Now that the 2026 NFL Draft is done, it’s time for some film rooms on the Philadelphia Eagles’ rookie class. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing individual film breakdowns on the Eagles’ 2026 draft class here at Bleeding Green Nation. My pre-draft rankings and position previews are still up if you want to cross-reference. A quick note on the film: I can’t share All-22 footage here without risking content strikes, so I’ll use clips from other accounts below. However, I’ll have full All-22 breakdowns available
on my Patreon, which you can check out and support if you want to see full games of All-22. Let’s go!
PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES: Makai Lemon | Eli Stowers | Markel Bell | Cole Payton | Micah Morris
Last year, the Eagles took Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr., and I was somewhat optimistic he would make the roster given his pass-rushing numbers, but it did not work out. The odds on any individual late-round pass rusher developing into a meaningful contributor are long, but I have to confess I quite enjoyed Keyshawn James-Newby’s film in parts. I have a type at edge. Just give me a ton of explosive sub rushers. It’s what I want!
He was another Combine snub, and I think both him and Wisniewski went later than they should have as a direct result of missing that platform. He is an undersized sub-package rusher only. The Eagles seem to have a type for these explosive, undersized, quick-twitch pass rushers, and James-Newby fits the type.
Strengths
Pass Rush Production
The production resume at New Mexico was impressive, and James-Newby has stayed productive at every level of college football, which suggests the pass-rush ability is real rather than simply scheme-generated. I know PFF grades are extremely controversial right now (and rightly so), but the pass-rushing numbers are extremely impressive. Whatever you think of them, these numbers are always great to see, especially from someone in the 7th round.
Over the past three seasons, he has had an overall PFF grade above 80.0 in each year and posted a 93.0 pass-rush grade in 2025. On 128 true pass-rush snaps last season, he recorded four sacks, three quarterback hits, and 29 hurries, while adding 15 more pass-rush wins that did not result in pressure. His 37.7% true pass-rush win rate ranked third among edge defenders in the class, trailing only David Bailey and Nadame Tucker (who went undrafted by the way, as I said, don’t read too much into the numbers), and his 28.1% pressure rate further highlighted his consistent ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks.
The 37.5% win rate on true pass sets is the number I keep coming back to. That is not a total pressure figure inflated by coverage sacks or cleanup plays. These are just standard dropbacks with legitimate pass-rush opportunities.
Get-Off and Burst
His 1.63-second ten-yard split is the foundation of everything he does as a rusher, and it is immediately visible on film. James-Newby gets off the ball with a first step that immediately threatens the offensive tackle’s outside shoulder before the blocker can establish his set position. His burst to the top of the rush arc forces blockers into a recovery mode that his subsequent moves are designed to exploit. Against tackles who cannot fire out and mirror him quickly, he has a chance of getting quick pressure.
Hand Usage and Rush Plan
What separates James-Newby from a straight-line speed rusher is that he appears to have some decent hand usage to get off blocks, too. He has a decent bunch of pass rush moves that include hand swipes, inside counters, and a nice spin move. Surprisingly, his bull rush isn’t a total negative either. However, it might not be very effective at the next level, considering his size.
At 6’2″, he is undersized, but he plays considerably longer than his height suggests. His length lets him strike and engage blockers before they can get into his chest, which is what allows a 240-pound rusher to survive contact rather than getting swallowed by it.
His low center of gravity and flexibility allow him to stay low through the corner, keeping him tight to the pocket on his rush arc rather than drifting wide and giving the quarterback an escape lane inside. Many rushers get around the tackle but end up too far from the quarterback to affect the throw. James-Newby bends and hugs the arc well enough that when he does win, he is actually arriving at the quarterback rather than just looking good on the edge. The pass rush film is relatively encouraging for a late-round pick.
Motor and Effort
From the games I watched, he does not give up on plays when his initial move is countered, he pursues quarterbacks long after most rushers have conceded the rep, and his high motor contributes directly to his forced fumble production. For a player competing for a roster spot at pick 252, the effort level could make the difference. I hope it can translate directly to gunner and coverage unit value that could make his 53-man case even if the defensive contributions are limited early
Weaknesses
Size and Run Defense
James-Newby cannot play the run at the NFL level in his current state, and probably cannot play it well even with development. He struggles to set the edge against bigger offensive linemen, gets moved too easily by pullers and blocking tight ends, and lacks the functional mass to hold his gap assignment consistently. Against NFL offensive linemen who outweigh him by 70-plus pounds, I can’t see him playing on early downs. He is a situational pass rusher, full stop. Asking him to play three downs would be a mistake.
Additionally, he had a 28.8% missed-tackle rate last year, which is a concern. At 240 pounds and a slight frame, his margin for error when finishing tackles is small, and when he misses, he misses badly. That rate will hurt him on special teams, which could cost him a roster spot.
Rush Predictability
Despite being relatively complimentary above, he wins with his first step. A lot. If he faces an NFL offensive lineman who can counter his first-step quickness, then he just might not have enough juice to contribute at the next level. Despite praising his bull rush, I didn’t see it consistently enough to think he will win against NFL talent. If his initial move is countered, he struggles to disengage and reset, and he can be corralled by long-limbed tackles who strike first and sit on his speed.
The Film
Overall Assessment and Fit With the Eagles
Seventh-round edge rushers fail more often than they succeed, and James-Newby has the same combination of undersized frame and sub-package limitation that defines the type. What gives me slightly more optimism here than I had about Powell-Ryland is the production quality and the pass-rush win scores. The fact that he has been productive at three different levels of college football, staying effective as he moved up, suggests a player who competes and is willing to be coached.
The Eagles under Howie Roseman have a documented streak of drafting a pass rusher every year, and they have shown an ability to develop and deploy edge rushers correctly. Jalyx Hunt is a significantly better athlete than James-Newby, but he was also very raw. James-Newby’s path to the 53 goes through special teams first, where his speed, motor, and effort level make him a legitimate candidate to contribute, and through developing enough of a sub-package repertoire that the defensive staff trusts him in clear passing situations. Practice squad as an alternative landing spot is equally realistic if the special teams contribution is not enough to hold a roster spot.
At pick No. 252, you are paying nothing for a player with elite production metrics and a first step that gives coaches something to work with. The odds are long. But they are not zero, and in the 7th round, not zero is all you are asking for. As long as he is only used in clear pass rushing situations and is not asked to contribute against the run, he could be worth a roster spot as a sub-rusher if he shows something throughout training camp.
Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here. If you would like to support me further, please check out my Patreon here!
