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Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers.

When the Philadelphia Eagles selected Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers in the 2nd round (No. 54 overall) of the 2026 NFL draft, it followed a pattern of finding elite tight ends outside of the 1st round.

The Eagles drafted 3-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion Zach Ertz in the 2nd round (No. 51 overall) and reaped the benefits for almost a decade. The Eagles drafted record-setting Super Bowl champion Dallas Goedert in the 2nd round (No. 49 overall) of the 2018 NFL draft with essentially the same results.

Saying Stowers might eventually reach the level those 2 reached might be a bit of a leap. Bleacher Report’s Brent Solbeski, who handed the Eagles a “C” grade for taking Stowers.

“The reigning John Mackey Award winner would have been rated higher throughout this process if he had contributed anything as an inline option,” Sobleski wrote. “To be clear, Stowers has experience working in-line, but he’s not much of a blocker and lacks the strength and technique to excel in that area at the next level … provides little to nothing as a blocker, functional strength is limiting, can improve route-running.”

Eli Stowers Compared to NFL All-Pro Tight End

Stowers wowed at the NFL scouting combine with his performance, running the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds to go with an 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump, along with a stunning performance in the vertical leap of 45.5 inches.

“Oh my Lord,” ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote on his official X acount on February 27. “Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers. 45.5-inch vertical jump. Tied with Cameron Wake for the third-highest vert in the Combine (since 1999).”

Stowers was a fringe 1st-round prospect and drew comparisons to NFL All-Pro wide receivers Mike Evans and D.K. Metcalf as well as NFL All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers in the pre-draft process.

“In terms of size and speed, the NFL tight end that Stowers most closely matches is the Las Vegas Raiders‘ Brock Bowers, a 2024 first-round pick who has set tight end records and made the Pro Bowl in each of his two pro seasons,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote. “Bowers is 6-4, 235 pounds, and ran a 4.55 40, and the parallels come from someone who worked with both of them.”

ESPN Insider Correctly Predicted Stowers to Eagles

ESPN’s Matt Miller correctly predicted the Eagles would take Stowers in the 2nd round in his final mock draft.

“If the Eagles are thinking about their future at tight end, why not draft the player who set combine records in the broad jump (11 feet, 3 inches) and vertical jump (45.5 inches)?” Miller wrote. “Stowers could open up the Eagles’ offense with the ball in his hands. And though he’s not a classic in-line blocker, he is capable of sealing off the edge against linebackers and safeties.”

With Goedert back for at least 1 more season in 2026 on a 1-year, $7 million contract, Stowers could also represent some pretty incredible savings for the Eagles on a 4-year, $8.2 million rookie contract.