Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles' scouting department want to find starters on Day 3 of the draft. I mean, duurrr, of course they do. But it's the prioritization of specifically seeking out prospects with upside and the potential to be difference makers that sets them apart from other teams around the league who do not employ that approach.
"I think for us, when we look at the later stages of the draft, we're shooting for starters," Roseman told reporters after the last four rounds of the draft wrapped last weekend. "We had this meeting this morning, and I tell our scouts all the time, we can find backups [elsewhere].
"We could find backups in August, we can find backups [already] on our team. We want to find starters… I mean, you take eight guys [on Day 3], and if you hit on three starters, I mean, you are smoking. You are doing a really good job. So, we're going to take shots on guys who have traits and we're looking for guys that can make a difference.
"And so, we're not looking for the numbers. We're not saying, ‘Hey, 90 percent of the guys made our roster.’ We're looking for guys who can make an impact for the Philadelphia Eagles. And the draft is our opportunity to do that. So, a lot of these guys are traits guys that we think that have a love for the game that we can develop with this great coaching staff and this player development staff and the sports staff to turn into starters. And that's what we're looking for."
The Eagles' Day 3 approach is simple, but very smart. They are looking for players who have two things:
- They love football, and have the right mentality to play in the NFL.
- They aren't going to be flawless players, but they should have at least a few superlative traits "in their body," as Roseman likes to say.
If drafted Day 3 players wind up just being role players, fine. But take swings on upside. Don’t purposely draft for role players, backups, or guys whose appeal might be that they are good on special teams. Those guys are cheap and also very easy to acquire in other ways.
Roseman mentioned that you can find backups already on the team, or if need be, in August. And if you look at their free agency class, they acquired the following players:
- QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson
- RB A.J. Dillon
- RB/RS Avery Williams
- WR Terrace Marshall
- TE Kylen Granson
- TE Harrison Bryant
- OT Kendall Lamm
- OL Matt Pryor
- OG Kenyon Green
- EDGE Azeez Ojulari
- EDGE Josh Uche
- EDGE Patrick Johnson
- CB Adoree' Jackson
- LS Charley Hughlett
Of those 14 players, the highest earner is Ojulari, who signed a one-year deal worth $3 million. They'll all compete in training camp for spots on the roster. Some of those guys will make the team and serve as backups. Some will get cut. But the point here is that they were easy to acquire and they cost almost nothing. Again, backups are easy to find, but draft picks are finite.
Above, Roseman said he reminded his scouts before the start of Day 3 that the team's draft philosophy is to find starters. And sure enough, when the Eagles' social media department released video of the team's draft weekend, we get to see that meeting. It starts at the 12-minute mark below:
"We have this opportunity to get guys who will affect the team," Roseman told the executives and scouts in the Eagles' 'war room.' "In 2018, we had one first day pick. And then we came back on the third day and in the fourth round we drafted Avonte Maddox and Josh Sweat. We drafted Matt Pryor, and we drafted Jordan Mailata. That was an unbelievable draft. So the draft starts right now.
"What we’re going to do today, we’re going to find the right guys for the Philadelphia Eagles. And it’s going to go with the right players, with the right tools in their body, and the right mindset.
"And here’s the other thing. We are not trying to draft backups. We would rather take six guys and get two starters. [That would be] a great third day."
The video then shows scouts going to bat for their favorite prospects that fit that theme:
• Charles Walls (VP, player personnel) liked Ty Robinson: "He plays violent, he's got a little interior pash rush, I think he can probably be more disruptive, and I like his upside as a run defender."
• Ryan Myers (Asst. director of college scouting) agreed on Robinson: "I thought he was a nasty, good football player with traits in his body."
• Lee DiValerio (Southeast area scout) liked Smael Mondon: "Mondon was my highest upside player left today. Size, speed, range, blitz ability, drop back in coverage. I think he can do it all. Three-down starter."
• Matt Russell (Senior personnel director / advisor to the GM) liked Drew Kendall: "Drew is a smart guy that takes angles. We know that position requires the ability to do those things. I think that guy can come in and help us."
• Phil Bhaya (Director of player personnel) liked Myles Hinton: "This guy has it in his body. He's got the size. Get him with Stout, get him in our program, this guy has all the tools in his body, and even better than some of the guys that were drafted yesterday. So I think, in terms of the upside pick, the guy who can start, it's Myles Hinton."
• Dave Caldwell (Senior personnel director / advisor to the GM) liked Kyle McCord: "Think he's smart, he can be a ball distributor, he's accurate."
• Zach Drapkin (Senior quantitative analyst) agreed on McCord: "From the numbers, McCord's probably got a little more upside. Former five-star recruit, led the FBS in passing this year, best accuracy this past season, of the whole QB class."
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Above, Roseman mentioned that the team had a great Day 3 in 2018 when they found Mailata, Sweat, Maddox, and Pryor. They also still have a chance to go three for three on their 2023 Day 3 picks with Kelee Ringo, Tanner McKee, and Moro Ojomo. Other years, they've completely struck out.
The Eagles made eight picks on Day 3 of the 2025 draft. They understand that their batting average isn't going to be high on Day 3 prospects. Maybe two or three of those guys will eventually become starters. If so, it will be a great draft, as Roseman said. Maybe they won't find any starters among those eight guys.
But if you draft a prospect to be a backup and that's exactly what you get, then you basically just wasted a pick on a player you could have found in any number of other ways that would've cost you nothing.
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