The Super Bowl is over, in case you slept through it. And now we can fully turn our attention to the 2026 NFL Draft.
There are two kinds of mock drafts: “what I would do” and what “what the team would do.” The former might be more fun, but this week we’ll look at three players who fit profiles the Eagles have tended to like over the years.
Jaime Eisner, The Draft Network – EDGE Zion Young, Missouri
Zion Young was another Senior Bowl standout and a strong fit for the Eagles’ defense. Philadelphia even met with Young during Senior Bowl week. Some evaluators have compared him to Jaelan Phillips, which would make Young an ideal replacement if Phillips isn’t re-signed. His physical, violent style of play fits perfectly with the identity of the Eagles’ defense. Senior Bowl executive director Drew Fabianich has also compared Young to DeMarcus Lawrence.
The Eagles have valued good showings at the Senior Bowl, notably in the first round with Brandon Graham, Carson Wentz, and Quinyon Mitchell. So Zion Young, who definitely helped himself in Mobile, would fit that theme, and of course as a pass rusher he’s going to be a reasonable pick for the Eagles. I wouldn’t worry much about the identity of the Eagles defense since it will change after the 2026 season when Vic Fangio actually retires. But that’s okay with Young, who can play with his hand in the ground or a stand up LB role. His pass rush repertoire seems limited to just trying to win with speed though.
Trevor Sikkema, PFF – OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Proctor is a behemoth of an offensive lineman at 6-foot-7 and 360 pounds. Given his size, his foot speed can look slow and heavy, but I don’t think he’s getting enough credit for how well he played down the stretch of 2025. By the end of the year, he earned an 84.2 PFF pass-blocking grade and an 81.1 PFF run-blocking grade. I like him best as a guard, but the Eagles could draft him as a guard in the short term and then perhaps have him kick out to tackle when Lane Johnson retires.
Kadyn Proctor is kind of a freak. Alabama gave him the ball as a running back. In one of the funniest plays of the season, they threw him a WR screen pass. Imagine being the poor guy who has to try to tackle him. It took several defenders just throwing themselves at him to get him out of bounds.
Despite being a three year starter, Proctor is also raw, or at least feels raw. When he gets going downhill he’s a force, but as a pass blocker he’s stiff. He is listed at 6-7 366, he’s going to need to slim down to stick at OT in the NFL, one reason why a lot of people are going to project him to guard.
Proctor feels boom or bust, and this mock was made before Jeff Stoutland left, at the time it made a lot of sense for him to enroll in Stoutland University. But Stoutland is gone now, and while an OL pick in the 1st round is probably a good bet, the Eagles OL profiles might change. A 6’7” potential guard might not be in style for them anymore. Or maybe a massive run blocker is exactly what they are looking for.
Chris Gregory, Rotoballer – DT Peter Woods, Clemson
If there is one thing you can count on with Howie Roseman, it is that he will catch talented but falling defensive stars. Woods is the type of versatile and athletic defender that Roseman loves to cultivate when the rest of the league has soured on him.
It is hard to say at this stage in the process who will be the player that will go later in the 1st round and everyone wonders how Howie Roseman once again got him.
Peter Woods is definitely a good candidate. In 2024 he looked like a surefire top 10 non-QB pick. Projecting him to be the top defensive prospect was reasonable, he looked the total package. In 2025, he had a pretty big down year, but so did the entire Clemson program, who just had their worst season since 2010. Just about everyone on the Tigers came out of 2025 with some stink on them, or worse. Getting them out of Death Valley might be all it takes. So Peter Woods at 23? I can dig it. Pick good players and it’ll work itself out.
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