The Eagles’ season is unraveling. Here are some early 2027 NFL draft story lines to keep an eye on.
As the losses pile up, it's never too early to look ahead to the draft. It's shaping up to be a strong class for two of the Eagles' biggest positional needs.
A promising season for the Eagles has quickly headed south after they lost their sixth straight game on Sunday night to the Washington Commanders.
Without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts and several key starters, the Eagles’ season appears on the brink of unraveling with a playoff push increasingly unlikely. As the losses continue to pile up, a point of focus will be how high the team may be selecting in the first round of the 2027 NFL draft and which players may be available when that pick is made.
With that in mind, here are some early NFL draft story lines to watch:
Talented edge rusher class
The Eagles have not generated nearly enough pressure on the quarterback this season, despite trading for Jonathan Greenard on Day 2 of the 2026 draft. Jalyx Hunt hasn’t taken the leap to being a dominant edge rusher yet (while also dealing with injuries) and Nolan Smith Jr. has shown flashes as a disruptor, but has yet to sustain it over an entire season.
If the Eagles want to upgrade their edge rusher room, this is the draft class to do so.
Entering the season, South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart and Texas’ Colin Simmons were each considered potential top 10 picks. It’s been an uneven season for Stewart, who was suspended for one game following multiple incidents in a loss to Alabama before returning on Oct. 10. Meanwhile, Simmons suffered a high ankle sprain that has sidelined him for the last two games.
Both are extremely talented and will likely benefit from the lack of blue-chip talent at other positions in this draft class. Stewart, who has played at a high level recently, has an explosive first step that allows him to breeze past offensive tackles, and Simmons has an unrelenting motor and similarly explosive initial step.
There are other notable edge rushers to watch, including Alabama’s tandem of Devan Thompkins and Yhonzae Pierre. Thompkins, who is listed at 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, is a powerful pocket pusher, while Pierre creates havoc on twists and stunts with his play motor and length.
Notre Dame’s Boubacar Traore and Clemson’s Will Heldt are also potential early-round picks to keep an eye on, with the latter having an even better showing than he did last year. Heldt has seven sacks through eight games; he had 7½ all of last season.
Traore has excellent length and twitch that he combines with power to beat offensive linemen in pass-rush situations. The Notre Dame edge rusher has 3½ sacks and two forced fumbles this season.
Strong interior O-line class
The Eagles’ offensive line quickly went from strength to a glaring weakness in a matter of weeks. Lane Johnson’s sudden retirement, Cam Jurgens being traded to the Baltimore Ravens, and injuries have decimated a group that has been at the core of the team’s recent Super Bowl window.
Now, the Eagles are going to need to reload the group with even more talent, especially on the the interior. Oft-injured Landon Dickerson’s future with the team is uncertain, while Tyler Steen is set to be a free agent next summer. While Drew Kendall has performed admirably, there’s no guarantee he is the long-term starter at center.
Those needs align with the strength of the offensive line class. Minnesota’s Greg Johnson, the likely top interior lineman prospect in the class, is a physical run blocker who has the athleticism to recover in pass protection. He has also played both guard and center in college, giving him positional versatility.
Notre Dame’s Anthonie Knapp kicked inside to left guard this season after playing offensive tackle his first two seasons with the Irish, and the position switch has suited him well. He’s a skilled pass protector with a nasty run-game demeanor to finish defensive linemen and linebackers through the ground.
Iowa’s Kade Pieper is a lighter interior player (6-3, 298) but moves well in space as a run blocker and is stout in pass protection. He practiced in the spring as a center for Iowa, though he has exclusively played right guard the last two seasons.
There are also offensive tackle prospects who may be viewed as interior linemen by the NFL. Indiana’s Carter Smith, a stalwart at left tackle, Missouri’s Cayden Green, and Iowa’s Trevor Lauck all fit that description and are potential top 50 picks in this class.
Monitoring the QB class
A disclaimer here: The Eagles should not be looking to immediately replace Hurts if he is on track to return next season after having blood clots discovered in his lungs. He is under contract through the 2028 season and there are several other glaring roster holes.
But if there is doubt about him returning to play, then this quarterback class should be much higher on the Eagles’ radar. By now, you may have heard that Peyton and Eli Manning’s nephew, Arch, is at Texas and among the top quarterback draft prospects for 2027. He hasn’t played to the level of a potential No. 1 overall pick, though he has flashed high-level play in spurts this season.
In fact, none of the top quarterbacks entering this season have lived up to that billing. Oklahoma State transfer quarterback Drew Mestemaker, a former walk-on at North Texas before getting his opportunity to start last season, has been the most consistent of a group that features Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Miami’s Darian Mensah, and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr. Mestemaker, though, has started just 23 games in his career, six of which have come against Power Four opponents.
Manning, Moore, Mestemaker, and Carr could opt to return to school next season. Moore is not expected to return this season due to the effects of a concussion sustained against USC in September.
One player who has surprised this season is Missouri’s Austin Simmons, though he also could decide to return to school. The left-hander, who transferred from Ole Miss after Chambliss emerged there last season, can generate a lot of velocity while throwing with anticipation and is a willing passer over the middle of the field.
Another player to watch is South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, who has endless and effortless talent as a dual-threat quarterback and is still developing his dropback passing game. Most highlights are of him making plays outside the pocket, and his decision-making still needs work. But if the Eagles want to stick with a dual-threat blueprint under center, Sellers checks a lot of those boxes.
Quick hits
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the dream pick for any team with a high first-round selection this spring. He’s one of the best wide receivers and overall prospects in quite some time … but if he were to land on the Eagles, it would likely be because the Birds are picking inside the top three.
The tight end class is much weaker in top-end talent than last season. Oregon’s Jamari Johnson is likely the only potential first-round pick at the position as it stands in November. LSU’s Trey’Dez Green and Virginia Tech’s Luke Reynolds appear to be rock-solid Day 2 prospects to round out the group.
The offensive tackle class is talented, but primarily left tackle heavy. LSU’s Jordan Seaton, Texas’ Trevor Goosby, Utah’s Zereoue Williams, and Kentucky’s Lance Heard are all in the mix to be first-round picks. Seaton is the most special athletically of the bunch.
The Eagles have problems. Eight games into the season, that much is sure. But which ones are symptomatic, versus the ones that are systemic? From the head coach to the personnel, from coordinators to the front office, The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and David Murphy scrutinize the micro issues that point to some of the larger dilemmas the Eagles now face: should they start to pack it in, and who will be held accountable for the team’s shortcomings? Listen here.
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