The Philadelphia Eagles are defending Super Bowl champions and a big reason is their defensive line. Howie Roseman has built this group through the NFL Draft, as first-round picks Jordan Davis (2022) and Jalen Carter (2023) have solidified the interior of Vic Fangio’s defense.
But while the Eagles had plenty of firepower on the way to a championship, they took a hit during free agency. Milton Williams shined in the Super Bowl and cashed in with a four-year, $104 million contract with the New England Patriots and the Eagles didn’t fill the void with a free agent or early draft pick.
The Eagles may have atoned for that loss on the final day of the draft, however, as they snagged a similar prospect who could replace Williams in the trenches next season.
Eagles Select Milton Williams Clone Ty Robinson in Fourth Round of NFL Draft
The Eagles selected Nebraska defensive tackle Ty Robinson in the fourth round (111th overall) of the draft on Saturday. The first selection of Day 3 doesn’t come with much name value but he brings several traits that could help Philadelphia make up for the loss of Williams.
Robinson was a five-year starter for the Cornhuskers but broke out during his sixth and final season. The soon-to-be 24-year-old notched a career-high 37 total tackles, including 12.5 for loss and seven sacks last season and showed versatility playing in Nebraska’s 3-3-5 defense.
The Arizona native also put on a show during his athletic testing, posting a 9.91 relative athletic score. While he lacks weight at 6-foot-6 and 288 pounds, he was strong everywhere else, posting a 4.83-second time in the 40-yard dash and a 9-foot-11-inch broad jump.
Ty Robinson is a DT prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.91 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 18 out of 1812 DT from 1987 to 2025.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 27, 2025
Splits projected, Times unofficial.https://t.co/cg9JRrvVx9 pic.twitter.com/oiLwLmZQsR
This is where the comparisons kick in. Williams was a third-round pick (73rd overall) during the 2022 draft and put on a similar show in his athletic testing with a 9.96 relative athletic score. He also posted a 4.67 time in the 40-yard dash and posted a 10-foot-1-inch broad jump that put him on the Eagles' radar.
Milton Williams was drafted in round 3 pick 73 in the 2021 draft class. He scored a 9.96 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 7 out of 1360 DE from 1987 to 2021. https://t.co/t8NgKTa84a pic.twitter.com/s3plUO36FT
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 14, 2025
Williams spent time as a rotational player in his first three seasons in Philadelphia, but broke out with a career-high five sacks and ranked 10th in the NFL with 40 quarterback pressures according to Pro Football Focus. It’s to see Robinson playing a similar role upon his arrival, but he could work his way into a bigger role and become Williams’s long-term replacement.