Eagles’ 7-round 2026 NFL Draft according to PFF mock draft simulator after NFL Free Agency

With the initial wave of free agency more or less over, even if the Philadelphia Eagles just secured a steal in the form of Hollywood Brown, teams have begun to further turn their focus to the 2026 NFL Draft and which players they could come away with during the three-day event in Pittsburgh.

With all of their free agent contracts so far of the one-year variety, the Eagles will look to the draft to further fortify their roster for the future, with the vast majority of their current starters either coming to the team as draft picks or acquired with a pick via trade.

But who should the Eagles target? Well, the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator provided an interesting ounce of insight into how the board could shake out and which players the Eagles would consider taking with each of their selections.

Round 1, Pick 23: EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn

With Kenyon Saddiq now firmly out of range for the Eagles’ first-round pick, the consensus has rapidly eroded on who the Eagles should draft with pick No. 23.

Sure, the Eagles addressed a few holes in free agency, namely Riq Woolen and Hollywood Brown, which may change their plans ever so slightly, but because they didn’t land a single player on a multi-year deal, pretty much all options are on the table when the pick rolls around, from wide receiver, to offensive tackle, defensive back and even on the defensive line.

In this particular PFF mock draft, the simulator went best player available and gave the Eagles Auburn edge Keldric Faulk with pick No. 23.

Standing 6-foot-6, 276 pounds, Faulk is a little bigger than the edge rushers the Eagles have been targeting over the past few seasons, but where he may lack in traditional 3-4 outside linebacker twitchiness, he more than makes up for it with inside-out versatility.

With Brandon Graham set to retire at the end of the season, adding a 21-year-old with nine sacks over the last two seasons could be a good long-term play for a team looking to build a long-term contender.

Round 2, Pick 54: SAF AJ Haulcy, LSU

Goodness, for how much the Eagles have been rumored to be targeting offense early and often in the 2026 NFL Draft, here is another defensive pick by the PFF simulator, admittedly one at maybe the team’s biggest position of need.

Standing 6-foot, 215 pounds, Haulcy looks the part of an elite safety prospect and has the production to match.

Originally beginning his college career at New Mexico, Haulcy really made a name for himself at Houston in 2024, where his five interceptions and eight passes defensed helped him land a transfer to LSU for his senior season. Though Haulcy didn’t duplicate his interception numbers in 2025, he still brought in three, which, when coupled with 88 tackles and a forced fumble, instantly placed him in the top crop of safeties in this year’s class.

With an ability to play deep or in the box, support the run, or match up with opposing pass-catchers of all shapes and sizes in coverage, Haulcy could more than make up for the loss of Reed Blankenship right out of the gate, allowing Andrew Mukuba to stick to free safety while giving the Eagles a legit one-two punch at the position for years to come.

Round 3, Pick 68: WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota

After being involved in the trade that eventually landed Trey Lance with the San Francisco 49ers, the Eagles secure his brother, Bryce, to become their new WR3.

Like Trey, Bryce played his college career at North Dakota, but he made his name as a wide receiver, catching 127 passes for 2,157 yards and 25 touchdowns for quarterbacks like Cam Miller and Cole Payton. Like his brother, Lance is a very good athlete, as his 4.34 40 time clearly proves, and at 6-foot-3, 204 pounds, he has the potential to be a big-bodied pass catcher inside or out, instead of just a gimmicky speed player who needs manufactured touches.

After signing Hollywood Brown to a $6 million contract, it’s clear the Eagles are interested in adding some vertical speed to their offense in 2026 to open things up at the line of scrimmage for Saquon Barkley. But with the addition of Lance, the Eagles could ensure they are stocked at that position for more than just one season, with screen passes, jet sweeps, and other creative deployments for the NDSU product, all options for Sean Mannion beyond simple go routes.

Round 3, Pick 98: IOL Logan Jones, Iowa

With Landon Dickerson considering retirement and Cam Jurgens having all sorts of offseason procedures to get his body back after a down season, the Eagles would be wise to address the interior of their offensive line to ensure they have good depth now and into the future in front of Barkley and Jalen Hurts.

In this simulation, that came in the form of Logan Jones, one of the best centers in this year’s draft.

Standing 6-foot-3, 299 pounds, Jones is a super athlete who anchored the best offensive line in the country. Like Eagles legend Jason Kelce, Jones is a tad undersized, but his tape is remarkably similar to the New Heights host, with his zone-blocking prowess among the best in this year’s class.

Do the Eagles need a new starting safety in 2026? No, probably not, but they have been on the lookout for a new backup center in each of the last two drafts, and will most likely need at least one more starter as early as next season, depending on what happens with Jurgens, Dickerson, and right guard Tyler Steen, who is in the last year of his current contract. If Dickerson retires or Steen leaves in free agency, who knows? Maybe Jones could move to center under Mannion, and Jurgens could return to guard, where he thrived early on.

Round 4, Pick 122: QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

A quarterback? In the fourth round?

While this pick may have made more sense before the Eagles acquired Andy Dalton in a trade, they have been linked to multiple Tanner McKee trades as he prepares to enter the final year of his rookie contract, which makes adding a new developmental arm an interesting option.

Once considered a potential first-round pick, Nussmeier’s final season at LSU was underwhelming, even if that had something to do with injuries that limited his production. Finally healthy at the Senior Bowl, Nussmeier was the talk of Mobile, and now looks like a high-upside mid-round selection, especially for a team with extra picks in the middle rounds.

Could Nussmeier become the next McKee, or even the next Jalen Hurts, at some point in the next four years? That really depends on if he can return to full strength and how well he meshes within Mannion’s system, but his upside is more interesting than a player like, say, Carson Beck, who is also projected to go in this range, so good on you, PFF simulator.

Round 4, Pick 136: TE Justin Joly, North Carolina State

After signing not one, not two, but three tight ends earlier this month, the Eagles might be willing to sit out taking a tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft in order to use their assets on bigger needs. But had they selected a player like Harold Fannin Jr. in last year’s third round, they wouldn’t still be looking for a tight end of the future, making adding one this year to fill that role long-term all the more necessary.

While Justin Joly isn’t a household name by any means, he is a very interesting option for a team looking for upside at the position. Beginning his career at Connecticut, Joly transferred to North Carolina State in 2024 and quickly took off, catching 92 passes for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns over 25 games with the Wolfpack.

Is Joly a “complete” tight end at this point in his career? No, he’s a little undersized at 6-foot-3, 241 pounds, and didn’t have to block too much at NC State. Still, in the fourth round, every player will have some aspects of their game that are lacking. Joly looks smooth with the ball in his hands and had stats comparable to Saddiq’s best season in 2024. If that’s how the board breaks, Roseman would likely be willing to follow the PFF simulator’s lead on this one.

Round 5, Pick 151: RB Nicholas Singleton, Penn State

After having no Penn State running backs in 2023, the Eagles could have two in 2026 if they add Nicholas Singleton with pick 151.

A former five-star recruit who went to Penn State to follow in the footsteps of Eagles rushers like Barkley and Miles Sanders, Singleton has looked like a certified difference maker at times for the Nittany Lions, even if he never seemed to take on the role full-time while platooning with another 2026 draft prospect, Kaytron Allen.

Singleton has great speed, pass-catching experience, and even returned 48 kickoffs during his time in Happy Valley, but at this point, he’s more of a depth piece than a Day 3 lead back-in waiting. Still, for a Penn State product, who better to learn from than Barkley as he looks to become an NFL player at some point down the line?

Round 5, Pick 179: CB Thaddeus Dixon, North Carolina

And last but not least in the current PFF simulator configuration, the Eagles select Thaddeus Dixon, a former Washington cornerback who finished out his career with Bill Belichick in North Carolina.

Standing 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Dixon is a developmental outside cornerback who could slot in behind Quinyon Mitchell and Woolen as a developmental option, much like 2025 Day 3 pick Mac McWilliams on the inside.

Dixon has just two interceptions over his three college seasons, albeit none with the Tar Heels, and likely would have been drafted higher in 2024 had he been eligible. Could Dixon be a buy-low candidate on Day 3 who returns to his junior form in Fangio’s scheme? Only time will tell, but for the Eagles, there are worse options in the fifth round than an NFL-sized player who looked like he belonged at the 2026 Senior Bowl.

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