The Philadelphia Eagles have not taken a tight end in the first round of the NFL Draft since Keith Jackson in 1988. But that doesn’t mean they’ve ignored the position like others.
Philadelphia has a long-standing tradition of addressing the TE role early in drafts, with plenty of success soon following. With three picks in the top 64 picks, could the Eagles be in play for arguably the best tight end prospect of the modern era?
One former general manager certainly thinks so.
Mike Tannenbaum Mocks Brock Bowers to Eagles
Georgia TE Brock Bowers is widely considered not just the best prospect at his position in the 2024 NFL Draft, but many consider him to be one of the best tight end prospects ever.
Bowers recorded 2,538 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in three seasons with the Bulldogs. Some mocks have him going as high as a the top 10 come late April.
For former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum, Bowers may not go that high, but he has the All-American landing with the Eagles at No. 22 overall.
“Could you imagine a personnel grouping of Bowers, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert with a healthy Jalen Hurts under center,” Tannenbaum writes for his reasoning. “He has to improve his blocking, but I believe that will happen in time.”
Philadelphia’s offense is already loaded with talent as the former general manager states, but many other pundits believe the Eagles will look to acquire an offensive lineman instead at this stage of the first round.
With All-Pro center Jason Kelce retiring, and All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson expected to follow him in a couple of years, it makes sense for the Eagles to address the line with young prospects as early as possible.
Could the Eagles Actually Draft Bowers?
Whether it was the previously mentioned Jackson or others, Philadelphia has a long-standing tradition of valuing players who can both block and attack the middle of the field.
What’s been a recent occurrence, though, is the Eagles’ ability to select tight ends with a Pro Bowl-caliber player already on the roster. That seemed to begin in 2013, when, after a consistent stretch of play as the team’s starter, Brent Celek saw the franchise draft Stanford’s own Zach Ertz to help enhance the passing attack.
While Celek continued to play an important role in Philly’s offense as a blocker and leader, he was quickly phased out by Ertz’s receiving ability.
Five years later, with Ertz just entering his prime and city stardom after catching the game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl LII, the Eagles then drafted South Dakota State’s Dallas Goedert to help enhance the middle of the field and replace a recently retired Celek.
When the Eagles drafted Ertz, Celek was 28. When Goedert was drafted, Ertz was 28. Goedert’s age now? 29.
There’s an obvious pattern here that cannot be ignored.
If Philadelphia were to consistently address the TE position like this, then Tannenbaum’s mock certainly makes plenty of sense. The Eagles always want to stay ahead of an aging roster, and drafting Bowers could be the next natural line of succession.
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