Potential 2025 Eagles NFL Draft Picks

Why live in the present when the future provides so many amazing possibilities?

The 2024 NFL Draft? Wow, are you really still talking about that? Kind of embarrassing if you ask me. The Eagles did great by just about every account and set themselves up nicely for a good season. But enough about the past! Let’s talk about the future.

Let’s talk about the 2025 NFL Draft which will take place in scenic Green Bay, Wisconsin and surely feature a bunch of cheese and beer during every commercial bumper. Because Howie Roseman is allergic to not making trades, the Birds made a few during the ‘24 Draft that gave them some extra firepower in the ‘25 one.

The Eagles have nine selections (obviously subject to change) with, by my count, seven of them coming in the first five rounds. It is a fool’s errand to try and predict what an NFL franchise will do tomorrow, let alone a year from now, but I think I am just the right fool to do it so…without further ado…here are some guys the Eagles should consider drafting next April.

---

Based on their projected free agents as well as what the depth chart might shake out to look like, I’ve identified seven “positions of need” for Philadelphia entering next year’s draft. You could argue that many of these positions are ALWAYS “of need” for an NFL team, but I’d counter by saying “shut up” and “don’t you think I already know that?”

I have them ordered loosely by how important the position is for the Eagles to draft early, but again…who knows what the Birds are thinking and who knows who will get hurt, or traded, or fall in to the Springfield Mystery Spot like Ozzie Smith, never to be seen again.

A bunch of the “way-too-early” mock drafts (The Athletic, NBC Sports, CBS Sports) have the Eagles selecting an offensive tackle in the first round, while PFF suggests that the Birds could take a wideout to solidify their pass-catching corps.

Positions of need: LB; IDL; OT; EDGE; WR; CB; TE
2025 NFL Draft picks: 1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round, 3rd round (Miami Dolphins), 4th round (Detroit Lions), 5th round, 5th round (Houston Texans), 7th round (two lowest of their four 7th rounders)

---

Linebacker: Jay Higgins, Iowa; 6-foot-2, 233 pounds; fifth year senior

• he has 217 career tackles, which is 61st in Hawkeyes history
• recorded 171 total tackles (tied team single-season record; third in nation) last year
• 2023 First Team All-American (FWAA, Phil Steele, SI); 2023 Second Team All-American (AFCA, CBS, Walter Camp, AP, Sporting News)

• After (hopefully) finding success with an Iowa defensive player (CB Cooper DeJean) this year, Howie Roseman goes back to Iowa City to select an absurdly productive linebacker. Higgins sat behind Jack Campbell (Detroit Lions LB, 2023 All-Rookie Team selection; 2022 unanimous All-American and B1G DPOY) on Iowa’s stout defense until last season and showed why Kirk Ferentz wasn’t TOO upset that Campbell was off to the NFL. It will be interesting to see how Higgins tests athletically because I don’t think he’s a top-tier athlete, but he certainly will be one of the leaders on one of the top defenses in the country and that has to count for something.

Interior defensive line: Walter Nolen, Ole Miss; 6-foot-4, 290 pounds; junior

• consensus 5-star prospect coming out of high school; ranked No. 2 in class by the 247 Composite
• named Top Newcomer on defense at Texas A&M team banquet after 2022 season
• earned Defensive Trenches Award (presumably this is a good thing?) at A&M team banquet after 2023 season
• career stats: 22 games played, 66 tackles (37 solo), 11 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 pass defended, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
• Nolen, who transferred to Ole Miss this offseason, is a player that has been on the radar of NFL scouts for years. He has the potential and size to be a first round pick and it will be extremely interesting to see how a change of scenery affects his stats. He has the motor of a pro lineman already and he is strong, fast, and violent on the line of scrimmage. The Eagles are known to build through the trenches via the draft and Nolen would be a welcome addition to a young, menacing defensive line.

Offensive tackle: Riley Mahlman, Wisconsin; 6-foot-8, 320 pounds; redshirt junior

• consensus 4-star recruit coming out of high school
• appeared in 21 career games (19 starts)
• only allowed one sack in seven games played in 2022

• started all 13 games last year and was rated as the fifth best offensive lineman in the Big Ten by PFF
• The first thing everyone notices about Mahlman is how absolutely massive he is. Mahlman has the size that will have NFL teams drooling and he has an extremely high ceiling too. While starting on an underwhelming Wisconsin Badgers offensive line the past two seasons, Mahlman has been one of the few bright spots. I know this to be true because I, as a Wisconsin alum, searched through all of my tweets and I’ve never once mentioned him! He has gotten better every year he has been in Madison despite going through a number of coaching changes (both head coach and position coach) and he is the type of guy who could end up providing first or second round value with a fourth or fifth round pick.

EDGE: Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss; 6-foot-5, 255 pounds; fifth year senior

• 4-star prospect in high school; ranked in the top-250 of the 247 Composite
• All-SEC Second Team (coaches and AP) in 2023
• career stats: 45 games played (23 starts), 99 tackles (48 solo), 24.5 TFL, 15 sacks, 23 QB hurries, 3 forced fumbles
• Another Ole Miss transfer on the defensive line? Sheesh, Lane Kiffin killed it in the portal this offseason, huh? Umanmielen played his first four years at Florida and broke out last year with career-highs in TFL, sacks, QBH, and tackles (tied). He spends most of his time as a stand-up edge rusher, but there are highlights of him with his hand in the dirt and he acquits himself nicely against larger offensive linemen. However, Umanmielen’s calling card is definitely his speed pass rushing ability. He can beat tackles to the outside and once he sets them up with that he has a devastating spin move that puts blockers into a blender. His athleticism and stout gap responsibility on RPOs make him an ideal EDGE prospect.

Wide receiver: Xavier Restrepo, Miami (Fla.); 5-foot-10, 198 pounds; fifth year senior

• high 3-star ATH/WR coming out of high school
• 2023 All-ACC First Team
• career stats: 39 games (15 starts), 131 catches, 1,717 yards (13.1 ypc), 10 touchdowns; 13 punt returns, 46 yards (3.5 ypr)
• After suffering a foot injury in 2022 that robbed him of about half the season, but still saw him be productive in the games he did play in, Restrepo came into 2023 as a prime breakout candidate. And, well, breakout he did. Restrepo set the Miami single-season record with 85 catches and became the sixth player in school history to rack up 1,000 yards receiving. I’d say he’s more “quick than fast” but he’s also by no means slow, just probably not a dangerous vertical threat. He is herky-jerky (in the best way) when running routes and after the catch, making him a difficult cover for defensive backs. Could be a nice understudy for Devonta Smith.

Cornerback: Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon; 5-foot-10, 183 pounds; fifth year senior

• 3-star prospect coming out of high school
• 2023 All-Pac-12 Second Team (Washington; coaches) 2023 All-Pac-12 First Team (Washington; AP, Phil Steele); 2022 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (Oklahoma State)
• career stats: 46 games played (28 started), 118 tackles (92 solo), 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 4 interceptions, 26 passes defended
• After a solid, if unremarkable, career at Oklahoma State, Muhammad transferred to Washington and helped the Huskies get to the CFP National Championship Game. He had three picks, 20 passes defended, and forced a fumble last year while also racking up 46 tackles. Muhammad is a smart, fluid defensive back who excels in coverage, both zone and man, but isn’t necessarily an asset in run support. In the offseason he transferred to Oregon (Washington’s biggest rival lol) and will look to make a mark in the Big Ten and earn a first round grade in the 2025 draft.

Tight end: Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame; 6-foot-5, 260 pounds; senior

• 3-star prospect coming out of high school
• career stats: 29 games played (14 starts), 34 catches, 482 yards (14.2 ypc), 2 touchdowns; 8 rushes, 13 yards (0.3 ypc), 1 touchdown
• Evans does almost all of his damage over the middle of the field and provided QB Sam Hartman a big target there last season. He has good hands and a tiny bit of wiggle after the catch. He missed the final four games of last season but was still Notre Dame’s top receiving option…which might say something about the Fighting Irish’s passing game, but let’s ignore that for right now. Evans appears to be the type of player who gets better every season so he’ll be an intriguing player to watch in 2024, especially since Notre Dame will have a new QB under center.