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Who Are Five Draft Prospects the Eagles Should Prioritize?

· Yahoo Sports

 Whether it’s because of injury, lack of depth, or poor performance, the Philadelphia Eagles have several notable holes to fill on their roster heading into the 2026 NFL Draft.With nine total picks — including four compensatory picks, tied for the most of any team — the Eagles will have a lot of opportunities to improve the current state of the team. Specifically, these five prospects offer varying degrees of plug-and-play ability or developmental upside, but all could be ideal fits for Philadelphia.

Malachi Lawrence, DE, UCF

Malachi Lawrence is a 6-foot-4, 250-pound edge rusher who ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, posted a 40-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-10 broad jump, and has arms measuring roughly 34 inches. In 2025, he tallied 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, and three pass breakups, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors. 

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Looking at his film, the thing that stands out most is his innate ability to get a lineman’s hands off. He can also speed rush, bull rush, and has some version of almost every pass rush move there is. Using a combination of all those factors, he can often win in the pass rush, but he does not appear to have a go-to move that forces a win on its own.

Furthermore, he has an explosive get-off, is great at hand fighting, and can set an edge in the run game. He is not the most disciplined run defender and can be inconsistent, especially with his eyes, often roaming for the big play rather than maintaining gap integrity. His hips are naturally flexible, and he has an intense motor.

Lawrence could fill the short-term void left by Jaelan Phillips and, in the long term, help replace Nolan Smith if he leaves as well.

Keylan Rutledge, OG, Georgia Tech

Rutledge is 6-foot-4, 316 pounds with 33-inch arms and runs a 5.05 40-yard dash. He was a state champion shot putter in high school and a star in both basketball and football. His only injury history is from a serious car accident, which is worth noting given the Eagles’ interior offensive line health concerns.

Although he is primarily a guard, he can take snaps at center if need be. He is a mauler with a nasty streak, the true definition of a finisher. He has great movement, even for his big frame, and excels at kickout blocks. His footwork can be choppy, and he gets flat at times, especially against rushers out wide, and he becomes susceptible to swim and rip moves. 

Rutledge allowed zero sacks through 801 snaps and became Georgia Tech’s first back-to-back first-team All-American since Calvin Johnson. His health, aside from the freak injury, will help the Eagles feel more consistent and dependable, given the current injury history of the offensive line.

Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas

Muhammad is a 6-foot-0, 182-pound cornerback with 32-inch arms and nearly 10-inch hands. He ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash, posted a 39-inch vertical and a 10-foot-10 broad jump. He has contributed since his true freshman season at Texas. In 2025, he allowed just a 69.8 passer rating when targeted, finishing with two interceptions and four pass breakups. 

Muhammad is a natural playmaker who thrives in zone coverage, showing instincts beyond his years. He can eliminate two receivers or an entire side of the field on a single play, often resembling a free safety at the corner position.

Lance Zierlein, an NFL analyst, wrote “He displays outstanding vision and adheres to his zone-cover principles, allowing him to play with ideal efficiency on all three levels.”

Furthermore, Muhammad breaks smoothly on the ball and is a willing tackler, especially in the flats, behind the line of scrimmage. Particularly on screen plays, he displays more desire than most corners.

He can be used as a heat-seeking missile on blitzes but sometimes loses form while pursuing the big hit. Muhammad uses his hands well at the line and within five yards. However, he occasionally flips his hips too quickly or gets caught staring into the backfield.

Ultimately, Muhammad would likely benefit from a year behind Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen to develop and maximize his talent.

Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma

Burks is 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds with a 4.3-second 40-yard dash. He boasts a 42.5-inch vertical, 1.49-second 10-yard split, 10-foot-11 broad jump, 9.5-inch hands, and 26 bench press reps. His 350-pound bench max shows he is far stronger than his frame would suggest.

Burks had a 93.5 quarterback rating when targeted, and his only major injury was a soft-tissue issue in 2024. In 2025, he delivered big performances against Michigan and Alabama in the College Football Playoffs. Burks has elite speed and surprising strength, allowing him to outplay his size.

Additionally, Burks shows rare explosion off the line, is a polished route runner, and identifies soft spots in coverage. While he may never be a true X receiver, his versatility could open up the offense for the Eagles behind DeVonta Smith and, potentially, A.J. Brown.

Burks would be an asset for new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, expanding the playbook and helping the Eagles return to a dominant RPO scheme that brought them success in 2022. He would also threaten on screens, an area where the Eagles have struggled. Philadelphia also lacked yards after the catch in 2025. Burks is elusive after the catch and creates open space with his shiftiness.

Burks needs to address concentration drops, and his previous soft-tissue injury raises some concerns given his build. He struggles against press coverage and can appear to give up if jammed at the line. While he is unlikely to be a standout blocker, he also needs to be more aggressive at the catch point, using his vertical to attack the ball rather than waiting for passes to come to him.

Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State

Wheatley is 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds, running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash. He logged the second-most snaps on Penn State’s defense in 2025 and earned All-Big Ten honors.

Wheatley is a versatile, fluid athlete with plenty of upside, though his technique can be shaky at times. He has rare recovery speed and has improved every year as a starter. His biggest strength is run defense, making him a strong fit for the Eagles’ vacant safety spot after Reed Blankenship left for Houston.

Furthermore, Wheatley is a turnover magnet. With nine career takeaways, he is versatile enough to play any safety spot, in the box, or even at slot or nickel. The main concerns are whether he can add enough bulk to thrive as a strong safety and his play-action recognition, which sometimes causes him to be behind late despite his athleticism.

The post Who Are Five Draft Prospects the Eagles Should Prioritize? appeared first on The Lead.

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