Eagles' Early Top-30 Visits Foreshadow a Return To Normalcy

Count on the Eagles looking at offensive linemen and defensive front options during the first two days of the draft.

Mar 2, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Iowa State offensive lineman Jalen Travis (OL43) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - Early reports of the Eagles’ top-30 visits highlight the return to Philadelphia’s foundational principles after the Howie Roseman-promised “different” offseason in free agency.

What the Eagles GM was foreshadowing with his "it may look different" comment was the idea of doubling down on Saquon Barkley at running back and off-ball linebacker Zack Baun at the expense of allowing players like Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, and Mekhi Becton to walk in free agency.

The idea that this organization would prioritize RB and off-ball LB over the defensive front and offensive line would typically be sacrilege. Barkley and Baun, the only two first-team All-Pro players on the most talented team in football, proved to be the kind of outliers that forced a deviation off the typical course.

However, that doesn't mean the GPS isn't course-correcting and that will come in the draft.

The first four top-30 visits unveiled were all offensive linemen, headlined by a potential option at No. 32 overall in Oregon’s Josh Conerly.

The Eagles have also already met or be meeting with potential Day 2 or 3 options, including North Carolina State’s Anthony Belton, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow, and lengthy Iowa State offensive tackle prospect Jalen Travis.

Philadelphia lost Becton, the starting right guard, and swing tackle Fred Johnson in free agency, and has been wanting to find a potential heir to future Hall of Famer Lane Johnson at right tackle.

In-house options to replace Becton include third-year player Tyler Steen and trade pickup Kenyon Green with the loser potentially being in the mix for the swing tackle job.

Conerly would be a Cam Jurgens-like luxury pick early as insurance to both star OTs, Johnson and Jordan Mailata, and almost assuredly take over the game-day swing tackle role as a rookie.

Mbow and Belton project to have right guard/right tackle versatility, perhaps factoring in inside early with the latter being an intriguing comparison to Becton moving inside because of his size. 

Travis would be strictly a tackle. Of course, that’s what everyone said about Becton before offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland pulled the trigger and cross-trained the new LA Chargers RG inside.

The main gist of these early reported visits is that the Eagles will be taking an offensive lineman somewhere in the first two days.

You can also expect the visit list to be heavily populated by defensive front players as well because Philadelphia needs to restock there and the 2025 draft is particularly deep with edge defenders and defensive tackles.  

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