to their game-wrecking defensive front. EDGE has become a glaring need with the departures of Josh Sweat (free agency) and Brandon Graham (retirement). The defensive line could also use more force after the team lost a stud on the interior in Milton Williams.

GM Howie Roseman could look to address any number of those position groups, and we haven’t even mentioned a potential trade up the draft board. The Eagles hold eight selections in this draft, and Roseman himself admitted he doesn’t have 32 players on his board with first-round grades. 

Fireworks could be coming as the draft kicks off on Thursday night in Green Bay. As a final primer, here’s where some of the top NFL Draft experts landed with 11th-hour projections for the Eagles at pick No. 32 overall:

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Final Philadelphia Eagles expert predictions

• Field Yates, ESPN: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College

Yates:  “After 16.5 sacks in 2024, Ezeiruaku burst onto the first-round radar. He is long and instinctive, and he uses his physical tools and savviness to keep tackles on their heels. The Eagles are looking to replenish their edge depth after Josh Sweat left for Arizona in free agency.”

• Peter Schrager, ESPN: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky

Schrager: "The Eagles took cornerbacks with their first- and second-round picks a year ago, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't add to the defensive backfield considering the turnover this offseason. Hairston is a speedster -- he ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the combine — who is just scratching the surface of his talent.”

• Todd McShay, The Ringer: Mason Taylor, TE, LSU

McShay: “General manager Howie Roseman won’t sit still. He’s more likely to move back than up, but with a projected 20 combined picks over the next two drafts, he’s capable of anything. I could see him exploiting a team that’s trying to move up to get the fifth-year option on a quarterback (or any team for any other position, for that matter). But whether it’s here or a few picks later on Friday night, Taylor is very much in play for Philly with Dallas Goedert’s uncertain future. Taylor is durable, tough, and dependable, making him one of the safest prospects in this year’s class. He shows up in clutch moments and was the most productive tight end in LSU history. I also think he was underutilized down the field in LSU’s offense, so I expect he’ll make more of an impact as a receiver in the NFL.”

• Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College

Brugler: “Ezeiruaku is No. 22 in my final top 100, but he falls to the Super Bowl champs here. With his length, bend, and proven ability to reach the quarterback, he would check several boxes for the Eagles at the position.”

• Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

Kiper: “Combining Campbell with Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean at the second level would make defensive coordinator Vic Fangio smile. Campbell does it all. He finished last season with 112 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and an interception. This Super Bowl-winning defense saw a lot of turnover earlier in the offseason, but Campbell has the toolbox to contribute in multiple ways.”

• Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

Jeremiah: “The rules are simple with the Eagles: They take the best Alabama or Georgia player who falls into their lap. Campbell is my No. 12 player in the draft, so he would be a tremendous value at the end of Round 1. If not for the shoulder surgery he’s recovering from, he'd be a lock to go much higher.”

• Charles Davis, NFL.com: Mason Taylor, TE, LSU

Taylor: "GM Howie Roseman does a tremendous job of drafting players and getting them experience before they are needed as starters. Taylor, a smooth pass catcher, could be next in line."

• Bucky Brooks, NFL.com: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College

Brooks: "The relentless, energetic Ezeiruaku knows how to harass the passer, based on his 16.5 sacks (second-most in the FBS) last season. He's an ideal match for the Eagles."

• Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky

Sikkema: "I expect the Eagles to be interested in a cornerback in this draft. Hairston would give them an ideal trio of Quinyon Mitchell and Maxwell Hairston on the outside and Cooper DeJean in the slot."

• Eric Edholm, NFL.com: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

Edholm: "The Eagles must replenish some lost depth up front, and Nolen could be perfect in their DL wave. He's a flash player who hasn't put it all together yet, but the ceiling is very high."

OUR PREDICTION: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Why he’s the pick: Starks just makes too much sense. He lined up everywhere from free safety, to up in the box, to slot cornerback with Georgia, earning high grades from PFF both in coverage (72.1) and run defense (85.6). Starks would be a fun chess piece for Vic Fangio’s defense, and he’s another Georgia defender for Roseman’s roster, to boot. He checks just about every box from a talent perspective while filling a team need. The Eagles would likely need to trade up to land Starks, but that’s Roseman’s wheelhouse, and longtime Eagles insider Sal Palantonio reported Thursday that Philly loves the player. We think Starks will be the pick, most likely via a trade up into the mid-to-early 20s.

MORE 2025 NFL DRAFT: SN's 7-round mock | Top 250 big board