We’re still in the middle of the 2025 NFL season, but it’s never too early to think about the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Matt Miller of ESPN recently [published a first-round mock draft](https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2026/story/_/id/47000736/2026-nfl-mock-draft-first-round-predictions-32-picks-matt-miller), and in it, he has the [Philadelphia Eagles](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/philadelphia-eagles) selecting a potential replacement for star wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Given his consistent frustration in Philadelphia, there was some speculation that the Eagles good try to trade Brown prior to the trade deadline. Nothing materialized, but it’s a conversation that could be revisited after the season, depending on how things play out.
### Eagles select Alabama wide receiver in first round of ESPN mock draft
In Miller’s mock, the Eagles get some Brown insurance by selecting Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard with the No. 29 overall pick. Bernard is in the midst of his senior season, and he’s projected as one of the better receiver prospects in the draft class.
“The Eagles rarely draft for pure need in Round 1, opting for players who slip through the cracks and could be plugged in future use,” Miller wrote. “That's the case with Bernard, a dynamic receiver who could assume the slot role immediately and potentially replace A.J. Brown down the road.
“Bernard lines up all over Alabama's offense as a runner and receiver; he has eight touchdowns, 48 catches and 676 yards from a variety of alignments. While he's built like a running back at 6-1 and 204 pounds, Bernard is an explosive route runner. He has shown tough hands in contested-catch situations and uses crafty moves to create space.”
There’s still several months – and a lot of football to be played – between now and the draft, so it’s difficult to predict what position a team will target in a specific round. With that said, the Eagles, by all indications, want to keep Brown in Midnight Green for as long as possible. He’s been a huge part of their recent success and has already cemented himself as one of the best receivers in franchise history.
The Eagles also figure to have several other, probably more pressing, positions of need to address in the draft including cornerback and offensive line. So it seems somewhat unlikely that they’d use a first-round pick on a receiver. But again, we have to wait to see how the rest of the season shakes out before trying to accurately predict what they could do in the draft.