ES #87

Eli Stowers

Tight End · Vanderbilt

A converted quarterback who became the nation's most productive tight end, Eli Stowers won the John Mackey Award before the Eagles took him in the second round.

Eli Stowers arrives in Philadelphia as one of the more unusual success stories in recent draft classes: a former four-star quarterback recruit who reinvented himself at tight end and turned into the best player at the position in college football. The Eagles grabbed him 54th overall, pairing him with a receiving corps that already includes the reigning Biletnikoff winner, and Stowers projects as a high-volume pass-catching option from day one.

★ John Mackey Award winner (2025), first in Vanderbilt history

★ Unanimous All-American (2025)

★ Two-time first-team All-SEC (2024, 2025)

★ William V. Campbell Trophy winner

★ Second-round pick, No. 54 overall, 2026 NFL Draft

Path to the league

Stowers signed with Texas A&M as a four-star quarterback prospect out of Guyer High School in Denton, Texas, but made only five appearances for the Aggies before transferring to New Mexico State, where he shifted to tight end. He followed offensive coordinator Tim Beck and quarterback Diego Pavia to Vanderbilt in 2024, and the move paid off immediately as he became the focal point of the Commodores' passing game.

Career highlights

Over two seasons at Vanderbilt, Stowers caught 111 passes for over 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns, leading all tight ends nationally in receiving as a senior. He earned back-to-back first-team All-SEC honors, was a unanimous All-American, and became the first player in Vanderbilt history to win the John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end. He also took home the William V. Campbell Trophy for combining excellence on the field and in the classroom.

2025 season recap

In his final college season, Stowers posted 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games, capping a two-year stretch that made him the top tight end prospect in the 2026 draft class. The production carried him into the second round, where the Eagles selected him 54th overall to add another dynamic receiving weapon to their offense.