The NFL combine is a numbers game. These are the ones the Eagles seem to care about.

INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL scouting combine is one of the biggest spectacles of the league’s offseason, taking over Lucas Oil Stadium since 1987. More than 300 prospective NFL players are measured in every way imaginable: their physical traits, character, ability to handle pressure, and medical histories are all be put under the microscope.

As it relates to the general public, the on-field testing and drills that different position groups are put through generate the most buzz. How fast will a wideout or defensive back run in the 40-yard dash? Which quarterback will stand out throwing to unfamiliar receivers? How quickly can linemen change direction in the 20-yard short shuttle?

These are a few metrics being measured this week. Other things that are out of the players’ control, such as height, arm length, and hand size, are even more pieces of an ever-complicated evaluation process teams consider before drafting a player.

» READ MORE: 10 prospects on offense for the Eagles to consider as the scouting combine begins

We’ve identified the top seven needs for the 2024 Eagles — defensive back, safety, linebacker, edge rusher, wide receiver, offensive tackle, and interior offensive line — and looked at the team’s previous draft picks at those positions, specifically ones who were measured at and participated in the combine. Using NFL.com and Sports Reference’s databases, The Inquirer stacked the data of players selected during Howie Roseman’s tenure as general manager, which dates back to 2010, to see if there is any commonality in the traits and physical measurables the Eagles value.

For positions such as wide receiver and defensive back, speed and jumping metrics are in the spotlight; for trench players, physical tools such as arm length and change-of-direction metrics (20-yard shuttle) are important. Here’s a look at what our research revealed ...

Historically a position the Eagles have not prioritized in the first round of the draft since 2002, cornerback has become one of the most important in football. As it relates to the combine, speed and change of direction are two of the most important metrics when evaluating corners. Of the previous defensive backs selected under Roseman, two aspects stood out.

The baseline? Finishing the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds — or faster — with a 1.6-second 10-yard split, with all nine players running at or below those benchmarks. Seven of nine players with testing numbers who ran the 20-yard shuttle did so in 4.28 seconds or less, the fastest being Eric Rowe in 2015 (3.97).

In the Eagles’ pursuit of retooling their secondary, adding a high-caliber athlete at safety should be a priority. While straight-line speed is important for most skill positions, safety is unique. Other factors, such as change of direction and short-area explosiveness, are two must-haves in the NFL today. Instincts, too, are a factor, but that can’t be measured adequately at the combine.

Like defensive back, the 10-yard split of the 40-yard dash has a cutoff of 1.6 seconds, an important indication of a player’s initial burst. The broad jump, a measure of short-area explosiveness and lower-body strength, was an area that stood out in the data as well, with the average length of jump measuring out to 10 feet, 4 inches. Earl Wolff, a fifth-round draft pick in 2013, had the highest broad-jump number (11-2).

As the NFL game has changed over the last decade, the size of linebackers has changed with it. Modern players at the position are asked to be fast enough to chase down running backs in the backfield, and athletic enough to cover in space. Like safety, 40-yard dash times are an important overall metric, but the ability to change direction is vital for the success of a linebacker.

Five of the six linebackers drafted with combine testing finished with a 20-yard shuttle of 4.26 seconds or better. In the broad jump, four of the seven linebackers leaped 10 or more feet.

» READ MORE: With the Eagles set to restock their defense, here are 10 draft prospects to ponder

By far the most popular group of the seven positions listed, edge rushes are invested in heavily by the Eagles. Lower-body explosiveness and initial burst are primary factors teams consider at the position, along with size. The three-cone drill, which measures your short-area change of direction and bend around the corner, has an interesting trend: just three of the seven testers in the drill finished in less than seven seconds (Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Vinny Curry).

The Eagles typically drafted heavier players for the position more than a decade ago, selecting four edge rushers 260 pounds or heavier from 2010 to 2013. Nolan Smith, at 238, last year became just the third player since 2010 the Eagles drafted who was under 250.

A position that has largely been hit-or-miss for the Eagles, especially in the draft, is wide receiver. Speed is crucial at the position, with any 40 time over 4.6 seconds considered below average. Lower-body explosiveness is another key factor in evaluating receivers, with all 10 receivers with testing numbers from the combine leaping 32 inches or higher in the vertical jump, and half of the wideouts jumping 10 feet or longer in the broad jump.

One trend that caught our eye was hand size. Eleven of the 12 receivers drafted since 2010 had nine-inch hands or bigger, including three players (Riley Cooper, Marvin McNutt, Jordan Matthews) whose hands were at least 10 inches.

In a game where athleticism is paramount, height and arm length typically make or break the evaluation for college offensive tackles. The average threshold for an offensive tackle’s arm size is 33½ to 34 inches for NFL teams. That includes the Eagles, with all seven of their offensive tackles hitting that mark. At a position that relies on foot quickness, strength, and rare athleticism, every inch counts.

All three Eagles tackle draftees who participated in the combine measured in at 6-foot-5 or taller. While 40-yard dash isn’t the best determining factor of an offensive lineman’s athleticism, the 10-yard split, which shows short-area burst, is a good factor to watch. Two of the three tackles had 10-yard splits of 1.7 seconds or lower (Lane Johnson, Andre Dillard).

While arm length is one of the determining factors when evaluating offensive linemen, it is only one piece of the puzzle. Interior offensive linemen could meet the arm-length threshold to play tackle, but the broad jump is also used to measure lower-body explosiveness.

All three offensive tackles with testing numbers in the broad jump leaped 9 feet, 5 inches or more. Of the eight interior offensive linemen with testing numbers, just one eclipsed that feat: Jack Driscoll (9-6), who spent time this season at right tackle for the Eagles despite being drafted as a guard. He’s an exception to the arm-length rule, playing tackle in a pinch for the indomitable Johnson.