The Eagles add another skill position player, drafting tight end Eli Stowers out of Vanderbilt with the No. 54 overall pick.
Stowers played five seasons of college football, starting his career at Texas A&M before spending a year at New Mexico State and transferring to Vanderbilt for his final two seasons.
The 6-foot-3, 239-pound Stowers had 638 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2024 before posting 62 grabs for 769 yards and four scores last season. Stowers set tight end Combine records in broad jump (11 feet, 3 inches), and vertical jump (45.5 inches).
Stowers earned first-team All-American honors and won the Mackey Award. He also won the William V. Campbell Trophy (Academic Heisman). The Eagles now have drafted the nation’s top wide receiver (Makai Lemon, Biletnikoff Award) and tight end.
Stowers joins a room with Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, E.J. Jenkins, Cameron Latu, Johnny Mundt, Stone Smartt, and Jaheim Bell.
Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman: “I think when you find guys that have unique skill sets, and we have a lot of confidence in our coaches and our staff to develop players, especially when they have high football IQ and high character, and we know they’re tough. I mean, it’s exciting.”
Head Coach Nick Sirianni: “The guy is super talented. Athletically, he does some things that nobody else can do. Just to be able to create mismatches with him on third downs and first and second down situations, he is a tough cover. [He] catches everything, good after the catch, [has] speed, quickness. So really excited to have him.”
Eli Stowers: “It’s just such a blessing to be a part of this team. Such a great program with so much history, and it’s such a winning culture. I can’t even explain how thankful I am for them to give me a chance and take a shot on me and believe in me to be able to help the team in that way. I’m so excited.”
Career stats
111 receptions
1,407 receiving yards
11 touchdowns
2025 stats
Recorded 62 receptions for 769 yards and 4 touchdowns across 12 games
PFF overall grade of 81.6 (7th among 199 FBS tight ends nationally) and receiving grade of 85.3 (6th nationally)
The Eagles kicked off the 2026 NFL Draft by moving up three spots in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to select WR Makai Lemon with the 20th overall pick.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
WR Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
TE Eli Stowers was selected No. 54 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
TE Eli Stowers was selected No. 54 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
TE Eli Stowers was selected No. 54 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
TE Eli Stowers was selected No. 54 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
TE Eli Stowers was selected No. 54 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
TE Eli Stowers was selected No. 54 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
TE Eli Stowers was selected No. 54 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
T Markel Bell was selected No. 68 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
T Markel Bell was selected No. 68 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
T Markel Bell was selected No. 68 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
QB Cole Payton was selected by the Eagles with the 178th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
QB Cole Payton was selected by the Eagles with the 178th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
G Micah Morris was selected by the Eagles with the 207th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
G Micah Morris was selected by the Eagles with the 207th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
G Micah Morris was selected by the Eagles with the 207th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
G Micah Morris was selected by the Eagles with the 207th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
G Micah Morris was selected by the Eagles with the 207th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
S Cole Wisniewski was selected by the Eagles with the 244th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
DT Uar Bernard was selected by the Eagles with the 251st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
OLB Keyshawn James-Newby was selected by the Eagles with the 252nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Accolades
John Mackey Award winner: The first Vanderbilt player in program history to win the award
William V. Campbell Trophy winner, college football Academic Heisman, carrying a 3.92 GPA alongside his on-field excellence
First-Team All-American
First-Team All-SEC
Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro sits down with the new outside linebacker after he signed his contract extension.
From the team’s first-round pick in wide receiver Makai Lemon to the seventh-round selection of outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby, learn about the Class of 2026.
Bernard ran a 4.63 40-yard dash and has a 39-inch vertical jump.
James-Newby had nine sacks last season at Next Mexico.
Wisniewski started 14 games for the Red Raiders and had 78 tackles.
During his five-year career with the Bulldogs, the 6-foot-5, 334-pound guard helped them earn two National Championships and three SEC titles.
Payton threw for 2,719 and 16 touchdowns last season while adding 777 yards and 13 scores on the ground.
The Eagles added two draft picks and a veteran in Jonathan Greenard.
The mammoth Miami tackle is the tallest offensive lineman drafted in the last decade.
Greenard and a seventh-round pick comes to Philadelphia in exchange for a third-round pick this year and a third-round pick in 2027.
The Eagles moved up three spots in the first round to draft the Biletnikoff Award.
Apr 25, 2026
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