By GORDON GLANTZ

Following the belief system of not firing until you see the whites of their eyes (in order to save on ammunition), the time is nigh for some mock drafts – this one without trades and one to come with trades.

Before we start, there are some key names to remember: Drew Kendall and Willie Lampkin; Myles Hinton, Cameron Williams and Hollin Pierce.

All are offensive linemen, with Kendall and Lampkin being interior linemen and the other three (Hinton, Williams and Pierce being tackles.

None are drat prospects in this year’s draft.

In fact, they are all in-house and residents of the Birds’ nest as developmental players.

Kendall, who was tabbed in the fifth round last year, is 6-4 and 308 pounds is the son of guard, Pete Kendall, who started 188 of 189 games with four different teams. The younger Kendall was almost exclusively a center at Boston College, which likely hurt his draft stock, but he has since cross-trained at guard.

The Eagles poached Lampkin from the Rams’ practice squad and stashed on injured reserve. Despite a heavily decorated college career at Coastal Carolina and then North Carolina, his peculiar dimensions — 5-11, 280 — he was undrafted last year and projects to center.

Outgoing offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland was reportedly high on both when last season came to an abrupt end at the hands of the 49ers in the first round of the playoffs.

Hinton and Williams were sixth-round picks, while the massive Pierce (6-8, 340)) was a priority signing out of Rutgers after going undrafted. Before you scoff, remember that Jason Peters was an undrafted blocking tight end out of Arkansas when the Bills developed him as a tackle before trading him to the Eagles.

Additionally, and almost under the radar, the Eagles brought back tackle Fred Johnson (6-7, 326), who tested the free agent waters in search of a full-time gig after starting eight games in place of Lane Johnson last season.

What is my point? Don’t be so sure that the first round pick Thursday night is going to be an offensive lineman.

Maybe, but maybe not.

It very well could be that, with other positons of need, GM Howie Roseman could opt for a lineman or two later in the draft and look for a more immediate impact player in Round 1.

With the writing on the wall, in terms of A.J. Brown being traded after June 1 (meaning the return will be in draft assets in 2027 and/or 2028), wide receiver is a consideration.

With Dallas Goedert secured for only a year, an heir apparent at tight end is possible.

And there is the gapping hole at safety, following the departure of Reed Blankenship in free agency. As much as Blankenship brought to the table in grit, this draft provides an opportunity to get more athletic at the position.

While we know there will be trades, up and down the board, let’s play it straight with this first mock (with a simulator from the Pro Football Sports Network):

Round 1 (Pick 23): Emmanuel McNeill-Warren, S, Toledo

From Don Burroughs to Joe Scarpati to Bill Bradley to Wes Hopkins to Brian Dawkins to Malcolm Jenkins, the Eagles have a strong tradition at safety. While Hopkins and Dawkins were draft picks, both went in the second round. In franchise history, dating back to 1933, a safety has never been drafted in the first round.

No time like the present, right?

There are two other safeties with first-round grades: Caleb Downs of Ohio State and Dillion Thieneman of Oregon. After the Dexter Lawrence trade with the Bengals, there is no way Downs gets past the the Giants at 10th overall. Thieneman is seen as a Cooper DeJean type but it would take a trade in front of the Vkings at 18th overall to get him. At No. 23, and with some of the more coveted offensive linemen gone, I am opting for Quinyon Mitchell’s rangy college teammate, who measures in at 6-3 1/2 and 200 pounds and who ran a 4.52 40 at the combine.

Round 2 (Pick 54): Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia

While the Eagles have been on a bit of a scavenger hunt at the position, the draft is too deep at the position to not nab an heir apparent to Goedert.

At Georgia, Delp (6-5, 245) filled the shoes of Brock Bowers. While not quite as athletic, he did well enough for himself as a fluid athlete with soft hands in the short passing game who is also a willing blocker.

Round 3 (Pick 68): Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson

Williams – at 5-10, 187 pounds — may never be a No. 1 receiver in the NFL, but hid 4.4.1 speed in the 40 and advanced route tree will put him onto the field almost immediately. Williams was incredibly consistent and productive over four years at Clemson, catching 208 passes for 2,336 yards and 21 touchdowns for his career.

Round 3 (Pick 98): Derrick Moore, Edge, Michigan

This is another position of need, and one that could be addressed earlier, but there are still veterans at the positon – i.e. Jadeveon Clowney and Joey Bosa — that Roseman could look to, along with Brandon Graham, for one-year bargain deals after the draft.

Moore (6-4, 255) was highly productive for the Wolverines and won a national championship, with his only knock being that he is not a freak athlete. However, he is strong against the run and pass and was a team captain as an All-Big Ten choice.

Round 4 (Pick 114): Brian Parker II, OL, Duke

Here is your offensive lineman, and he comes with position versatility. Recruited to play center, he ended up playing tackle for the Blue Devils but, at 6-5 and 310 pounds, projects more inside in the NFL, which he will enter with 33 starts and a second-team All-American nod.

Round 4 (Pick 137): Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

When the Eagles signed Andy Dalton, it seemed like Tanner Mckee’s day here were numbered,

Nussmeir, the son of former NFL quarterback and Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeir, is 6-2 and 205 pounds and has started 23 games. His best year was in 2024, when he went 9-4 in 13 starts and threw for more than 4,000 yards an 29 touchdowns,

He opted to build on that in 2025 but was benched for inconsistent play and was hampered all season by an abdominal injury. Now, as a overaged prospect at age 24, he has a chance to prove himself without much immediate pressure.

Round 5 (Pick 178) Eli Heidenreich, WR/RB, Navy

A second-team All-American with good size (6-0, 200) and speed (4.4 40), this productive Swiss Army knife has a real chance to stick as a role player. He turned 169 carries into 1,157 yards and 7 touchdowns while catching 109 passes for 1,994 yards (18.3 yards for per catch.)

Round 6 (Pick 197): Dontay Coleone, DT. Cincinnati

A two-down run stuffing nose tackle at 6-0 and 340 pounds who his nicknamed “The Godfather” will be beloved by Eagles fans based on his name, even though he is about as Italian and as Bill Nye the Science Guy.