Eagles’ belief in building around both lines goes back way before Andy Reid
We all know the Eagles love drafting linemen in the first round. We all know theyve done it more than any other team. And we all know it started with Andy Reid.
Except it didnt.
The Eagles obsession with drafting linemen actually began nearly a decade before Reid arrived here in 1999.
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Reid is widely credited with bringing the Eagles the philosophy of devoting a heavy dose of resources to the two lines. And he did value both lines tremendously. Of the 12 players the Eagles drafted in the first round while Reid was head coach, six were defensive linemen and two were offensive linemen. The other three – two receivers, one quarterback and a corner.
Howie Roseman learned from Reid, and although he became GM in 2010, it wasnt until after Reid was fired that Roseman truly gained full control of personnel. Roseman has had eight 1st-round picks 2015 was Chips – and hes continued Reids focus on building the two lines hes taken three defensive linemen and two offensive linemen along with two receivers and one quarterback.
But look at the stretch from 1991 through 1998, the eight years before Reid arrived in Philly. The Eagles didnt draft anything other than linemen in the first round.
Harry Gamble was Eagles GM from 1986 through 1994, and he had coached both lines at Penn long before he joined the Eagles. Although that wasnt a particularly successful time for the Eagles they won one playoff game in his nine years as G.M. his drafting showed a strong preference for linemen.
Of the eight 1st-round picks the Eagles made under Gamble, five were linemen Jerome Brown in 1987, Antone Davis in 1991, Leonard Renfro and Lester Holmes in 1993 and Bernard Williams in 1994.
John Wooten, the Eagles vice president of player personnel from 1992 through 1996, said this in 1994: I think most of us know how you build. Triggerman (quarterback), defensive line, offensive line.
Between Gambles ouster in 1995 and Reids arrival in 1999, the Eagles went through an ever-changing group of front office execs Wooten, Chuck Banker, Dick Daniels, Bob Ackles, Tom Modrak, John Goeller, Mike McCartney.
But the common denominator was the line.
In 1995, the Eagles traded up from No. 12 to 7 to draft Boston College edge rusher Mike Mamula, a pick new head coach Ray Rhodes was behind. Rhodes was de facto G.M. in 1996 and 1997 when the Eagles drafted two linemen at No. 25 – Texas A&I offensive tackle Jermane Mayberry and Virginia defensive end Jon Harris in 1997.
In 1998, Modrak began his three-year stint as G.M., and his first 1st-round pick was Florida State offensive tackle Tra Thomas with the 11th pick overall.
So from 1991 through 1998 under three different G.M.s and two head coaches and before any of us had ever heard of Andy Reid the Eagles had eight 1st-round picks and took linemen with each one.
From 1995 through 1998, they took linemen in the first round for four consecutive years for the first time in franchise history.
But not the last.
From 2010 through 2014 with Reid running the show, then Roseman – the Eagles drafted five straight linemen in the first round Brandon Graham in 2010, Fireman Danny in 2011, Fletcher Cox in 2012, Lane Johnson in 2013 and Marcus Smith in 2014.
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Three more 1st-round linemen have followed since Roseman got his job back in 2016 Derek Barnett in 2017, Andre Dillard in 2019 and Jordan Davis in 2022.
The last time the Eagles used three consecutive 1st-round picks on players other than linemen was Mike Quick, Michael Haddix and Kenny Jackson from 1982 through 1984.
Add it up and since 1991, the Eagles have drafted 21 linemen with 29 1st-round picks 12 defensive linemen and nine offensive.
But get this:
With their 47 picks in the first round from 1936 through 1990 the Eagles drafted only 10 linemen: John Yonakor in 1945, Bud Grant in 1950, Ed Budde in 1963, Hall of Famer Bob Brown in 1964, Randy Beisler in 1966, Richard Harris in 1971, Jerry Sisemore in 1973, Leonard Mitchell in 1981, Kevin Allen in 1986 and Jerome Brown in 1987.
So 10 linemen the first 55 years, 21 the last 32 years.
Obviously, those picks havent all panned out. Theres a bunch of busts on that list but also a handful of future Eagles Hall of Famers Lane Johnson, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham and plenty of solid starters as well.
Of the 10 Eagles 1st-round picks whove made a Pro Bowl since 1991, seven are linemen. The others are McNabb, Carson Wentz and Lito Sheppard. The last time the Eagles drafted a Pro Bowler in the first round who wasnt a lineman, quarterback or corner was 1988 with tight end Keith Jackson.
Since 1991, the Eagles have drafted linemen with 72 percent of their 1st-round picks. The 49ers have taken 19 linemen 2nd-most but that represents only 49 percent of their 1st-round picks during the same span. The 2nd-highest percentage belongs to the Seahawks, who have taken linemen with 16 of 30 picks in the first round since 1991 (53 percent).
So nobody has been anywhere close to the Eagles over the last three decades when it comes to building up front.
And its not because of any one coach or general manager or even owner. A lot of it is Big Red. A lot of it is Howie. With some Ray Rhodes, Harry Gamble and Tom Modrak sprinkled in.
Theres literally nobody in the organization now who was with the Eagles when they began stockpiling linemen.
And despite some pretty spectacular misses, those players have been a big part of the franchises sustained success.
When you look at the most successful teams in the NFL since 1991, the Eagles are near the top their .561 winning percentage since 1991 is 6th-highest. Only four teams have played in more Super Bowls, only three teams have won more playoff games and only two teams have reached the postseason more.
The philosophy works. And theres no reason to believe its going to change any time soon.
