Why this Penn State star would be a perfect NFL draft fit for the Eagles

No one knows for sure what Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles are going to do in the 2026 NFL draft.

So when you read the following, know that this reporter isn’t a fortune-teller.

But throughout the pre-draft process, it’s been no secret we’ve had a hunch about the Eagles landing former Penn State star edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton.

In our last two Eagles-specific mock drafts — one after the early wave free agency and one earlier this week — we had the Nittany Lion being selected by the Eagles.

Why does that pairing make so much sense? Let’s break it down.

Interest from the jump

Let’s start here because it’s the most obvious connecting point. The Eagles have shown interest in Dennis-Sutton from the very beginning of the pre-draft process.

They met with him in February at the Senior Bowl, where Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt was Dennis-Sutton’s head coach. They met with him at the NFL Combine in early March. And they had him in for a top-30 pre-draft visit after Penn State’s pro day.

The last bit of that is important. The Eagles didn’t draft anybody they hosted for a top-30 last year. But in the past, it’s been a clear indicator. In 2024, five of nine draftees visited.

An obvious need and fit

Jaelan Phillips got a massive payday from the Panthers and left in free agency. The Eagles responded by adding Arnold Ebiketie and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on one-year deals to bolster the rotation. But that’s not enough to support Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith.

The Eagles need a young, hungry and gifted edge rusher to help mitigate the loss of Phillips.

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Turns out, Phillips (6-foot-5, 263 pounds, 33 1/4 arms) and Dennis-Sutton (6-foot-6, 256 pounds, 33 1/2 arms) profile similarly in body type. They’re both known for pressuring the quarterback, creating opportunities for others and setting the edge in the run game.

And when the Eagles acquired Phillips, Roseman highlighted his “freak ability.” Dennis-Sutton has that, too.

Dennis-Sutton’s Relative Athletic Score, which takes into account everything from the 40-yard dash to the vertical jump at the Combine, was off the charts. Dennis-Sutton’s RAS was a 9.93 out of 10, which ranked 15th-best among 2,046 defensive ends since 1987.

Philosophical switchup

In the last four drafts, the Eagles have used seven of eight picks in the first and second rounds on defensive players. With so many of those players coming up on contract extensions — Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, etc. — the expectation is that the Eagles will focus on the offensive side of the ball in the first two rounds.

The Eagles need a successor for right tackle Lane Johnson. Offensive guard Landon Dickerson also contemplated retirement. They could take a big swing on Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq or Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers with Dallas Goedert and the rest of the tight ends on one-year deals. And there’s a potential need at wide receiver with A.J. Brown’s status up in the air.

All of that is to say that edge rusher, a position Roseman typically covets, doesn’t project as a first or second-round priority this year — which makes Dennis-Sutton even more likely.

Value, value, value

Dennis-Sutton is a damn good player. He entered the 2025 season as a projected first-round pick; that stock fell a bit with an uneven final season at Penn State. But Dennis-Sutton, who finished sixth on the program’s all-time list in sacks, proved over four years that he’s a game-wrecker. Anyone who watched his CFP semifinal performance vs. Notre Dame knows that.

But there’s a lot of damn good edge rushers in this class. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked 16 edge rushers among his top 100 prospects in the draft. Dennis-Sutton ranked No. 13 out of those 16 — and No. 68 overall in the class.

Funny enough, the Eagles own the No. 68 pick in the draft. They also own another third rounder at No. 98. That’s right around the range many expect Dennis-Sutton to land.

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