Now that the Philadelphia Eagles draft is over, they can focus on sculpting the roster for the upcoming season. And they took a step in that direction by becoming the first team to sign a rookie contract after the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Eagles reeled in their fifth-round pick, according to a post on X by Adam Schefter.
The first rookie draft pick signing is in: Eagles fifth-round pick linebacker Smael Mondon has signed a four-year, $4.595 million deal.
It’s not surprising the Eagles are ahead of the game. That’s one reason why they enter the 2025 season as the defending Super Bowl champions.
Eagles lock in LB Smael Mondon
Mondon brings a 6-foot-2, 224-pound frame from the University of Georgia. He went to the Eagles at pick No. 161 despite an overall rank of 124.
Here is the pre-draft analysis, according to ESPN.com.
“Mondon had 201 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks in three collegiate seasons,” Steve Muench wrote. “He tied for the quickest 10-yard split (4.58 seconds) out of the linebackers at the combine, and that burst shows up on tape where he beats blockers to the point of attack.
“(Mondon) ran well at the combine, makes quick reads, and closes well. Mondon gets to depth, reads the quarterback, and breaks on the ball well when dropped into coverage. He matches up well with tight ends and is a threat to get to the quarterback.”
Eagles assistant general manager Alex Halaby said Mondon has intellectual chops, according to PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
“Really smart kid,” Halaby said. “(The Bulldogs) run a complex defense there, and he understands it all. He’s an analytical person, and that fits with us because we ask our linebackers to solve problems on the field, and he is someone who can do that.
“What you see from him in the pass game is that he can match tight ends. And he can match running backs. He has that kind of movement skill and looseness and agility, and speed. In the run game, he is someone who will come downhill and violently destroy a block.”
