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When it comes to the 2025 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles will have options at pick 32.
Now sure, technically there will be 31 players already off the board when they pick, assuming Howie Roseman doesn't trade up, and the wily veteran GM could opt not to select in the first round at all if a good enough offer comes around. But if pick 32 rolls around and the Birds are still picking, they will be able to choose from a collection of players who can not only contribute right out of the gates but could become long-term starters worthy of future extensions.
And yet, there are a few players who could still be on the board at pick 32 who should give the team pause, not because they aren't good or won't be good moving forward, but because they are odd fits for what the team is looking to do both now and into the future. While any pick could end up being a good pick or a bad pick, depending on how things shake out, betting on these players feels like anything but a sure thing.
Grey Zabel
Though Jeff Stoutland may be one of the very best offensive line coaches in the NFL today, with an ability to seemingly turn any random guy off the street into a solid enough reserve, the Eagles' offensive line currently consists of one first round pick, two second round picks, a seventh round pick, and either a first or third round pick at right guard, depending on if Tyler Steen or recent addition Kenyon Green win the job.
If the Eagles were to invest another high-profile pick on an offensive lineman this year, no one would really bat an eye, especially considering neither Steen nor Green is under contract long-term, but picking a guard? Who some believe might actually be better off as a center long-term? That would be an unusual choice, especially with a first-round pick.
Standing 6-foot-6, 312 pounds, Zabel played all over the field for the Bison over his five seasons in Fargo, logging snaps at left guard, right tackle, and left tackle for the perennial FCS contenders. He has 32-inch arms, one below the minimum threshold most teams expect from a tackle – just ask Will Campbell – but because of his advanced NFL IQ, he's still widely considered a future first-round pick.
Could Zabel immediately start for the Eagles at right guard in 2025? Sure thing, but because he will likely never be able to kick it outside to tackle long-term when Lane Johnson eventually retires, picking Zabel at 32 when other Day 1 starters will almost certainly be on the board feels more beneficial than adding a third player to their right guard battle. Better to add someone like Ohio State's Josh Simmons or Georgia's Tate Ratledge on Day 2 than Zabel at 32, should he fall to the spot.
Jihaad Campbell
Once considered a favorite to land in the top-20 by many, if not most talent evaluators, Jihaad Campbell has become a borderline prospect after a shoulder injury, with pick 32 becoming a popular landing spot for the Alabama linebacker.
The problem? The Eagles don't draft linebackers in the first round and already have a very similar player in Zack Baun.
Now sure, technically Baun is only locked in on a three-year deal, and the Eagles could get out of his deal after two if he's unable to play at an All-Pro level once more but assuming he at least comes close to playing at the level he did last fall, it's hard to imagine a world where he couldn't actually earn an extension off his current deal, instead of being replaced by a player with a similar set of skills.
Can Campbell do more than most linebackers, even ones selected in the first round? Sure thing, and plenty of folks have hypothesized about using him as a third down rusher, just like the original plan for Baun, but he's far more of a standup linebacker than, say, Jalon Walker, and thus would at best play alongside the 2025 All-Pro as a long-term Nakobe Dean replacement, instead of a swiss army knife who can do a little of everything.
And yet, in his 2025 two-round mock draft, that's exactly what Field Yates decided to do, giving the Eagles Campbell at pick 32, noting the value at the position instead of the fit with the Eagles.
“It hurts me to see Campbell have to wait this long; he's the final prospect on the board who ranks in my top 25. But after a recent left shoulder surgery, his health outlook for the start of his career is less clear. But this would be a classic example of the Eagles pouncing on a talented player who fell due to circumstance. Philly struck gold with a no-risk signing of Zack Baun last offseason, and the idea of a linebacker trio eventually composed of Baun, Nakobe Dean (knee), and Campbell is exciting. Campbell had 112 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, and an interception last season.”
Have the Eagles taken value in the draft? You bet, but when Roseman drafted Dean, it was in the third round, not the first, despite many having a first-round grade on the Georgia linebacker. Baun signed to a deal worth less than $2 million, and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. came off the board in the fifth round last year, when he was widely considered a top player left on the board when the fourth round opened up.
Would Campbell find success in Philadelphia? Sure, but he'd be a luxury on a defense that really needs pass rushers and coverage specialists and not to mention out of character with what the team historically prioritizes.
Emeka Egbuka
On paper, the Eagles kind of need a wide receiver.
Sure, in 2024, the Eagles' WR3 barely saw any action, with the combination of Johnny Wilson and Jahan Dotson combining for a paltry 24 receptions on 48 targets for 254 yards and one touchdown, but did that have more to do with the team's depth or Kellen Moore's commitment to running the ball at all costs, with AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert getting the action left from Jalen Hurts in any given game?
And yet, with the right WR3, it's easy to see a world where the Eagles' offense does become more dynamic, with a legitimate burner or a crafty YAC threat changing the offense up in the best possible way.
Emeka Egbuka is not that player.
The all-time leading yards-getter in Ohio State history, Egbuka was catching passes all the way back when C.J. Stroud was quarterback and has remained a valuable contributor over that stretch, but he was never the best receiver on his team, with players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Jeremiah Smith all outplaying him in one season or another.
How much value should a team place on consistency? Does Egbuka's professional approach to the game add more to the Eagles as a WR3 than, say, Matthew Golden, who could unlock the offense as a deep threat, or the versatility Luther Bolden III could provide as a dynamic threat with the ball in his hand?
On paper, the Eagles should feel comfortable drafting a wide receiver in any round, but they need to add someone who does something special, as opposed to a professional option who doesn't stand out in any one area of the game. Wait it out for TCU's Savion Williams or Isaiah Bond on Day 2, or hope Kyle Williams is there in the fourth round, but the idea of Egbuka wouldn't be an ideal use of a first-round pick.
