The Chicago Bears have several options in the 2025 NFL Draft after admirably addressing needs via free agency and trades. 2025 NFL Draft Pivot Points: Chicago Bears 2Y49TM9 Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) and teammates break from a huddle up prior to the game against the Houston Texans of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024 in Houston. (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker) By Josh Liskiewitz Posted Mar 25, 2025 9:30 am EDT • Chicago Bears The Bears should go get their tackle: Armand Membou is the most natural (and available) left tackle in the class. If Ashton Jeanty is gone, trading pick No. 10 is the best option: The Bears can take advantage of Josh Simmons‘ injury situation and get more capital by trading back. 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team. Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes Every NFL draft has a series of pivot points, where the scope of everything hinges on one team’s decision to aggressively move up or gamble for more value and trade back. Looking at last year’s first round, the inflection point wasn’t a trade, but instead, it was the first defensive player taken — UCLA edge Laiatu Latu — by the Indianapolis Colts, finally at Pick No. 15. This set off a run of six of the next eight picks falling on the defensive side of the ball, five of the six being linemen. In the middle of that run, the Jacksonville Jaguars took advantage by trading back from Pick No. 17 with the Minnesota Vikings (who selected Dallas Turner) to Pick No. 23 for Brian Thomas Jr. That paid huge dividends for the Jaguars, as Thomas’ outstanding rookie season was capped by a Pro Bowl appearance and they acquired Minnesota’s 2025 third- and fourth-round picks. While trying to predict something like a run of 14 straight picks on one side of the ball to start a draft seems daunting, with the first wave of free agency complete, we should be ready to have more detailed discussions on team needs as well as how those needs tie into prospect values. This series will examine five teams currently in draft slots that could serve as potential inflection points. By looking at the potential targets of these teams relative to the draft boards, we’ll go through each team’s options not only at their current slot but also at slots after trading backward and forward. Next up are the Bears, slated to pick at No. 10 overall but in a position to make a big move due to strong roster construction. Click here for our previous article on the Panthers. Chicago Bears After starting the 2024 season 4-2, the Bears stumbled the rest of the way, not winning another game until the final week of the season against a Green Bay squad resting starters in preparation for the playoffs. Head coach Matt Eberflus was fired after a time management debacle cost Chicago its Thanksgiving Day matchup against Detroit. Shortly after the season, the Bears tabbed Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach, and it will be his task to amp up the progression of last year’s No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Caleb Williams. He takes over a roster that looks very strong on paper and has few glaring needs, but Johnson still has work to do on the offensive side of the ball to put Williams in the best possible position to succeed. THE NEEDS Chicago’s defense is largely set. Free agency saw the Bears add interior defender Grady Jarrett, as well as edge defender Dayo Odeyingbo — one of the best value signings of free agency. The Bears will certainly look to add depth on the backend via the draft, but it’s the offense that has the most critical needs to fill. While Williams caused much of his own pressure (his 17 charged sacks ranked first among quarterbacks in 2024), the offensive line play wasn’t much better, allowing a league-high 39 sacks to go with 199 total pressures (ninth most). Unsurprisingly, the Bears have aggressively attacked the interior concerns, first trading later-round picks for veteran guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, followed by the free-agent signing of center Drew Dalman. With 2023 first-round selection Darnell Wright already established at right tackle, that leaves just the left tackle spot to question. Braxton Jones slots in there for now, but his status is in question, considering his season ended early due to a broken ankle in Week 16. 2024 third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie figures to be part of the equation, as well, but considering Chicago’s likely proximity to the first offensive lineman in the draft, the team could opt for a new face at left tackle. Elsewhere on offense, tight end Cole Kmet is under contract for three more seasons, but his inconsistent play (58.6 PFF receiving grade in 2024) could have the Bears considering an upgrade. DJ Moore and Rome Odunze look like a potentially formidable duo at receiver, but Keenan Allen‘s departure in the offseason leaves the corps dangerously thin behind them. Probably the most glaring need on offense is at running back. D’Andre Swift is slated as the starter, but Johnson has already moved on from him once while in Detroit, as the Lions traded Swift to the Eagles during the 2023 NFL Draft for a Day 3 pick. Behind him on the depth chart are Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer, neither of whom has inspired the confidence required to suggest they can take over a lead back role. THE TRADE-UP TARGET Unfortunately for Chicago, this is not a deep draft for left tackles. Will Campbell is at the top of the group on PFF’s board as the No. 6 overall prospect, but his short arms will likely leave teams concerned about his ability to consistently protect the edge, which could necessitate a move inside to center or guard. Next on PFF’s board is Missouri’s
2025 NFL Draft Pivot Points: Chicago Bears
Beat writer: 49ers have advantage over Rams at QB
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images David Lombardi of The Athletic says Rams have found success “without great QB play” A San Francisco 49ers beat writer—David Lombardi of The Athletic—fired off a white-hot take on X this week. Lombardi posted: The Rams have executed their roster renovation and successful turnaround with Matthew Stafford ranking #15 in QB efficiency over the past 2 seasons. So LA has done this without great QB play, and Stafford isn’t getting younger. The 49ers have the luxury of Brock Purdy, who’s ranked #1 since entering the league, at the opposite end of his career Let’s break this done one part at a time. Credit where credit is due It’s true that Purdy is entering the prime of his NFL career as Stafford wraps up his final years as a professional quarterback. You can never tell how far off the horizon the cliff is for players, especially at the QB position. We’ve seen Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers play at a high level into their mid-40’s. Others like Kirk Cousins and Matt Ryan watched their abilities fade rapidly. We don’t know what the end will look like for Stafford. The Los Angeles Rams don’t either, which is why they are comfortable taking his deal one year at a time and even letting the veteran explore his options outside of Los Angeles. It’s undeniable that Stafford’s play took a step back in 2024; however, this was far from the best supporting cast he’s enjoyed during his time with the Rams. While the 49ers will benefit from Purdy’s youth—assuming his looming contract extension crosses the finish line this offseason—for years to come, the affordability of his rookie deal is short-lived. San Francisco spent the early parts of the offseason shedding talent in anticipation of Purdy’s payday. Can Purdy continue to play at a high level when he no longer has Deebo Samuel and/or robust pass protection? He must elevate the remaining talent and continue to do so even after the playing days of George Kittle, Trent Williams, and Christian McCaffrey are over. While Lombardi says Purdy is a “luxury” for the 49ers, the reality may be more nuanced than he is letting on. Purdy’s youth is certainly a positive; however, his second contract will be a bet that the quarterback can create even when he doesn’t have a superstar roster on offense. It’s a true double-edged sword. Is Brock Purdy better than Matthew Stafford? It’s not entirely clear which metric the original post is referring to when it cites “QB efficiency”. Based on subsequent posts and additional context, we can infer that Lombardi was using Expected Points Added (EPA) on a per play basis. These are the unadjusted EPA per play measures with overall rankings for Stafford and Purdy over the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons according to SumerSports. I applied a 240 snap threshold for each year. Matthew Stafford 2022 – #44, -31.7 EPA/play 2023 – #10, 0.09 2024 – #16, 0.06 Brock Purdy 2022 – #9, 0.13 EPA/play 2023 – #1, 0.29 2024 – #5, 0.18 So yes, Lombardi’s point that Purdy has been the more efficient quarterback since he came into the NFL is accurate and fair. Does that tell the whole story? There are some common criticisms of using EPA to evaluate QB play and more context may be necessary to understand the full picture. EPA is mostly a team-based metric EPA seeks to measure the change in estimated points a team will score based on the outcome of a play. The outcome of a single play is influenced by all 11 players on the field in addition to the scheme and play calling introduced by the coaching staff. It can be difficult to discern fault or attribute credit to those responsible for outcomes. A quarterback could throw a perfect pass that is dropped by the receiver. We’ve also seen receivers turn drops into interceptions. If the team allows a sack, did the passer hold the ball too long or did the offensive line lose quickly? It’s fair to use EPA to evaluate quarterbacks because they touch the ball every single play and there’s only one on the field at a time. The success of the passing game is directly attributable to the person under center, though alone EPA does not tell the whole story. EPA is highly sensitive to turnovers: The oldest fact in football is that turnovers will lose or win you games. Win the turnover margin and you will have a chance as the clock winds down. EPA reflects this reality, and perhaps even does so too much. While Pro Football Focus (PFF)’s turnover-worthy play metric attempts to discern whether there was a potential for a giveaway and attributes fault to the quarterback, EPA only looks at whether there was a turnover. Was there a quick strip sack that would be been near-impossible for the quarterback to evade? Were there multiple interceptable passes that fell harmlessly incomplete? When you focus on outcomes instead of process you will lose important context, especially when dialing in on the performance of a single position. What do other metrics suggest about the two QB’s? These are the PFF passing grades, big-time throw (BTT) rates, and turnover-worthy play (TWP) rates for each quarterback over the same time period. It tells a different story then the EPA per play. Matthew Stafford 2022 – 67.6 PASS; 4.8% BTT; 3.5% TWP 2023 – 86.0 PASS; 6.3% BTT; 1.9% TWP 2024 – 73.3 PASS; 4.2% BTT: 3.7% TWP Brock Purdy 2022 – 75.1 PASS; 3.1% BTT; 3.0% TWP 2023 – 81.5 PASS; 5.5% BTT; 3.2% TWP 2024 – 76.3 PASS; 3.1% BTT; 3.0% TWP Stafford’s career BTT and TWP rates are 5.2% and 3.2%, respectively, which helps stabilize some of the swings in these metrics from recent years. Still, the end result is that these quarterbacks are more similarly than is made clear in the media landscape. Purdy is a good, young quarterback. He puts the ball in harm’s way
Former Bengals standout Chidobe Awuzie joining Ravens
Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Awuzie is back in the AFC North. The Cincinnati Bengals won’t be bringing Chidobe Awuzie back to help their struggling secondary. Instead, Awuzie has agreed to a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, according to Ian Rapoport. It’s reportedly a minimal deal, as the Tennessee Titans still owe him $7.5 million this year after cutting him earlier this offseason. Awuzie played in Cincinnati from 2021-23 and was a Pro Bowl-level cornerback during the team’s Super Bowl LVI run. However, he’s never regained that former since tearing his ACL midway through the 2022 campaign. After struggling to find his footing in 2023, Awuzie left to sign a three-year, $36 million deal with Tennessee, following Brian Callahan to the Music City. However, Awuzie struggled to make an impact for one of the worst teams in football, finishing with a 64.4 PFF grade for the season. Still, Awuzie has enough left in the tank to give a team like Baltimore some valuable depth on the boundary. It’s unclear if Cincinnati ever had interest in a reunion. Now, the Bengals will go up against him at least twice in the 2025 season. The #Ravens are signing former #Titans CB Chidobe Awuzie on a one-year deal. It’s a minimum deal for Baltimore, as Tennessee still owes Awuzie $7.5M this season. pic.twitter.com/k43XkqfCOz — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 25, 2025 Follow our Twitter page and like our Facebook page for more Bengals news. Who Dey!
J.J. McCarthy: Vikings ‘haven’t told me’ I’m the No. 1 QB
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images During a recent interview with Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show, J.J. McCarthy admitted that the Vikings have not told him he’s the No. 1 QB for the Vikings just yet. Last week when reports broke that the Vikings were not expected to pursue veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the immediate response around the football world was that the reports directly pasted second-year J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings’ QB1. However, per McCarthy himself, that actually hasn’t been the case as of yet. During a recent interview with Kay Adams on her Up & Adams Show Tuesday morning, McCarthy admitted that the Vikings haven’t actually told him to his face that he’s now the starting quarterback. And per McCarthy, that’s actually how he wants it to be. “They haven’t told me. I’m happy they didn’t because I try to earn it every single day and I never want that to be given to me. Its such a privilege and opportunity to give me that chance and I’m going to make the most of it every single day.” If you want to watch the entire clip, check it out right here: J.J. McCarthy reveals the Minnesota Vikings haven’t told him he’s the No. 1 QB, and he’s “happy they didn’t.”@heykayadams | @jjmccarthy09 pic.twitter.com/RCRz412ROM — Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 25, 2025 Overall this is the right mindset you’d like to hear from your young, first-round quarterback. He knows he missed a year of NFL experience and expectations will surely be high for the Vikings this upcoming season coming off a 14-3 campaign. McCarthy knows if he wants to lead the team to another shot at the NFC North crown in 2025, he’ll have to hit the ground running as best as possible when offseason workouts and practices arrive in the coming months.
Sam LaPorta on ‘hurt’ of losing Ben Johnson, first impressions of John Morton
What’s new at Pride of Detroit Direct? If you want more Lions coverage, our newsletter is the answer for you. There, we have weekly columns, deep analytical dives, and exclusive podcasts to offer comprehensive coverage of free agency, the draft, and everything in between as we prepare of a momentous 2025 Detroit Lions season.
Eagles host Eagles edge rusher on pre-draft visit
Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Philadelphia has been commonly linked to the Boston College prospect. The Philadelphia Eagles are hosting Boston College Eagles edge rusher and Williamstown, New Jersey native Donovan Ezeiruaku on a pre-draft visit, according to a report from SportsRadio 94WIP’s Eliot Shorr-Parks. Ezeiruaku has been a popular mock draft pick for the Birds with their first-round pick at No. 32 overall. He’s the No. 16 prospect ranked by Pro Football Focus and the No. 28 by Daniel Jeremiah. Appearing in 47 games over the span of four years at BC, Ezeiruaku logged 47 TFLs, 21 sacks, and eight forced fumbles. The 21-year-old was especially productive as a senior last year when he had 21 TFLs and 16.5 sacks. Those are some eye-popping numbers. One of the knocks on Ezeiruaku is that he’s on the smaller side for his position, measuring in at 6’2”, 248 pounds. Donovan Ezeiruaku is a DE prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 7.98 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 370 out of 1829 DE from 1987 to 2025. Pro day pending for remaining tests.https://t.co/ryhFgIbTdJ pic.twitter.com/pg7GPoxdo4 — Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 12, 2025 Of course, Eagles 2023 first-round pick Nolan Smith was even smaller at 6’2”, 238 pounds. But Smith also posted truly elite athletic testing numbers. Ezeiruaku isn’t quite on the same level as Smith in that regard. Nevertheless, Ezeiruaku certainly seems to be a player that the Eagles might end up drafting. The Birds can afford to add another edge rusher to their rotation after losing Brandon Graham to retirement and Josh Sweat to free agency. Scouting report via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein: Slightly undersized outside linebacker for a 3-4 front with long arms and plus athleticism. Ezeiruaku uses every bit of his length paired with aggression to mitigate size differences at the point of attack. He gets engulfed at times but typically separates from or slips blocks cleanly. He’s quick off the snap, using bend and agility to win at the top of the rush or make stops in the backfield. His hands exploit small advantages to turn them into big ones and he has a variety of ways to challenge protection, though he’s still learning to craft his plans. Ezeiruaku’s play demeanor, skill and athletic talent are the underpinnings of a productive starter with three-down value.
2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Another edge prospect we should be talking about more The EDGE class in the 2025 NFL Draft is simply insanely deep and talented. It seems as though everywhere you turn, every piece of tape you put on, there’s another edge defender who could be an impact player at the NFL level. Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku has been on the periphery of the discussion of this year’s edge defender class, but he deserves much more attention. He combines natural leverage with a fluid lower body and solid athleticism, all of which played a part in a breakout 2024 season with 21 tackles for a loss and 16.5 sacks. The New York Giants lost speed rusher Azeez Ojulari in free agency, though they added to the depth of their front. A third pass rusher who can rotate on in relief of a starter or in obvious passing downs wouldn’t go astray. Could the Giants look at Ezeiruaku if he slips out of the first round? Prospect: Donovan Ezeiruaku (6)Games Watched: vs. Florida State (2024), vs. Missouri (2024), vs. Syracuse (2024) Measurables Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football Strengths Best traits Athleticism Length Leverage Football IQ Technique Donovan Ezeiruaku is a skilled and explosive edge defender who’s coming off of a remarkably productive breakout season in 2024 that saw him rack up 21 tackles for a loss and 16.5 sacks. Ezeiruaku has a great blend of natural leverage at 6-foot-2 but with 34-inch arms. He further maximizes that leverage with solid lower body flexibility and body control. Ezeiruaku does a good job of timing the snap and fires out of his stance with good pad level. The combination of his relative lack of height, flexible lower body, and explosiveness allows him to consistently stress offensive tackles. And unlike many rushers at the collegiate level, Ezeiruaku is also a skilled and savvy technician. He has very active hands with pro-ready technique which should allow him to be productive right away. He understands how to rush with a plan and does a great job of mixing a variety of techniques to keep tackles from predicting his rushes. Ezeiruaku mixed a chop, chop-rip, club-rip, arm-over, long-arm, and straight bullrush in the tape viewed, and did a good job of matching his moves to what opponents were prepared for. He isn’t a big edge defender at 249 pounds, but has enough play strength to set a solid edge in run defense. More importantly, he understands how to leverage his positioning and force ball carriers back to his help. Ezeiruaku also has great competitive toughness and is consistently willing to fight through multiple blockers or give full effort in pursuit – even if he’s on the opposite side of the field from the play. Weaknesses Worst traits Top end athleticism Ezeiruaku is a versatile and well-rounded edge defender with few real weaknesses in his game. If there are nits to pick, it’s that Ezeiruaku doesn’t quite have “great” play strength. He can set a firm edge and deliver a jolt as a bull rusher, and knows how to use his natural leverage to his advantage. However, he lacks the mass to hold blockers, nor the raw power to drive them back as a power rusher. The flip side of that coin is that while Ezeiruaku is able to drop into shallow zones to muddy quarterbacks’ reads, he really shouldn’t be asked to hold up in coverage. He lacks the hip fluidity and speed to really play coverage against tight ends or running backs. Game Tape (Ezeiruaku is the Boston College edge defender wearing number 6 with no sleeves.) Projection Donovan Ezeiruaku projects as a starting edge defender at the NFL level. He doesn’t quite have full schematic versatility and would likely be best in a “multiple” defense or a one-gap 3-4 front. That said, he does have the ability to rush from a 3-point stance and can be a 4-3 defensive end in nickel situations. Ezeiruaku should be able to hit the ground running at the NFL level, and he very well could have been in the conversation for “EDGE 1” in a less-stacked draft class. He might slide a bit, but that gives him the opportunity to land on a good team and he’ll be a good bet to outplay his draft slot. Does he fit the Giants?Yes Final Word: A later first or early second round talent
New York Giants GM Joe Schoen getting in-person look at Louisville QB Tyler Shough
Tyler Shough | Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images GM leading Giants contingent at Louisville Pro Day One day after watching quarterback Cam Ward throw at the Miami Pro Day, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen will lead a contingent of Giants representatives at the Louisville Pro Day. Quarterback Tyler Shough is the main attraction. Giants quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney is also said to be on hand to watch Shough. There has been some recent chatter that should the Giants be able to add Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers in free agency, that would increase the likelihood of them passing on quarterback at No. 3 in the 2025 NFL Draft. If that is the case, Shough could be a target later in the draft. Texas, with quarterback Quinn Ewers, is also holding its Pro Day on Tuesday. Attach whatever significance you want to the fact that the Giants’ GM is watching Shough rather than Ewers. I had the Giants selecting Shough at No. 65 in my most recent 7-round mock draft. From DraftBuzz: The tape shows a quarterback who thrives in structured passing attacks featuring heavy play-action usage. When Shough can plant that back foot and drive through his throws off play-action, he generates impressive velocity to all levels of the field. That play-action prowess combined with his ability to layer passes between zones makes him an ideal fit in systems like San Francisco or Los Angeles that emphasize rhythmic timing throws and vertical shots off run action. His Senior Bowl performance reinforced what shows up on Louisville film – this is a physically gifted passer who can make every throw in the playbook when his mechanics are right. The arm talent pops whether he’s driving comebacks from the opposite hash or dropping deep balls in the bucket. While the age and medical history are legitimate concerns, several games from 2024 (Miami, Clemson, Virginia) showcase a QB ready to compete for a starting role sooner rather than later. The flashes of brilliance throwing on the move and improvising outside structure hint at a higher ceiling than his current draft buzz suggests. After studying his full body of work, I’m convinced Shough will outperform his eventual draft position. The combination of size, arm strength, and experience in multiple pro-style concepts provides immediate NFL backup value with clear starter upside. He needs an established offensive system that can refine his mechanics and help him process faster under pressure. But in the right situation with proper development time, Shough has the tools to develop into a quality NFL starter by year two. The tape shows a more talented player than his current Day 2/3 projection indicates. We will have more from the Louisville and Texas Pro Days as things develop.
Eagles host two defenders on pre-draft visits
Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images Keeping track of Philadelphia’s latest interests. Time to add two more updates to the Philadelphia Eagles’ pre-draft visits tracker leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft. The Birds recently hosted Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston (per his Instagram, h/t @JaguarsNow95) at the NovaCare Complex. They’re also scheduled to host SMU edge rusher Elijah Roberts, according to a report from Justin Melo. Let’s sort through this news on a player-by-player basis. MAXWELL HAIRSTON Hairston is the No. 42 prospect ranked by Pro Football Focus and No. 32 by Daniel Jeremiah. The 21-year-old played 32 games at Kentucky over the last three years. He logged six interceptions (three returned for touchdowns), 10 passes defensed, and three forced fumbles during that span. He’s clearly got some play-making ability. Despite releasing Darius Slay and letting Isaiah Rodgers walk in free agency, the Eagles arguably don’t have a pressing (no pun intended) need at corner. Quinyon Mitchell has a bright future on the outside. Cooper DeJean has a bright future at some position, perhaps staying at nickel. Kelee Ringo might be ready to make the leap to a full-time starter in 2025. Adoree’ Jackson is a credible veteran backup. And so it’d be surprising to see the Eagles draft another cornerback early on. But they’re apparently doing some homework on Hairston. Taking him could make sense if he’s undeniably the best player on the board at the time. Scouting report via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein: Slender outside cornerback with long arms and impressive ball production. Hairston is capable of playing all forms of zone and man coverage. He anticipates well with his eyes forward and has the burst to take the ball away, posting six interceptions (three returned for TDs) over his last 20 games. He stays connected in man coverage with good agility and fluidity but needs to do a better job of locating the football downfield. He will struggle to contest big wideouts and his run support will turn off some teams. Hairston has the athleticism and on-ball talent to become a starter, but he needs to prove he can hold up to the rigors and physicality of the NFL game. Relative athletic score: Maxwell Hairston is a CB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.62 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 96 out of 2509 CB from 1987 to 2025. https://t.co/6hDy5wuuc1 pic.twitter.com/pIzIVrYyh2 — Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 12, 2025 ELIJAH ROBERTS Roberts is the No. 82 prospect ranked by Pro Football Focus. Relatively speaking, he’s on the older side considering he’ll turn 24 in December as a rookie. Consider that recent Eagles free agent signing Azeez Ojulari, who’s already played four NFL seasons, is currently 24. Roberts began his college football career at Miami (Florida). He saw limited playing time in three years there before transferring to SMU, where he logged 24 TFLs, 17.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles in 27 games played from 2023-2024. Despite signing Ojulari and Josh Uche, the Eagles can still afford to add to their edge rusher room. Roberts could be a Day 2 target if the Birds like him but there are some red flags here. The Eagles seem to want to get to know him a little bit more. Scouting report via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein: Productive base end with good play strength who continues to add weight to his frame. Roberts has chalked up stats as a standing defender but isn’t athletic enough to play as a 3-4 outside ‘backer in the NFL and might not have the brutality to play inside at three-technique despite his size. Roberts won’t win the rush with speed or quickness but he can collapse the pocket with a finesse-to-power rush transition. He is slow to read and react to mesh points and counters. He’s also a wildly inconsistent arm tackler. The production could earn him an opportunity, but it might not be translatable as a base defensive end in the pros. Relative athletic score: Elijah Roberts is a DE prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 8.06 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 356 out of 1829 DE from 1987 to 2025. Pro day pending for remaining tests.https://t.co/sCUHiJBvas pic.twitter.com/glwoKX37Mu — Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 12, 2025
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73983759/1726766359.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "NFL Draft 2025: Tracking the Eagles’ top 30 pre-draft visits")
NFL Draft 2025: Tracking the Eagles’ top 30 pre-draft visits
NFL Draft 2025: Tracking the Eagles’ top 30 pre-draft visits Don’t be surprised when Philadelphia ends up drafting some of these players. Contributors: Brandon Lee Gowton It’s officially time to fire up Bleeding Green Nation’s annual pre-draft visit tracker! For the uninitiated, NFL teams are allowed to bring 30 prospects to their facility for in-person meetings leading up to NFL Draft each year. Teams are not permitted to physically work out players during these visits but they are allowed to interview them and glean information through medical testing. These visits don’t necessarily guarantee the team is actually interested in drafting the player; Howie Roseman has previously admitted to using some of them as smokescreens to mask their true intentions. But the Eagles do often wind up drafting some of their pre-draft visitors, like they did last year in the cases of Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Jalyx Hunt, Ainias Smith, and Johnny Wilson. News of the Eagles’ pre-draft visits will slowly but surely leak leading up to when the 2025 NFL Draft begins on April 24. We’ll be tracking the latest updates here! 2025 NFL Draft prospects visiting the Eagles
