Eagles Top-30 Visit Tiers: 3.0

PHILADELPHIA - Wednesday was the final day of top-30 visits around the NFL, and the Eagles finished the process with a lesser-profile session with Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley, a four-year starter for the Golden Gophers who projects inside at the professional level and could be a Day 3 option to bolster Philadelphia's depth in the secondary.

Walley is the 26th known visit for the Eagles, so there is still a blind spot.

It should also be noted that Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, one of the highest-rated prospects Philadelphia visited with, and Syracuse running back LeQuint Allen are both South Jersey natives and considered local prospects, so they may not count against the 30 number but we will include them in the tiers.

Of the unknown invitations, it would come as little surprise if there are some tight ends in that grouping because it's an obvious need for Philadelphia, and GM Howie Roseman and Co. have been relatively quiet on that front, perhaps purposefully locking down that information.

Eight days before the draft, it's time to roll out version 3.0 and perhaps the final edition of our top-30 visit tiers for 2025.

First, the general data.

Of the 26 known visits, eight were on the offensive line and eight on the defensive front, playing into the idea this will be a "trenches draft" for the Eagles. The surprise was that there were seven defensive backs -- five cornerbacks and two safeties -- and a heavy emphasis on the secondary late in the process. The outliers were two running backs (Allen and Texas' Jaydon Blue) and a linebacker (Penn State's Kobe King).

So here it is. Version 3.0 of tiering up the players and where they could be in play for the Eagles later this month. (The players in each tier are listed in alphabetical order).

Tier 1 - First Round (No. 32) or Targeted Trade Up:

-Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr. - Conerly makes a lot of sense as an heir to Lane Johnson at right tackle. However, the Eagles would like inside versatility and a prospect who could start his career inside at right guard. That's a projection most are not making with Conerly, but most are also not factoring in Jeff Stoutland's help.

-Boston College Edge Donovan Ezeiruaku - The Eagles need an edge rusher even after signing Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche to prove-it deals in free agency. Ezeiruaku, who played his high school football in South Jersey at Williamstown High School, would be a top-15 level prospect if he had a little more size and length. He would be in the mix to be a Day 1 starter for the Eagles if he's drafted and picks things up quickly over the summer.

-Georgia S Malaki Starks - The knock on Starks is man coverage. His instincts would seem to project well in Vic Fangio's zone-heavy system.

Tier 2: Day 2 Trade Down (Think 40 to 50 range):

-Ole Miss CB Trey Amos - It's hard to imagine the Eagles going at the top of the draft for another corner after Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in 2024. That said, they've done a ton of homework, so perhaps they are not quite as bullish on Kelee Ringo replacing Darius Slay as once thought.

Amos is a lengthy cornerback who moves well and is a high-level outside option.

-Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston - Hairston is a tailor-made fit for Vic Fangio with advanced off-coverage abilities that somewhat mirror Mitchell's at Toledo.

-Ohio State OL Donovan Jackson - Jackson strikes me as a potential Day 1 starter at right guard for Philadelphia, but the value isn't quite there at No. 32, and he won't be around at 64.

-South Carolina DT T.J. Sanders - Sanders is a three-technique, disruptor who could be the Day 1 replacement for Milton Williams.

-Texas A&M Edge Nic Scourton - At 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, Scourton would bring some much-needed size to the edge for the Eagles, and he has a more well-rounded pass-rushing plan than most young prospects. The negative is he also lacks the true top-tier explosion of most Round 1 options at the position.

Tier 3: Day 2 (No. 64) or targeted trade up:

-NC State OT Anthony Belton - Belton is a king-sized OT with power. You can almost see the Mekhi Becton-like move to the inside in Stoutland's mind, but Belton is unlikely to last to No. 64.

-William & Mary OT Charles Grant - Grant is a tremendous athlete with a high ceiling who is a tough evaluation for some because of the level of competition at William & Mary. The ceiling is so high, someone may jump long before No. 64.

-UCLA Edge Defender Olwuafemi Oladejo - A late college switch from off-ball linebacker to edge defender has sparked intrigue with Oladejo. A high-ceiling player, Oladejo is also raw and the Eagles already have a top-tier project in Jalyx Hunt on the edge.

The Eagles need a Day 1 contributor right now. To mean that means caution with Oladejo. However, if they don't get the edge rusher in Round 1, the need may become pressing.

-Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams - A 330-pound pure run defender, if the Eagles bite on Williams, it's a clear indication they don't want to pay Jordan Davis past 2025.

Tier 4: No. 96 or trade up in Round 4:

-Georgia OL Dylan Fairchild - A powerful player with a wrestling background, Fairchild is likely to at least serve as interior depth right away.

-West Virginia OL Wyatt Milum - A tackle at WVU, Milum projects inside in the NFL due to his shorter arms.

-Purdue OL Marcus Mbow - A tackle who projects to OG in the NFL, it's hard to see the fit with Mbow in Philadelphia because he's more athlete than mauler, and the Eagles have been most successful with powerful guards. He will also likely be gone by this point, and seems like a no man's land player for Philadelphia.

-Kansas State CB Jacob Parrish - Parrish is an undersized, speedy player who projects in the nickel if he's physical enough for the run fits. The Eagles don't have an obvious backup for Cooper DeJean so this could be a worthwhile swing of the bat in Round 3.

-Penn State S Jaylen Reed - Reed has some versatility to play in a big nickel setup or safety plus help on special teams.

-SMU EDGE Elijah Roberts - Roberts is more of an old-school five-technique, but he does offer size and potential versatility to toggle from edge to the inside. He's a potential third-rounder for me.

-Texas A&M DT Shemar Turner - Turner played at just about every spot on Texas A&M's defensive line, thanks to his active, violent hands and unwavering effort. He has some length and overall size limitations, but feels like a guy an NFL coaching staff will push for on Day 2 of the draft.

He might pencil in as a potential Milton Williams replacement with a similar structured trajectory. In other words, it could take some time.

Tier 5: Day 3 (Nos. 134, 161, 164, 165, 168):

-Syracuse RB LeQuint Allen- A Millville, NJ native, this is the obvious Kenny Gainwell potential replacement. Allen is a great receiving back and ahead of the curve as a pass protector, unlike Jaydon Blue.

-Miami (FL) EDGE Tyler Baron - Baron has NFL size but lacks the speed and creativity in his pass rush to be more than a Day 3 prospect.

-Texas RB Jaydon Blue - Blue is a speed guy who profiles as a third-down back but isn't great in pass protection or with ball security.

-Penn State LB Kobe King - King is a bigger, instinctive downhill LB who will occasionally struggle in coverage.

-Southern Cal CB Jaylin Smith - A versatile player who played at outside CB with USC but projects inside at the pro level. A short stint at safety may help with the run fits part of the equation.

-Iowa State OT Jalen Travis - Travis is a tall swing tackle option who may be out of the equation with the signings of veterans Kendall Lamm and Matt Pryor.

-Minnesota CB Justin Walley - Another outside CB in college who will be tried inside in the NFL. Walley showed physicality with the Golden Gophers so you can see the NFL's thought process.

MORE NFL: Eagles Finish Up Top-30 Visits With Minnesota CB