'Starters' Draft Could Break For Eagles On Defensive Front

NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah called 2025 a "starters draft."

The Eagles may need to replace Milton Williams and Josh Sweat. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles start the 2025 draft process with the 32nd overall pick thanks to their status as Super Bowl LIX champions.

In any year there is a big difference from a top-10 pick and the bottom of the first round. That disparity feels lesser this time around, however, something former Eagles scout and lead NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah intimated during his annual pre-scouting combine video call with reporters.

“It's a starter's draft is how I would phrase it,” Jeremiah said. “Going through and watching all these guys for the combine and talking to a bunch of people around the league, okay, some positions maybe don't have that superstar that we have had in years past, but we do have a boatload of starters, particularly the defensive line.

“A bunch of really, really good players.”

“Particularly the defensive line” should be noted by Philadelphia fans because this feels like a year that the Eagles will try to restock what is a foundational position to its roster-building philosophy.

The potential losses of edge rusher Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Milton Williams in free agency also factor into that mindset as does a potential future record-breaking extension for Jalen Carter and the difficult decision on a fifth-year option on nose tackle Jordan Davis, something the Eagles must make by May 1.

No matter how each of those dominoes fall you can see how GM Howie Roseman would like to add multiple cost-effective bodies on the defensive front.

"We'll see what happens with free agency," Jeremiah said when discussing the Eagles and his former boss Howie Roseman. "They have some key guys there, but they have so much roster depth. They're traditionally a big line of scrimmage team in the draft, and this is a draft especially, as I mentioned on the defensive side, there's depth and quality there.

"If somebody wants to jump up, I could easily see them sliding back and trying to get some more shots at it here on Day 2. I think there's a lot of value in Day 2 in this year's draft class. That would be more likely to me than moving north. I think it would be moving south. Again, don't rule anything out with them. When in doubt, just sit there and wait for some uber-talented Georgia, Alabama player to fall into their lap."

MORE NFL: Lightning Unlikely To Strike Twice In 2025 Draft For Eagles