September 12, 2026
USA Today Network via Reuters Connect/for PhillyVoice
OSU WR Jeremiah Smith is an unrealistic Eagles target, but it's worth rooting for him to stay out of the NFC East otherwise.
During the college football season each year, as long as you're watching the games, we point out five players each week to keep an eye on who make logical sense for the Philadelphia Eagles in the following year's NFL Draft.
Perich was a true freshman phenom for Minnesota in 2024 when he had 46 tackles, 5 INTs, and a forced fumble, as well as kick and punt return duties. In 2025, he didn't have a great follow-up season, but Minnesota tried him occasionally as a wide receiver.
In 2026, Perich transferred to Oregon, where he'll replace first-round selection Dillon Thienemann.
Perich is ultra-versatile, and extremely athletic, as he ran the 100 meters in 10.89 seconds in high school, and won a state title in the long jump. In addition to his track background, Perich was also a star basketball player.
I think it's pretty easy to draw comparisons between Perich and Cooper DeJean. Perich is a more physical hitter, but DeJean was better overall college player, in my opinion. Perich's versatility and athleticism are very obviously going to appeal to the Eagles, and he is also a physical player. Highlights:
Daley finished seventh in the country with 11.5 sacks last season while playing for Utah. He has a motor that doesn't stop, and a nice repertoire of pass rush moves, including a highly effective inside spin. Highlight reel:
The Eagles have Jonathan Greenard under contract through the 2029 season. They exercised Nolan Smith's fifth-year option for the 2027 season, and the 2027 season will also be the final year of Jalyx Hunt's rookie contract.
The Eagles feel likely to try to get a long-term contract extension done with Hunt. Smith's situation is a little more up in the air. He may be difficult to keep with the Eagles needing to pay Hunt, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean.
If the Eagles feel like Smith won't be on the roster in 2028 and beyond, a Day 2 edge rusher would make sense as a short-term EDGE4 and long-term EDGE3.
Brown is a player that is very clearly going to appeal to Vic Fangio. He plays with good technique in man coverage, and outstanding awareness in zone. You can watch the below video and pretty easily tell that he has had good coaching through high school and college:
But also, he's a ballhawk (3 INTs as a true freshman in 2024, two pick-sixes in 2025), and also a willing tackler in the run game. If he builds on his first two quality seasons at Bama, he'll be a first-round pick in the 2027 draft if he comes out.
The question is whether the Eagles would use a first-round pick on a corner. On the one hand, Riq Woolen is likely to be playing elsewhere in 2027. The Eagles won't be able to afford him if he has a good season, and they won't want him back if he doesn't. On the other hand, the Eagles are highly likely to give Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean massive extensions next offseason. Can they reasonably do that, and then also select another corner with a high pick?
Smith has been thought of by some as the best player in college football since he was a true freshman. His stats:
| Jeremiah Smith | Rec | Yards | YPC | TD |
| 2024 | 76 | 1315 | 17.3 | 15 |
| 2025 | 87 | 1243 | 14.3 | 12 |
| 2026 (1 game) | 8 | 151 | 18.9 | 2 |
Former OSU teammate Carnell Tate, who was nowhere near as good as Smith, got selected fourth overall in the 2026 draft. Smith is going to be a top five pick, and will draw comparisons to guys like Julio Jones and A.J. Green because of his blend of size, athleticism, and skill. Gus Johnson almost had three heart attacks calling this guy's games last season.
The Eagles will covet Smith, as will every other team. We're not going to spend much time on him, since the Eagles' season would have to go extremely sideways for them to be in a position to draft him, but he's maybe worth pointing out, just because he will be an obvious target for the Commanders or Giants, if/when they're awful again this season?
It's worth rooting for those teams to win some games this season just so that this guy lands somewhere other than the NFC East.
Spoiler: It's going to be a strong safety class in 2027, and the Eagles have a need there, so we're going to be profiling a lot of them.
McDonald was a teammate with Andrew Mukuba at Texas. Like Mukuba, McDonald is a versatile college safety, just in a different way. Mukuba had slot corner / safety versatility, while McDonald is a bigger, downhill thumping safety, but who also has the athleticism to cover tight ends and break up high-point throws down the field. Video via @NFL_DF:
I also like his instinctiveness and toughness. Probably an early Day 2 guy.
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