2026 NFL draft, position by position: Which linebackers might the Eagles target?

From April 6-17, The Inquirer’s Eagles reporting team will be breaking down each position on the roster ahead of the NFL draft, looking at the depth chart and long-term personnel picture as well as some names that could emerge as Eagles targets in the April 23-25 event.

Welcome to the final position group preview ahead of the NFL draft. They say you should save the best for last, but this might be the opposite of that.

The off-ball linebacker spot might be the least intriguing position group entering the draft for the Eagles. They are set at both starting spots with Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell, who is recovering from a shoulder injury and is expected to miss part of the offseason program. Behind them are two recent draft picks in Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon, plus free agent addition Chandler Martin and practice squad returnee Chance Campbell.

The writing was on the wall for Nakobe Dean’s exit from the team when the Eagles drafted Campbell last year in the first round. The Eagles will hope Campbell returns to a starting gig — one he held while Dean recovered from surgery last year — and doesn’t miss a beat.

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This unit as a whole is one the Eagles have invested significant capital in over the last few seasons, a departure from their normal practices. They hit big on Baun and signed him to a big contract, then used a first-round pick to select Campbell. There were some projections that Campbell could end up as a versatile chess piece who could play on the edge as a pass rusher, but he did not look super impactful from that spot in limited work there last season.

Time will tell if that part of his game develops.

In Trotter and Mondon, the Eagles have capable backups who play special teams. — Jeff Neiburg

Of all the positions in the draft, linebacker seems least likely to be prioritized for the Eagles, but there are a few local connections worth mentioning, like Missouri’s Josiah Trotter, a St. Joseph’s Prep graduate and the younger brother of Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and Eric Gentry, a Neumann Goretti grad.

The position has top-end talent, with Ohio State’s Sonny Styles as the likely top linebacker drafted, and Georgia’s CJ Allen and Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez getting late first-round buzz.

If the Eagles did add a linebacker, it would most likely come late on Day 3, after other needs are addressed. The immediate depth behind Baun and Campbell seems set, but there’s always room to add more intriguing talent to the room.

Here are four players the Eagles could target:

Boettcher, who played baseball at Oregon for two seasons before joining the football team as a walk-on, has excellent range and the motor to run and chase at linebacker and to diagnose and trigger in the run game. In 15 starts for the Ducks in 2025, Boettcher, who is 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, finished with 136 tackles (5½ for losses), one interception, and two forced fumbles.

His lack of hip fluidity, eye discipline on play-action passes, and struggles with deeper-zone drops are areas he needs to improve, but Boettcher’s reliable tackling, short-area zone coverage, and special teams background will help him find a role at the NFL level.

Three years ago, Perkins, who had a stellar freshman season with LSU, was already generating buzz as a potential first-round pick. That never materialized for the 6-0, 223-pound player, who moved from edge rusher to linebacker in 2023 and missed most of 2024 with an ACL tear.

Still, the former five-star recruit has linear speed and can get after the quarterback as a blitzer or against heavy-footed offensive linemen. He has lateral agility to defend running backs out of the backfield, but his best plays come when he’s attacking downhill toward the line of scrimmage. In 2025, he finished with 56 tackles (eight for losses), four sacks, three interceptions, and a forced fumble.

Distinguishing Perkins’ position in the NFL will be key to unlocking his skill set. He’s too small to play linebacker and doesn’t have the play speed or zone coverage awareness to play nickel, but the talent is undeniable. He’s a player the Eagles could take a chance on and develop while he’s filling a roster spot on special teams.

Lawson, a three-year starter at Alabama, has a quick, downhill trigger in the run game, can slip blocks from linemen, tight ends, and receivers, and has shown exceptional zone coverage range to get his hands on the football. In 2025, Lawson had 89 tackles (4½ for losses), 1½ sacks, four pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.

The 6-2, 226-pound linebacker lacks consistency stacking and shedding blockers, but his play speed and coverage upside are worth betting on as a Day 3 pick in this draft.

» READ MORE: Forged in Philly, Southern Cal linebacker Eric Gentry breaks the mold at East-West Shrine Bowl workouts

Gentry is one of the most interesting players in the class at 6-6 and 221 pounds. The Philly native is a middle of the field weapon that teams struggled to throw over. He also has pass rushing in his background from earlier in his career at Arizona State. A two-year starter at Southern Cal, Gentry finished with 75 tackles (seven for losses), three sacks, two pass breakups, and tied for third nationally with three forced fumbles.

His height and more than 35-inch arms are in the 99th percentile of this draft class, but his lack of consistent play strength and failure to drive through ball carriers when he tackles allows players to bounce off him.

General manager Howie Roseman often says the Eagles are looking for unusual players. Gentry fits that bill, grew up in Philly, and has the length and coverage ability worth molding into wherever they need him. — Devin Jackson