Eagles draft: Walter Nolen or Malaki Starks at 32? Making the case for each and other priorities

Which NFL draft prospect is most likely for the Eagles in the first round? We sat at the roundtable and discussed the possibilities.

Mississippi defensive tackle Walter Nolen (left) and Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks could be first-round targets for the Eagles.Read moreAssociated Press

by Devin Jackson and EJ Smith

Published April 18, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET

The 2025 NFL draft is less than a week away. With predraft visits now officially complete for all 32 teams, all eyes now turn toward the draft’s first round, which kicks off Thursday in Green Bay (8 p.m., 6abc).

With the Eagles picking 32nd after winning the Super Bowl, who should be among the players they select in Round 1? Inquirer writers EJ Smith and Devin Jackson size up the Eagles’ needs and make the case for whom general manager Howie Roseman should select, along with potential trade-up or trade-down options.

Devin: EJ, for the first time since 2018, the Eagles will close out the first round of the NFL draft. As opposed to past drafts, getting a bead on whom the Eagles may select and the players who will be available in the range feels uncertain as opposed to last year’s. With the lack of top quarterbacks and wide discrepancy among first round-caliber players, Thursday’s first round could be a wild one.

Before we make our picks for whom we believe the Eagles will take in the first round, what’s your view of the class and the potential fits you like for the reigning Super Bowl champs?

EJ: What’s up, Devin! You’re right, it’s definitely a harder class to get a feel for when compared to the last few years. Especially in recent memory, it seems like a consensus favorite for the Eagles’ pick builds by this point, but it’s been more difficult to pin down with so much uncertainty outside of the first few picks. In general, I feel like this is a good year to need pass rush, both along the interior defensive line and on the edge. I don’t love this crop of offensive tackle prospects, though, since most of the top guys might be better suited to bump inside to guard.

I don’t expect the Eagles to force a certain position given the state of the roster, but I would expect some quality pass rushers to be available with how deep that class is and could see them prioritizing those spots as a result.

Devin: Agreed with the strengths of the class aligning along the defensive line. The edge rusher class has an abundance of talent, but I’ve been really impressed with the interior defensive line group. Considering the Eagles let Milton Williams walk in free agency and have until May 1 to make a decision on Jordan Davis’ fifth-year option, prioritizing the trenches on defense seems like a smart bet for what the Eagles might do.

As we know, whom the Eagles bring in for the 30 predraft visits tends to be a good indicator of whom they end up targeting in the draft. Nic Scourton (Texas A&M) and Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) have been the only reported early-round edge rushers to visit Philly, while Tyliek Williams (Ohio State) is among the early-round defensive tackles to visit the NovaCare Complex. What do you make of potentially a lack of early-round defensive linemen taking visits to the Eagles?

EJ: That’s a good point, Devin. I agree the Eagles’ top-30 visits can often be predictive. Their first-round selection has been in for a visit in four of the last five drafts, with DeVonta Smith representing the only exception. I still wouldn’t rule out the potential for them taking a pass rusher who wasn’t in for a visit, especially in a scenario where they trade up for someone, though.

There is some precedent for that on the opposite side of the ball; the team traded up three spots to select Andre Dillard with the 22nd pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

Devin: Those are great points and love the historical examples that you brought to the table. Of course, there are other ways for prospects and teams to have interactions, including pro days, combine meetings, among other forms of communication.

Now that we’ve alluded to it, if you were in Roseman’s shoes and picking for the Eagles at No. 32 overall, whom would you be drafting and why?

EJ: If the Eagles stick and pick at No. 32, it’s likely because a player they value highly has made it that far into the round. With that being said, I’m going to pick one of the crowd favorites and someone you have actually projected to the Eagles in a previous mock draft: Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen.

Nolen would give the Eagles a slashing interior rusher with plenty of upside to pair with Jalen Carter. He’s got some versatility to play from multiple alignments and has the tools to wreak havoc against one-on-one blocks in the way that Williams did for the team last year. I actually don’t think defensive tackle is a pressing need for the team in the short-term because of how encouraging Moro Ojomo’s play was late last season, but I think Nolen would give the Eagles a chance at having two premier interior rushers in the long-term.

How do you feel about Nolen’s chances making it to the Eagles at No. 32? Also, do you have someone else in mind if he gets taken before the Eagles are on the clock?

Devin: As you mentioned, EJ, Nolen is a player I identified early in the process as a potential fit. He’s an explosive player who wreaked havoc at Ole Miss this season. I tend to think he won’t make it all the way down to 32, because of other teams ahead of the Eagles with pressing needs along the defensive line, so he would likely require a minor trade up if he makes it into the mid-20s.

As for my pick at 32, though the Eagles and most NFL teams don’t value safety highly, I’d like to make a case for Malaki Starks. The three-year starter for Georgia who played at a high level at both nickel and safety, he’s drawn comparisons to Brian Branch, and we’ve seen how that’s worked out for the Lions so far. Starks has legit three-level coverage ability, can make tackles in space, and has alignment versatility. With C.J. Gardner-Johnson being traded, I think Starks would be a seamless fit in Vic Fangio’s defense.

EJ: I could definitely see a world where Starks is the best player left on the board at No. 32 for the Eagles. You’re right, it’s not necessarily a premium position for the Eagles compared with the trench positions they often prioritize, but there’s an argument to be made that the philosophies they’ve used picking earlier in the first round aren’t necessarily applicable with the 32nd pick. Roseman said earlier this week that, unsurprisingly, the team doesn’t have 32 players with first-round grades in this year’s class. I doubt very many classes do have that many players with first-round grades. If Starks is one of the few players remaining who does have a first-round grade, he’d make a ton of sense given his versatility, the value of the safeties in Fangio’s scheme, and the clear runway he has to a starting spot in the Eagles secondary.

That said, it would break precedent for Roseman. He’s never used a top-50 pick on a safety and has used a Day 2 selection at the position — one that is tricky to evaluate — only twice during his tenure.

Devin: That last point you made regarding Roseman’s history in not using a top-50 pick on a safety is an interesting one. There haven’t been many Round 1 safeties across the league who have been selected in Round 1 and turned out to be a top-flight player outside of Kyle Hamilton, whom I know the Eagles were interested in back then.

To close this out, if the Eagles did end up making a move in the first round, which they have done in four of the last six drafts, whom would you expect them to target, both for a trade-up or trade-back scenario?

EJ: However unlikely it may be, I could see them trading up for someone like Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams. He was one of my favorite players to watch because of the standout physical traits he has and obviously he’s got the Georgia pedigree the team values highly. If someone like him fell into the 20s, it’s easy to see the Eagles trying to move up.

If they trade back into the early part of the second round, I could see a developmental tackle like Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery or Oregon’s Josh Conerly being the target. Either of those guys would be really good long-term additions to the offensive line and could be off the board by 32 as well, but this tackle class being slightly underwhelming could mean some of these guys make it to the early part of Day 2.

How about you?

Devin: I’m glad you brought up Williams, because he’s one of the two edge rushers who have divisive grades, both among the media and league. His physical traits are elite, already a top-notch run defender, and still relatively young, but his pass rushing arsenal still has room to grow. Still, though, I like the thought of a bigger edge to complement the twitchy, smaller bodies the Eagles have.

Sticking with a player who fits a similar mold as Williams, if Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart starts slipping down the board, I think the Eagles would be all over trading up for him. Many point to his lack of sack production, with 1.5 sacks in each of his three seasons, but his athletic tools, NFL-ready run defense, and unique athleticism at his size would be too good to let fall too deep into the 20s, if he’s there. He’s got alignment versatility, too.

One more player to watch who has uncertain stock: Ohio State’s Josh Simmons, who tore his patellar tendon last fall and was on a trajectory to make a case to be the draft’s top tackle. He’s played both tackle spots and would be an ideal heir to Lane Johnson, without the pressure of having to get on the field early in his career. He would make sense in a trade-back scenario.

EJ: I like the idea of a Simmons trade back as well, if he makes it that far.

As we’ve discussed here, there are so many scenarios at play when you account for Roseman’s tendency to seek trades up and down the board and the lack of consensus about the players in this year’s class in general.

Enjoyed chatting, Devin. Draft day is nearly here!