Just A 'Freeling:' Big OT Could Be A Fit For The Eagles

Georgia OT has been racing up draft boards recently and looks like a first-round pick.

Nov 9, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Monroe Freeling (57) blocks during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles are happy to have Lane Johnson back for a 14th season. However, that doesn’t mean the likely future Hall of Famer will be around forever.

Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman understands that, and snaring the potential successor to perhaps the greatest right tackle of the modern generation has been at the top of the to-do list for a few years.

In 2024, the Eagles had a keen interest in Troy Fautanu before the Pittsburgh Steelers took him two spots before Philadelphia was on the clock. Roseman’s contingency was a home run with All-Pro cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.

Succession?

Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65) and running back Saquon Barkley (26) on the line of scrimmage against the Kansas City Chiefs during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Circumstance has forced Roseman to the defensive side of the football over the past few years when it comes to premium picks (first through third rounds).

The Eagles haven’t selected an offensive lineman in the first two days of the draft since current starting right guard Tyler Steen was selected at No. 65 overall in 2023. 

Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens went at No. 51 overall a year earlier, and three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson was the 37th pick in 2021.

The Eagles haven’t used a first-round selection on an O-Lineman since Andre Dillard in 2019, and before that, it was Johnson himself in 2013.

This feels like a year where things could line up correctly for the Eagles and the OL. However, there’s an added complication for Roseman, who is no longer picking players for offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who left the organization after 13 seasons.

Roseman and Stoutland are very close and the GM had a very good beat on the “critical factors,” the legendary assistant wanted.

That could change with the Eagles’ offense moving to more of a stretch-zone mindset with the ground game. Ultimately, great players are great players but Philadelphia could shift to more emphasis on mobility and athleticism under new OL coach Chis Kuper. 

With pre-draft prep heating up, Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling has started to gain quite a bit of steam. At 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, Freeling combines that size with rare athleticism for such a big prospect.

“Monroe Freeling is going to have a lot of love as we go through the rest of the process,” NFL Media’s lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said during his annual pre-combine conference call last week. “I don’t think it’s that big of a gap there with him and the top guys.”

Freeling should be in conversation for the Eagles at No. 23.

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