“When we look back at (the 2026 NFL Draft) people are going to be like, ‘Wow, Howie did it again, that was a great one.’” That’s how NFL Draft analyst Steve Muench ended his analysis of another one of Eagles general manager Howie Roseman’s steal of a draft pick on The McShay Show podcast this week.

“Howie did it again” has been a phrase with multiple inflections based on who it’s coming from. Philadelphia Eagles fans say it with emphatic confidence in their GM who continues to add great football players to the team in many different ways. Fans of other NFL teams say it out of exhaustion for the league continuing to allow it to happen.

This iteration of Roseman being better than almost everyone else at building a football roster comes at the praise of second round pick, tight end Eli Stowers from Vanderbilt.

Muench, co-host of long time top NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay, said this week that it’s Stowers to get the label of “missing piece” draft pick, not first rounder WR Makai Lemon.

Stowers tabbed “missing piece” pick across all 32 NFL teams on McShay Show draft superlatives and awards episode

The McShay Show, on The Ringer Podcast Network, released it’s post draft episode of superlatives, awards, and rookie predictions, and you only had to get 10 minutes into the show before a Howie Roseman Eagles draft pick emerged.

The “missing piece” award went to a pick who could take their team over the top.

“Whether it’s get into the playoffs, deep run in the playoffs, like this is a piece that that organization, that football team needed,” McShay explained. “And you feel like they got it in the draft, and we could see them being a part of why this organization takes that next step.”

Muench’s explanation went deep into the X’s and O’s of how Stowers can be that for Philly.

“Eli Stowers is interesting to me, man. Sean Mannion, the new offense coordinator, is a little bit of a wild card, but we can expect, because he coached under Matt LeFluer in Green Bay, and that he played in some (Sean) McVay systems. I think we’re going to see some wide zone. I think we’re going to see some play action against systems that know how to use the tight end, and I imagine these play action boots where you have Stowers as your backside tight end, engages for a second, then releases and Jalen Hurts just dumps the ball to the flat, and (Stowers) has the wheels to make plays after.”

“The other thing I think we’ll see from Mannion is motions, and (Stowers), because of his frame, his mind, his ability to exploit different coverages, and his speed is a matchup nightmare, and when you put in the element of motion, and now you have defenses declaring coverages.”

Stowers came to Vanderbilt the same time Heisman Trophy finalist Diego Pavia arrived in Nashville, TN. The two were teammates at New Mexico and very close. Stowers actually lost his starting quarterback job to Pavia at New Mexico before transitioning to tight end. The former QB mind is apparent with how Stowers plays the pass catcher position.

Once you add the physical athletic tools to Stower’s football IQ it’s clear to see why the Eagles might have truly gotten a steal in the second round to be the “missing piece.”

I think the Eli Stowers pick, when we look back at it, all people are going to be like, “Wow, Howie did it again, that was a great one.”

Why Stowers gets the nod over Makai Lemon

This wasn’t an anti Lemon situation for Muench. It’s all about who Lemon is likely replacing in the most pre-traded player off all time in star WR A.J. Brown.

“I like Makai Lemon,” Muench explained. “I like that pick. He’s not an upgrade over A.J. Brown. If A.J. Brown is leaving the building, you didn’t get better at wide receiver, and that’s why I couldn’t go there.”

McShay added what he learned from NFL team and league sources about Stowers and essentially what the Eagles drafted in both the first and second round.

“Teams more so were looking at (Stowers) in the receiver room than they were in the tight end room, the more I dug in and talked to teams. (The Eagles are) clearly planning for life after A.J. Brown, and that’s a pretty good way to do it with proven commodities guys that are really good at what they do in Lemon and Stowers. But, I agree with you. Stowers could be a weapon that diversifies them a little bit.”