The NFC East is shaping up to be one of the NFL's most competitive divisions. If the Washington Commanders can bounce back behind a fully healthy Jayden Daniels, it could be a dogfight at the top of the division with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys projected to compete for the crown. Don’t snooze on the New York Giants, who once again added generational talent via the 2026 NFL Draft.
In all, there are three generational defenders entering the NFC East with Arvell Reese selected by the Giants, Sonny Styles selected by the Commanders and the Cowboys seeing Caleb Downs slide to them just outside the top 10. While those players will prove to be impactful, NFL Mocks is looking at the non-first-round rookies who will have NFC East rivals wishing they were the team that selected them.
Which Day 2 and Day 3 rookies could haunt NFC East rivals?
Dallas Cowboys: Jaishawn Barham, LB, Michigan (No. 92 overall)
The Cowboys entered the 2026 NFL Draft looking to revamp the defensive side of the ball. They did a good job with that in selecting Downs 10th overall and Malachi Lawrence with the 23rd overall pick. Both players should make an instant impact, but there’s another rookie looking to shine in Year 1 and that is former Michigan star Jaishawn Barham who was selected with the 92nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
An off-ball linebacker, Barham is an athletic defender who brings versatility to the unit as well as major competition for veterans DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters. While he is not expected to take the starting role from either player, his ability as a blitzer should earn him valuable snaps in the Cowboys' defensive rotation. In more of a hybrid role, can the Cowboys’ third round pick end up being one of the most important picks in the NFC East once the year is said and done?
New York Giants: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame (No. 74 overall)
The Giants will have a healthy Malik Nabers returning in 2026, but there was still a need to add another receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft. With the 74th overall pick, they selected former Notre Dame star Malachi Fields, a physical wide receiver with dynamic skills when it comes to contested catches. Can he be the ultimate complement to Nabers in the Giants’ offense?
It will not only depend on his chemistry with Jaxton Dart but also will depend on how impactful Odell Beckham Jr. can be in his return to New York. Although the veteran wide receiver is past his prime, his presence could be beneficial for a young receiver like Fields who who generated plenty of buzz leading up to the draft. The fact that the Giants got him in the third round could be one of the steals in the draft given the type of playmaking he is capable of. Can he be a rookie factor in the NFC East? Absolutely!
Philadelphia Eagles: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt (No. 54 overall)
The A.J. Brown era is officially over in Philadelphia and now the team will move on with a couple of exciting playmakers to help lead the offensive unit. After top pick Makai Lemon slid a bit to them with the 20th overall pick, the Eagles selected one of the top tight ends in Eli Stowers with the 54th overall pick. This is a pick that could haunt the NFC East for years to come.
Ranked as the No. 2 tight end behind Kenyon Sadiq, the 2025 John Mackley Award winner electrified at the NFL Combine, setting all-time tight end records in the Vertical Jump (45.5 inches) and the Broad Jump (11 feet, 3 inches). Oh, and his 40-time wasn’t too shabby either at 4.51 seconds. What makes Stowers such a dangerous addition is his elite catch radius, yards-after-catch ability, size and athleticism..
As a move tight end, Stowers will present a mismatch against linebackers and safeties as he could serve as a big slot receiver and outlet for Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense.
Washington Commanders: Joshua Josephs, ED, Tennessee (No. 147 overall)
The Commanders fulfilled their needs defensively in a big way with the selection of linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick. He will be a stud for Dan Quinn and company, but a player to watch is former Tennessee star Joshua Josephs.
Selected with the 147th overall pick in the draft, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound edge rusher has the size and motor to be one of the biggest steals in the draft. While the Commanders signed veterans Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson to their edge rush group, look for Josephs to emerge given his size and relentless motor in pursuit to the quarterback.
In all, Josephs recorded just 4.0 sacks in his final season at Tennessee, but his PFF 90.6 pass-rush grade proved he’s a disruptor in the backfield as evidenced by his four quarterback hits and 23 quarterback hurries. If Josephs earns a role early in Washington's defensive rotation, the Commanders may have uncovered one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NFL Draft, and another young defender NFC East rivals will have to account for twice a year.
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