Inside The Eagles' Draft Process: 'What Could This Player Be In Year 3?'

Eagles GM Howie Roseman offered a glimpse behind the curtain into the Eagles’ horizontal draft board system and their “critical factors” analytics approach to the draft.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA — Pre-draft media availability in the NFL is rarely insightful unless you approach it thematically. Asking about a specific player usually yields little more than careful double-speak. 

But engaging in thoughtful discussions about process can reveal valuable nuggets that hold up for years.

In past sessions with Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, he has explained the meaning behind “Red Star Players” and the team’s unique Sunday “passion meetings.” 

On Tuesday, ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, Roseman offered another glimpse behind the curtain—this time into the Eagles’ horizontal draft board system and their “critical factors” analytics approach to combine and pro day performance.

The Eagles’ horizontal board organizes players into tiers, allowing flexibility to select different positions within the same tier. 

Over the years, Roseman has learned not to drop down a tier simply to fill a positional need.

“I think the biggest mistake we can make is assuming we know what the team is going to look like a year from now, two years from now, and missing out on a player because we have a perceived need,” Roseman said at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.

Critical Factors

Cooper DeJean goes through a drill during an Eagles OTA practice on June 3, 2025. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Roseman also detailed how the Eagles’ analytics group has identified “critical factors” for each position by studying previous All-Pros, Pro Bowl players, solid starters, and even draft busts. 

Historical testing results and GPS data help establish realistic benchmarks for each tier.

“We have to understand that the best player who may be available may be a position that, going into the draft, we didn’t necessarily want to take,” Roseman explained. “And I’ve come to grips with that—probably expecting that. Expect the worst, hope for the best.”

Drafting is only the beginning. Development is the key for any prospect to reach his ceiling.

“To come in and expect 21-, 22-, 23-year-old players to be the best version of themselves is probably a little naïve,” Roseman said. “So just like all of us, these players need to be developed.”

The Eagles’ goal is for drafted players to peak by Year 3.

“We’ve got to figure out the things they are further along with and developed, and then have a lot of trust in our player development staff, our coaching staff, and the people in this building to get the best out of them,” he continued. “Figure out what their strength is, what their weakness is, and work on those—get the best out of the player. 

“A lot of times in the draft, we talk about: What could this player be in Year 3?”

That consistent, process-driven approach in Philadelphia has helped produce strong drafts in recent years.