Philadelphia Eagles make interesting move in new 2025 NFL mock draft

It's very hard to pinpoint what a team might do in any NFL draft, but especially one that has a later pick in Round 1. 

The Philadelphia Eagles are set to pick a No. 32 overall, and if they don't trade up, then they could be stuck with "settling" on a player that they might not necessarily need but select anyway because he's the best pick available. 

That's exactly what A to Z Sports' draft analyst Tyler Forness sees the Birds doing in his latest 2025 NFL mock draft.

Forness says that since the best of the best trench players will likely be off the board by the time Philly is on the clock with their 32nd overall pick, they could take one of the best wide receivers in the draft instead. 

He pins Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III to them in the first round. 

32. Philadelphia Eagles: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Would the Eagles take a wide receiver here? It feels a little off, but it's certainly a possibility. One of the reasons why this makes sense is the lack of trench players that are worth a selection here for what the Eagles need. Burden provides the Eagles with depth at a position that's difficult to find great players and he gives the Eagles an element they don't have in a YAC guy.

Burden is coming off a 2024 season where his numbers took a noticeable dip from his 2023 season, though quarterback play had a lot to do with that. 

He hauled in 61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns for the Tigers this past season but caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns with 1,313 all-purpose yards just one year prior. 

As Forness mentioned, Burden is a "YAC guy" and averaged 7.0 yards after catch per reception while forcing 72 missed tackles in three seasons at Missouri. 

He also ran an impressive 4.41-second 40 at the NFL combine. 

No, wide receiver isn't on the top of Philly's "to do" list, but it wouldn't hurt to add another weapon for quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.