NFL draft: Eagles draft cornerback Quinyon Mitchell; historic night for quarterbacks
The Eagles didn't have to trade up to nab one of the top defensive prospects in this year's NFL draft.
The 2024 NFL Draft continues Friday night and the Eagles have two picks — No. 50 and No. 53 in the second round. Follow live updates.
The Eagles drafted Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell with the No. 22 pick in the first round. Here's why he's slam-dunk pick for the Birds.
Ahead of the draft, the Eagles signed A.J. Brown to a 3-year, $96 million contract extension.
Philly native Marvin Harrison Jr. was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 4 pick.
Follow our complete coverage of the 2024 NFL draft.
Eagles draft cornerback Quinyon Mitchell
For the first time in Howie Roseman’s tenure as general manager, the Eagles have selected a cornerback in the first round of the draft.
The Eagles nabbed Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell with the No. 22 overall pick on Thursday night. He was the first cornerback to come off the board and just the sixth defensive player. The first 14 names called on the draft stage were offensive players, an NFL record.
2024 NFL Draft results
Here are the final results of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft:
– Rob Tornoe
Cowboys star Micah Parsons 'utterly disgusted' by Eagles drafting Quinyon Mitchell
Micah Parsons "utterly disgusted" by the Eagles drafting CB Quinyon Mitchell 😭 pic.twitter.com/MygE3R07BP
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 26, 2024
What does Quinyon Mitchell bring to the Eagles' secondary?
Playing primarily in off coverage scenarios in the Rockets’ secondary, Mitchell has incredible ability to change direction, working downhill to break on passes from depth. Though he didn’t play much press man coverage at Toledo, he as superb recovery speed if he is beat off of the line of scrimmage, boasting a 4.33 second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine in March.
That recovery ability also shows up when is beat on double moves down the field, which can be contributed to his choppy footwork sloppy at the line of scrimmage, a product of his lack of press man coverage reps. Mitchell can get back hip to hip and close the gap on vertical routes, though he needs to locate ball better in the air when he’s trailing a wide receiver.
The Eagles broke the mold with Quinyon Mitchell
Howie Roseman broke several of his trends Thursday night.
He stood pat at No. 22 instead of moving up in the draft.
Cowboys trade down
Top cornerback prospects on the board as the Eagles' pick approaches
As the Eagles No. 22 pick approaches, there are at least two prospects available that have fallen into their range based off pre-draft projections.
Both Terrion Arnold and Quinyon Mitchell, the two consensus top cornerbacks, are still on the board after the first 14 picks featured exclusively offensive players.
Dallas Turner off the board, but plenty of options for the Eagles
Second trade of the night, Vikings move up
Eagles many not need to trade up after all
First defensive player comes off board at 15
The longest drought to start a draft without a defensive player taken is over. The Indianapolis Colts took UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu with the 15th overall selection, setting an NFL record previously held in the 2021 NFL draft. Jaycee Horn was taken 8th overall in that draft, which was previously the longest a defensive player waited to hear their name called in the NFL draft.
Latu is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL draft, collecting 23.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He was a player the Eagles showed interest during the pre-draft process, bringing him in for a top 30 visit. Now, he heads to Indianapolis to join Shane Steichen's Colts, who was the Eagles' offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022.
Kirk Cousins 'a bit stunned' after Falcons draft quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
There could be a rush on defensive backs
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers drafted by the Raiders
Broncos draft pick is good news for the Eagles
Quarterback selections set NFL record
Only two times in NFL history have four quarterbacks gone within the first 10 selections in the NFL draft. The first was in 1949 pre-merger; 2018 has four as well, post-merger.
That record has fallen in tonight's 2024 NFL draft.
Vikings trade with Jets to move up
Commanders take a quarterback, Giants draft a wide receiver
As no surprise: The Washington Commanders took LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall. The reigning Heisman winner enjoyed a fantastic final season with the Tigers, compiling 3,800 passing yards, 1,100 rushing yards, and 50 total touchdowns (40 passing, 10 rushing). The Commanders still have work to do filling out the rest of the roster with talent, but they have six top 100 selections in this draft to do so.
Meanwhile, the New York Giants, who have been rumored to take a quarterback in recent days, had the opportunity to take on at no. 6 overall with Michigan's J.J. McCarthy still on the board. After Caleb Williams, Daniels, and Drake Maye went in the first three selections, a trade seemed inevitable at no. 5 overall with the Los Angeles Chargers. Instead, the Chargers kept their selection and took Notre Dame's Joe Alt.
Giants sticking with Daniel Jones, draft wide receiver Malik Nabers
Cardinals draft Philly native Marvin Harrison Jr.
Marvin Harrison Jr., the first non-quarterback off the board, went No. 4 overall to the Cardinals in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday night.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound wideout starred at Ohio State after a decorated career with the Hawks and was considered a generational receiver prospect in the lead-up to the draft because of his combination of physical traits and elite college production. He also has NFL pedigree as the son of Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison Sr, whose 14,580 receiving yards during a 13-year career with the Indianapolis Colts ranks ninth all-time.
Commanders have a new quarterback
ESPN's Adam Schefter, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport won't tip picks on social media
Don’t expect Adam Schefter or Ian Rapoport to tip off tonight’s picks.
Reporters at both ESPN and the NFL Network won’t report picks on social media before their officially announced, according to The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch
Eagles sign A.J. Brown to contract extension
A few days away from the two-year anniversary of trading for A.J. Brown, the Eagles reached an agreement to extend the star wide receiver once again Thursday night according to a league source.
The extension will run through 2029 and is worth up to $96 million with $84 million guaranteed, according to an NFL Network report. Brown, 26, was previously under contract through 2026 on an extension he signed two years ago when the Eagles traded for the star receiver during the first round of the NFL draft. His guaranteed money is reportedly the most for a wide receiver in league history.
Three storylines to watch in the NFL draft tonight
There won't be much fanfare during the first two picks of the 2024 NFL draft. The Chicago Bears are expected to take Caleb Williams, the quarterback from Southern Cal. After that, the Washington Commanders will likely take Jayden Daniels, quarterback from LSU, with the second overall selection.
After that, the draft really begins at No. 3 overall with the New England Patriots. Here are three things to watch for:
Stream the NFL draft live for free, via ESPN
Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is joining Pat McAfee in a special NFL draft version of his show, which is streaming on ESPN+ and for free on YouTube.
McAfee’s regular crew will also be part of the draft coverage, which includes Conor Campbell, Ty Schmit, Tone Digs and former Green Bay Packers linebacker AJ Hawk.
Doesn't look like the Patriots will be trading away the No. 3 pick
Top prospects arrive to the NFL draft in style
The first NFL draftees are arriving on the red carpet in Detroit, including Philadelphia native Marvin Harrison Jr., who’s expected to be drafted in the top 10.
The draft is one of the biggest nights of the year for sports fashion, and the draftees often go all out.
This list of draft prospects should be extra important to Eagles fans
Ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, the Eagles have a clear interest in two positions in particular in this class: defensive backs and offensive line. A big indicator of this interest? Their top 30 visits, allowing NFL teams to bring up to 30 prospects in the draft to their facilities.
Over the last couple of draft cycles, the Eagles have leaned quite heavily on those pre-draft visits. Both first-round selections in the 2023 NFL draft, Jalen Carter (No. 9 overall) and Nolan Smith (No. 30 overall) were brought in for pre-draft visits. In fact, four of their first five 2023 draft selections (Carter, Smith, Tyler Steen, and Kelee Ringo) all were brought in for in-house visits to NovaCare.
Roger Goodell might not hug tonight's draft picks
If there's one constant for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (almost) every year at the draft — aside from getting booed — it's him hugging each of the first-round picks. It turns out that might not happen tonight.
Goodell also didn't hug picks during the 2020 NFL draft amid the outbreak of Covid-19, when he hosted the event from his basement.
— Matt Mullin
Brandon Graham will announce Eagles' Day 2 picks
Football and family go hand-in-hand for Jeremiah Trotter — both Jr. and Sr.
There’s a small room with yellow walls hidden behind double doors in the basement of the Trotter household in Hainesport, N.J. It once served as the toy room for Jeremiah Trotter Jr., his older sister, TreMil, and his younger brother, Josiah. But its purpose evolved roughly two years ago.
Those walls became a canvas for Tammi, their mother, to decorate in honor of her children. She adorned each panel with photos and posters from the football careers of both sons, 21-year-old Jeremiah and 19-year-old Josiah. Trotter Jr.’s three state championship rings from St. Joseph’s Prep are perched atop a frame displaying his high school jersey — No. 54, the same number that his father wore as an Eagles Hall of Fame linebacker.
Watch a recap of our live NFL draft show
Earlier this afternoon, football writers Olivia Reiner, EJ Smith, and Devin Jackson hosted a live NFL draft preview show covering all things Birds and beyond as they prepare for tonight's first round. You can watch the replay here.
Jason Kelce explains his draft philosophy for the Eagles
One of the obvious holes the Eagles will look to fill at the draft is at right guard — to fill in for Cam Jurgens as he moves to center to replace Jason Kelce. But that guard may later be enlisted to play right tackle, to take over for Lane Johnson when he eventually retires.
PhillyVoice beat writer Jimmy Kempski posted on X that regardless of the guard’s success, the chances of him getting kicked out to right tackle are slim.
Will the Eagles trade up or down in the first round?
Howie Roseman recently summed up his feelings toward draft-day moves: “I like the trades.”
Based on recent history, there’s a strong possibility that he tries to make a move, particularly in the first round. Roseman has traded either up or back in the first round in all but one of his last six drafts. He moved up in four of them (2023, 2022, 2021, 2019), moved back in one (2018), and stayed put once (2020).
Who will the Eagles draft? Here's what the experts predict.
Which player will the Eagles take in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft?
We won't know for sure until later tonight, but the experts at The Inquirer, ESPN, and elsewhere have filed their final mock drafts, so here's what some of them predict will happen.
What are the Eagles biggest needs heading into the draft?
The Eagles have various short- and long-term needs, primarily on the defensive side of the ball.
Cornerback falls under each category. Darius Slay and James Bradberry are penciled in as the starting outside corners next season. But the 30-year-old Bradberry’s play declined last year and the 33-year-old Slay has two years remaining on his deal.
A look at the Eagles' eight picks in this year’s draft
Overall, the Eagles have eight picks entering the 2024 NFL draft, though general manager Howie Roseman isn’t known for quiet draft days.
Since Roseman took over as general manager in 2010, the Eagles have made trades and shifted picks in just about every draft (though Roseman lost his power to do so to former head coach Chip Kelly in 2015).
What time does the NFL draft start?
The 2023 NFL draft is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern and run through 11:30 p.m.
This year’s traveling road show is taking place in downtown Detroit, with the main stage set up near Campus Martius Park. Organizers are expecting as many as 400,000 people to travel to Motown for the draft, according to the Detroit News.
2024 NFL draft: First-round draft order
The Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 pick in the draft for the first time since 1947, when they selected halfback Bob Fenimore, a College Football Hall of Famer know as the “Blond Bomber.” Hopefully this year’s top pick goes better for the Bears, as Fenimore only played a single season for Chicago before injuries forced him off the field.
Three teams don’t have a single first-round pick: Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, and Houston Texans.