Eagles Post-Combine Mock Draft Snags Lane Johnson Heir

The 2026 National Football League Draft will kick off in 51 days, as of writing, and it certainly will be an interesting one for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Philadelphia is going to be on the clock a little earlier than it likely hoped. Last year, the Eagles had the No. 32 pick after beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. The Eagles then traded that pick to Kansas City so they could land the No. 31 overall pick and select linebacker Jihaad Campbell. The Eagles have the No. 23 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

On the bright side, the Eagles will have a chance at a prospect earlier than last year, but it's also a sign that the franchise wasn't able to make it as deep in the playoffs as it hoped. Regardless, the Eagles have a little under two months to take a look at the top prospects and determine a path forward. On Tuesday, ESPN's Jordan Reid shared a new mock draft and projected Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu to be the pick.

The Eagles have the No. 23 overall pick

Mar 1, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Utah offensive lineman Caleb Lomu (OL33) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"No. 23. Philadelphia Eagles," Reid wrote. "Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah. Future Hall of Fame right tackle Lane Johnson sat out eight games in 2025 and will be 36 next season. The Eagles are known for planning ahead and drafting heir apparents to long-term veterans before they are needed. Lomu has plenty of potential and can play either tackle spot, but he must improve his play strength. Ideally, he'll get time to increase that strength while learning behind Johnson, but Johnson's age and durability concerns could force Lomu to play earlier than expected."

Arguably, this would be the right path forward. Even with the early playoff exit, the Eagles don't have a ton of holes. Right now, the biggest ones are offensive line depth, the pass rush and a No. 2 outside corner. If the Eagles can re-sign Jaelan Phillips or acquire a big-name alternative, like Maxx Crosby, that would solve the pass rush problem. The Eagles could find a No. 2 corner without using the No. 23 pick.

A long-term answer at offensive tackle is a bit trickier. High-end offensive linemen are expensive. Right now, the Eagles are set with Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata bookending the line, but with Johnson already having retirement rumors this offseason, it's only a matter of time for the 35-year-old. Selecting someone like Lomu would give the Eagles a depth option if injuries pop up at a relatively cheap cost. Plus, he would have a chance to learn behind Johnson and potentially develop into the long-term answer and heir behind the future Hall of Famer.

All of this is to say the offensive line would be a good way to go with the team's first-round pick.