Analyst Proposes 'Surprise' Eagles NFL Draft Addition

Would this move make sense for Philadelphia?

Dec 25, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General overall view of the Philadelphia Eagles logo in the locker room corridor during an NFL football game between the Oakland Raiders and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles will have to wait a while on the first night of the National Football League Draft before they make their first pick barring some sort of trade.

Philadelphia has the No. 32 pick in the upcoming draft and surely will still have a chance to add some serious talent regardless of the timing. It's all about making the right pick, not the mock drafts and speculation ahead of the draft.

For example, the Eagles entered the 2024 NFL Draft needing a boost at cornerback and selected Quinyon Mitchell with the No. 22 pick. This was a somewhat surprising move for Howie Roseman who has been clear that he loves drafting for the trenches, but Mitchell was too good to pass up and he finished second in the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award voting and looked like a superstar in the making. Cooper DeJean was taken with the No. 40 pick and finished fourth in the voting and also looks like he's going to be a star for this team for years to come.

Roseman clearly knows what he's doing and whoever he ends up taking will have a solid chance of working out with the Eagles.

Who could it be?

Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman made a list of "surprise" options for each team in the first round and floated Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo for the Eagles at No. 32.

"No. 32. Philadelphia Eagles: TE Elijah Arroyo," Wasserman said. "There have been rumors swirling about whether Dallas Goedert has played his final game in Philadelphia. Even if he returns for 2025, he’ll be 31 by season’s end and entering the final year of his contract. Elijah Arroyo’s explosive athleticism could intrigue the Eagles — his 16.9 yards per reception ranked second among qualified FBS tight ends in 2024."

Arroyo hasn't gotten much buzz as a first-round guy so this would be a surprise for that. ESPN has him ranked as the No. 3 tight end in the draft class and has him ranked as the No. 40 overall prospect.

He had a big year in 2024 and finished the season with 35 catches, 590 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. Before this, he hadn't had over 86 yards in a season. There's merit to the idea, but probably makes more sense if the Eagles are also planning on keeping Dallas Goedert with the team to give Arroyo a year to develop.

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