There might not be a more annoying team for the New York Giants than the Philadelphia Eagles. Not only are their fans the most obnoxious group of feather-loving lunatics, but under general manager Howie Roseman, they rarely miss on any move they make.
Take the 2026 Draft, for example. Roseman was able to make a deal with the hated division rival Dallas Cowboys to trade up from 23 to 20 to steal USC star receiver Makai Lemon and bolster their passing attack for Jalen Hurts.
That tag-team effort by two NFC East rivals was bad, but it was Philly's second-round pick that I’m looking at and saying (in a perfectly executed Scooby Doo impression), “Ruh-roh.” With the 54th pick, the Iggles selected Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, and if he comes anywhere close to reaching his full potential, he’s going to be a problem -- the biggest one they’ll have to deal with twice a year for the next decade-plus. So fun.
Eli Stowers feels like an Eagle that’s going to haunt the Giants
At first, you might think Lemon is the guy Big Blue needs to watch out for, but I think it’s Stowers. He won’t become a nightmare overnight, but it’s the slow burn that sticks.
The 6-foot-4, 239-pound tight end will begin his career backing up Dallas Goedert, with a clear path to an increased role in 2027 -- Goedert signed a one-year, $7 million deal in March to stay in the City of Brothely Love for what will likely be one more year. Then it’s Stowers time.
The former Vanderbilt standout has the kind of size and movement that creates problems. He posted a ridiculous 9.46 Relative Athletic Score, ranking 74th out of 1,356 tight ends over the past 40 years.
Lemon might be the more elite technical receiver, but Stowers might make for a more complex schematic problem for defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. Like his rookie counterpart, he’ll also see a lot of time in the slot, and with similar speed and burst, his size is really going to separate him. He’s too big for corners, too fast for linebackers, and that’s what's got me losing sleep at night.
With star receiver A.J. Brown all but a New England Patriot (or just out of Philadelphia), analysts have suggested Stowers might actually be the Brown “replacement” more so than Lemon because of his ability to win with size and physicality, which would just be the ultimate slap in the face, wouldn’t it?
Like, oh, we’re trading away our three-time All-Pro receiver, but don’t worry, we already have someone else on the roster who can pick up the slack, giving Hurts a big target who does most of his damage in the short-to-intermediate game. Must be nice.
If the Eagles end up using Stowers the way the Cardinals use Trey McBride or the Raiders use Brock Bowers, it's going to get annoying fast. That kind of production is going to be a problem for Big Blue for a long time.
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