The Philadelphia Eagles wasted no time making moves in the NFL draft, moving up three spots in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to land USC wide receiver Makai Lemon with the No. 20 pick in the first round and selecting Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers with the No. 54 overall pick in the second round to help bolster an offense that struggled to establish any consistency last season.
While third-round pick OY Markel Bell (No. 68), sixth-round pick OG Micah Morris (No. 207), and seventh-rounder S Cole Wisniewski (No. 244) addressed some areas of need entering the draft on the offensive line and in the secondary, Philadelphia's final selection could prove to be a lot more valuable than many perhaps expected when his name was called.
That would be New Mexico edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby, who was selected with the No. 252 pick in the seventh round. With Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis already locking down spots on the defensive line and Nolan Smith Jr., Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, and recently acquired Jonathan Greenard manning the linebacker position, the Eagles needed some depth behind those players, and they certainly got that with James-Newby.
What Will Keyshawn James-Newby's Role Look like for 2026?
Sure, it does not seem likely that a seventh-round pick would immediately leapfrog the talent that is ahead of him on the depth chart and carve out a role on this defense. With that in mind, it is not out of the question that he can earn himself a solid role in the rotation, or at least provide some depth in certain situations or if any key injuries take place.
After beginning his collegiate career as a junior college player at Montana Tech in 2021 and 2022, James-Newby spent his next two seasons at Idaho before wrapping up his career at New Mexico. While there, James-Newby was a first-team All-Mountain West Conference and led the Lobos with 15 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He recorded 52 total tackles, five PBUs, and two forced fumbles while starting all 13 games.
At 6'1", 240 pounds, James-Newby is undersized for his position and is projected to be an average backup or special teams contributor, according to his draft profile. However, in addition to his 33.5 career sacks, Pro Football Focus gives James-Newby an overall grade of 89.8, which ranks 19th out of 852 qualified edge defenders. Furthermore, he had the third-most pressures last season (66) and the fourth-best pass-rush grade (92.7).
James-Newby's run defense is a little questionable after ranking 292nd at his position with a PFF grade of 72.3. Of course, a player's success should not be based on PFF grades alone, especially when they have never appeared in an NFL game. With that said, those numbers paint a picture of a player with upside joining the Eagles as a seventh-round pick.
After battling numerous injuries to start his NFL career, Nolan Smith Jr. could face an uphill battle this season following the trade for Greenard. Also, keep in mind that the Eagles took Jalyx Hunt in the third round of the 2024 draft, and he could be in line for a breakout season after leading the team in sacks (6.5) and interceptions (three) in 2025.
The Eagles have already tried to address the offseason departure of Jaelan Phillips, who signed a four-year, $120 million deal with the Carolina Panthers, by adding Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Arnold Ebiketie. There is clearly a lot of talent in the edge department, but there are also potential openings a player like Hunt can take advantage of.
The same also applies to James-Newby as he gets up to speed in the Eagles organization. He lacks the size of many NFL players at his position, but with his high motor and disruptive ability, combined with a successful collegiate career, James-Newby should at least be able to compete for a roster spot and prove why the Eagles gave him a shot in the seventh round.
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