The Philadelphia Eagles could be eyeing a similar 2025 NFL Draft decision that helped propel them to a Super Bowl LIX victory

The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off of a tremendous 2024 season, ending with a dominant 40-22 Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. When you talk about that Eagles team, most people will spend the majority of their time discussing the stars. We would talk about running back Saquon Barkley, quarterback Jalen Hurts, […]

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Feb 1, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; American team quarterback Jalen Milroe of Alabama (4) runs from National team defensive lineman Oluwafemi Oladejo of UCLA (99) during the second half of the 2025 Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off of a tremendous 2024 season, ending with a dominant 40-22 Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. When you talk about that Eagles team, most people will spend the majority of their time discussing the stars. We would talk about running back Saquon Barkley, quarterback Jalen Hurts, and wide receiver AJ Brown among others. What is not discussed enough about that squad is the role players, and some of the underrated contributors.

It appears that general manager Howie Roseman found a nice value in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft when the Eagles selected former Houston Cristian pass rusher Jalyx Hunt, His regular season numbers won’t blow anyone away, but Hunt really rounded into form down the stretch of the season. Hunt recorded just 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hits during the season, but he was able to match those numbers during their dominant playoff run.

Now heading into the 2025 NFL season, the Eagles will be depending on Hunt to take a step forward. The organization still has Bryce Huff returning on the edge, but was a colossal letdown in 2024. The team also said goodbye to Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham this offseason. They will need to find talented pass rushers, and hope that Hunt makes a big year two jump. 

It is possible that Philadelphia eyes several values in the 2025 NFL Draft class. There is an eerily similar storyline in the class to what we saw with Hunt, who was very new to the position when he was drafted. He was originally a safety at Cornell, eventually developing into a linebacker, and then defensive end for Houston Christian. That maturation was a very unique journey. 

We are seeing a similar path from UCLA pass rusher Femi Oladejo. He was previously a starting MIKE linebacker for Cal before transferring to the Bruins for his final two seasons prior to 2023. Oladejo was once again a linebacker for UCLA, even early in the 2024 campaign. Eventually, the team opted to move Oladejo to the edge, where he spent the final 10 games of the season. While still raw, you see the upside that Oladejo brings to the table.

According to a source, Oladejo just spent some time in Philadelphia on a 30 visit with the organization last week. As of today, the talented defender is projected to be selected somewhere on Day Two (rounds 2-3). You might have to be patient with the 6-3, 250-pound pass rusher, but the long-term looks very, very promising. 

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