Eagles draft grades: What experts are saying about new Philadelphia ‘hidden gem’ Mac McWilliams

Ryan OLeary

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Eagles draft grades: What experts are saying about new Philadelphia ‘hidden gem’ Mac McWilliams image

After losing a number of key starters off last year’s Super Bowl roster, especially on defense, the Philadelphia Eagles are using the 2025 NFL Draft to reload.

The Eagles used each of their first five picks on defense, with each selection addressing areas of need. Philly added a potential stud EDGE prospect in linebacker Jihaad Campbell, drafted safety Andrew Mukuba in Round 2, and traded out of the third round with eyes on defensive tackle Ty Robinson.

With their first of multiple selections in Round 5, Philly added UCF cornerback Mac McWilliams, a Senior Bowl standout who flashed strong press-man coverage skills during the 2024 season. Most notably, he held up well in marquee matchups against Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillian; both of those players were top-10 draft picks.

MORE: Live tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Top 250 big board

The Eagles had a need at cornerback after losing Isaiah Rodgers in free agency and also cutting ties with veteran Darius Slay Jr. McWilliams, 23, will join young stars Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, and should compete for reps on the boundary immediately with Kelee Ringo, Eli Ricks and Adoree Jackson.

Here’s how some of the experts graded Philly’s selection of McWilliams, who NFL Draft analyst Ryan Fowler described as a hidden gem find in Round 5:

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Expert grades for Mac McWilliams to Eagles at pick No. 145 overall

Trapasso: “Older prospect who shined in 2024. Suddenness jumps off the film, and he's tenacious crowding throws underneath or at the intermediate level. Probably was available this late because he doesn't have premier size or length, and isn't a big recovery speed type. I like this depth addition to Philadelphia's secondary. It was needed.”

Ostly: “McWilliams stands 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds and he likely will be stuck at the nickel cornerback spot in the NFL. That's okay for the Eagles with proven players on the outside. He'll be a solid depth at the very least as a rookie and injury-proof the secondary.”

Sobleski: “Once again, the Philadelphia Eagles dipped into the secondary market with the selection of UCF cornerback Mac McWilliams. The team already drafted safety Andrew Mukuba three rounds earlier. The team potentially has four long-term pieces in place with Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Mukuba and McWilliams. The fifth-round rookie fits nicely because of his competitive nature and aggressiveness.”

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Ryan OLeary

Ryan O'Leary has spent his entire professional career in sports multimedia, working as journalist, editor, podcaster, and in live events as a content manager and show emcee. His career highlights include working as a podcast host and audio editor for USA TODAY Sports Media Group, where he led a series of NFL podcasts for the company’s top-performing NFL sites. A born and raised New Englander, Ryan’s career kicked-off in newspapers after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in journalism. He developed an affinity for small-town youth, high school and college sports, while also realizing his childhood dream of covering the Patriots in multiple AFC Championship Games. Ryan enjoys kicking it with family and friends, beating his dad and brother in chess, and arguing with anyone crazy enough to insist that Tom Brady isn’t the GOAT.