The Philadelphia Eagles and general manager Howie Roseman might face a sneaky amount of pressure to have a strong NFL Draft, in order to defend the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship this fall.
After all, allowing Mekhi Becton to walk via free agency and trading away C.J. Gardner-Johnson created some uncertainty at two key positions, even if second-year safety Sydney Brown has the potential to step into a starting role to replace the stalwart veteran and defensive leader.
Why Philadelphia Eagles Could take a Safety in the NFL Draft
While the Eagles might still be among the clubhouse leaders to sign safety Justin Simmons, Philadelphia could prioritize taking one of the top safeties in this year’s class with the final pick in the first round.
That’s the exact scenario that plays out in Pro Football Focus NFL analyst Jordan Plocher’s latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft Projection, with the Eagles selecting South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori at No. 32 overall.
“The Eagles already have the best roster in the NFL,” Plocher writes for PFF. “And now they add a physical outlier to their defense. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Emmanwori measured in at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash and had explosive jumps of 43 inches in the vertical and 11 feet, 6 inches in the broad.
“While it almost seems like a luxury pick, Emmanwori earned an 86.8 PFF coverage grade in 2024 and should be able to help the backend of Philadelphia’s talented defense.”
Emmanwori could step in as an immediate starter and another homegrown talent in an Eagles secondary that will start former top draft picks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper Dejean in 2025, and beyond.