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.
