2026 NFL Draft Focus: NFC East

Each NFC East team has flashed contender potential over the past several years. Ian Stuart Martin covers which prospects could help each NFC East team return to the promised land.

New York Giants

New Head Coach John Harbaugh and GM Joe Schoen need to recapture the Giants’ 2022 playoff magic. Few players remain from that run, but some bright spots, like Jaxson Dart, have emerged. The 5th overall pick could raise their floor and help them reach the playoffs again.

Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)

Malik Nabers is coming off a full meniscus ACL repair. The combined surgery extends recovery but aids Nabers’ longevity. Veteran Darius Slayton is nearing his 30s, and free-agent addition Darnell Mooney is on a one-year deal. Adding Carnell Tate of Ohio State will complete and future-proof the wide receiver room.

Contrary to the late Raiders owner Al Davis, speed isn’t everything. Despite a 4.53 forty, Tate is a top-five prospect. At 6’2” 192 lbs., he has elite body control and a high football IQ. He finds soft spots in zone coverage, runs silky smooth routes, and has the draft’s best hands. He is comfortable as the No. 2, having played alongside Jeremiah Smith, Marvin Harrison, Jr., and Emeka Egbuka at Ohio State. Tate embraced his role and benefited. Tate could add weight to improve durability and handle NFL press coverage. Ultimately, Tate is an incredibly polished receiver, with great tools, and he adds another weapon for quarterback Jaxson Dart to target. 

Trade Down Targets

The Giants have several defensive holes. Given Dexter Lawrence’s trade request, trading down to address multiple areas is a viable strategy.

Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)

Greg Newsome’s one-year prove-it deal could pay dividends, but the Giants are sneakily light at corner. Tennessee’s Colton Hood is the culture-setting press-man corner John Harbaugh would love. At 5’11⅝”, 193 lbs., Hood is a fluid athlete who can play zone but thrives in man coverage. His tackling is unpolished, and his active hands will draw penalties. However his acceleration and competitive fire give Harbaugh sharp teeth in the secondary.

Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)

On the opposite side of the cornerback coin is Chris Johnson. At 6’0⅜”, 193 lbs., He is a fluid mover with similar traits to Hood, just slightly less explosive. Johnson relies on his footwork, instincts, and technique to stick to receivers. His hands are disciplined, and his tackling is solid, but he doesn’t attack jump balls aggressively enough against taller receivers. Harbaugh would have a more versatile, penalty-free corner in Chris Johnson.

Lee Hunter (NT, Texas Tech)

Lee Hunter is like an American muscle car: great in straight lines but struggles to turn. He’s one of the premier run-stopping nose tackles in this class. With Dexter Lawrence potentially out, the Giants need much more run defense. At 6’3½”, 318 lbs., Hunter anchored college football’s best run defense last year. His only pass-rush move is the bull rush due to below-average agility, but Harbaugh and the Giants need that brick-wall, reliable run-stuffer at nose tackle.

Washington Commanders

Head Coach Dan Quinn and GM Adam Peters are on the hot seat. Only a year removed from a surprise playoff run, the Commanders fell to 5-12. They ran Jayden Daniels into the ground, playing him through injuries. They can’t risk repeating the RG3 mistake and need to replenish their skill positions. With the 7th overall pick, several options exist.

Makai Lemon (WR, USC)

Makai Lemon is proof you don’t need otherworldly athleticism to dominate. Because of this, his ceiling is knocked, but don’t tell Lemon that. At 5’11”, 192 lbs., Lemon won the Biletnikoff Award this year as the nation’s best wide receiver. With excellent, razor-sharp routes, sturdy hands, and a burning passion to win, he’s the starting slot receiver from day one. Add fierce blocking, and the Commanders get one of the most complete high-floor receivers in the draft.

The Commanders would benefit from giving Terry McLaurin a running partner. McLaurin is the traditional big-bodied outside receiver, and Lemon’s skill set is a perfect complement from the slot. McLaurin injured his quad twice this past year and is now in his 30s. Outside of McLaurin, current slot Luke McCaffrey broke his collarbone last year and only amassed 314 yards in two seasons. Treylon Burks flamed out of Tennessee, broke his finger, and had 130 yards last year. Deebo Samuel isn’t likely to come back. The Commanders desperately need another great receiver for Daniels.

Connor Lew (C, Auburn)

After the 7th overall pick, the Commanders don’t pick again until the third round. There, they can address another concern. They released center Tyler Biadasz and lost the Tyler Linderbaum sweepstakes. Projected center Nick Allegretti is a career sixth lineman but will hold up for this season. Still, the Commanders need a long-term solution. At 6’3½”, 310 lbs., Connor Lew might be that solution. 

Lew is only 20 years old, raw, and recovering from an ACL tear from last October. He shouldn’t play his first year, instead focusing on recovery, technique, adding muscle, and leveraging his great athleticism. Lew has several positives: he has been an SEC center since his true freshman year at Auburn, was named a team captain as a sophomore, and showed flashes of high-level IQ diagnosing rushes. His run protection noticeably regressed before the knee injury, but his aggressive demeanor, tools, and youth make him a solid bet for the Commanders with potential Pro Bowl upside.

Dallas Cowboys

Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer and GM/Owner Jerry Jones need defensive players. The offense with veteran quarterback Dak Prescott is already great at receiver, offensive line, tight end, and running back. The Cowboys’ defense was one of the worst in the NFL and desperately needs talent added with the 12th and 20th overall picks.

David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)

David Bailey is a pure pass-rusher. With 14.5 sacks, co-leading the FBS, and 19.5 TFLs, Bailey had massive college production. At 6’3⅝”, 251 lbs., with 33¾” arms, Bailey is all lean muscle and speed. He’s a speed demon with lightning-fast get-off and a high motor to finish plays even if the initial rush fails. Bailey has buckets of elite physical tools to pair with his well-polished spin move and long arm. 

However, Bailey’s speed can blind some to his red flags. He’s likely unable to put on much more effective muscle, so he struggles to hold the edge in the run game. His weight is mostly in his upper half, causing him to struggle generating leg drive once tackles get their hands on him. Bailey’s draft range varies from top-three to mid-teens. If he falls to pick 12, Jerry Jones won’t be able to resist adding the high-upside monster Bailey is. Because if Bailey does develop more counters and can add more muscle, he could be truly special.

Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) 

Overshadowed by teammate Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles is the top prototypical linebacker in this draft. At 6’5”, 244 lbs., with big 32⅞” arms, Styles doesn’t move like his size. Looking at Styles’ combine, you see a generational athlete. 4.46 forty, 43.5” vertical jump, 11’2” broad jump, all insane for a 6’5”, 244 lbs. player. Styles isn’t just physical tools; he started at safety at Ohio State, and those instincts pop on coverage tape. On top of everything, Styles is polished: he had only two missed tackles this past year, shoots gaps, and does the small stuff right.

However, Styles is a middle linebacker who has only played the position for two years. He still needs to develop instincts for reading the offensive line, not biting on fakes, and feeling out a pass-rush plan on the fly. These things can be resolved, potentially even in training camp. The Cowboys only have three projected middle linebackers on the roster. The most experienced, DeMarvion Overshown, is 25 years old and still recovering from a brutal ACL, MCL, and PCL tear in 2024 that limited him for much of 2025. The Cowboys need Sonny Styles to be available at pick 12. Alternatively, trading up to get him.

Philadelphia Eagles

Head Coach Nick Sirianni and GM Howie Roseman still have one of the best rosters in football. When everything is clicking, and everyone is healthy, they are true contenders. However, injuries and communication breakdowns reared their ugly heads in the playoff game against the Broncos. With the 23rd overall pick, the Eagles need to address problems on their roster before they grow.

KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)

KC Concepcion won’t be a WR1. At 5’11⅝”, 196 lbs., his frame is maxed out, and he can’t get any bigger. He’s struggled with drops throughout college. His long speed is good but not elite. What Concepcion will be is a savvy route runner who lives for yards after the catch. He’s also a top-end returner with touchdown potential every time the ball touches his hands, thanks to his elite acceleration and explosive footwork. 

Concepcion is the exact guy a contending team like the Eagles will fall in love with. There are rumblings that AJ Brown wants out, and although Devonta Smith and Hollywood Brown are similarly small receivers, the Eagles could use another elite route runner. Beyond his return skills, Concepcion and Smith would form a scary quick-game duo for years to come. Even after Hollywood and AJ are gone.

Blake Miller (OT, Clemson)

At 6’6¾”, 317 lbs., Blake Miller is like an athletic tackle built in a lab. With a 5.04 forty, 32” vertical, 9’5” broad jump, and 32 bench reps, Miller crushed the combine. He’s also extremely durable, having broken Clemson’s record for most offensive snaps and started 54 consecutive games at right tackle. Miller is the heir apparent to Lane Johnson. 

Miller isn’t perfect. His height helps his reach, but also causes him to struggle with his pad level. His footwork can be sloppy on run blocking, and his hand usage is average. Miller’s pass protection is great despite these issues. Give him a year behind Lane Johnson to iron out the technical wrinkles, and he should succeed. Finding high-potential players who benefit from not being rushed onto the field is Howie Roseman’s calling card.