With the Senior Bowl in the books, the NFL Draft season is officially underway - and the Philadelphia Eagles are already deep into the evaluation process. After a disappointing end to the 2025 campaign, Philly’s front office is looking to reload, and they were out in full force in Mobile, Alabama last week, scouting more than 100 of the top prospects in the 2026 class.
Among the standouts? Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields - a name Eagles fans might want to get familiar with.
Fields came into the week with something to prove, and he made the most of his opportunity. The 6-foot-4, 222-pound receiver dominated throughout practices at Hancock Whitney Stadium, showing off a rare blend of size, short-area quickness, and physicality at the catch point. Whether he was working the boundary, coming across the middle, or stretching the field vertically, Fields looked every bit the part of an NFL-ready wideout.
He told reporters his goal in Mobile was to show he could “line up anywhere and make plays.” Mission accomplished. Fields didn’t just flash - he stacked good reps all week, winning one-on-one matchups and making highlight-reel catches that turned heads among scouts and coaches alike.
One of those plays - a leaping grab over a cornerback during team drills - went viral and only added fuel to the buzz surrounding his draft stock. Heading into the Senior Bowl, Fields was viewed as a fringe top-50 prospect and the No. 8 wide receiver in the class, per NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah. But after his performance in Mobile, he’s now firmly in the first-round conversation.
ESPN’s Matt Miller even mocked Fields to the Seahawks at No. 32 overall earlier this week - a sign that the Notre Dame product might not be around when the Eagles pick at No. 54 in the second round. That’s where things get interesting.
If the Eagles decide to trade star wideout A.J. Brown - and that’s still a big “if” - they could be in the market for a physical, outside receiver to pair with DeVonta Smith.
Fields fits that mold. But even if Brown stays in Philly, Fields has the kind of upside that could make him a valuable WR3 and eventual starter.
He’s the type of player Howie Roseman has targeted before: big, athletic, and battle-tested.
Fields’ college career is a story of growth and resilience. He made his name at Virginia, where he posted back-to-back 1,600-yard seasons and caught 113 passes across 2023 and 2024. He briefly considered transferring to Penn State for his final year - a move that would’ve reunited him with former Virginia wide receivers coach Marques Hagans - but ultimately chose Notre Dame for the challenge and the opportunity to showcase his skills on a bigger stage.
Statistically, his 2025 numbers at Notre Dame were more modest: 36 catches for 630 yards and five touchdowns. But the tape told a different story.
Fields was a force in the Irish offense, which leaned heavily on its running game. Despite fewer targets, he made them count.
He dropped just one pass all season on 62 targets - a remarkable level of consistency. He hauled in nearly 48% of his contested catches (11 of 23), using his frame and strong hands to win in traffic.
And once the ball was in his hands, he was tough to bring down - a true yards-after-catch threat who punished defenders in the open field.
If you missed him at Virginia, you couldn’t miss him at Notre Dame. And if you missed him there, well, you probably noticed him in Mobile.
Asked what he learned about himself during his lone season with the Fighting Irish, Fields didn’t hesitate: “That I have that dog mentality. That I can go make those plays down the field whenever my number’s called.”
That mindset - paired with his physical tools and polish as a route-runner - makes Fields one of the most intriguing wide receiver prospects in this year’s class. Whether the Eagles stay put at No. 54 or make a move up the board, he’s a name worth circling.
Because if A.J. Brown is moved, the Eagles will need a new alpha on the outside. And even if he stays, adding a player like Fields could give Philly one of the deepest receiver rooms in the league.
The draft is still months away, but the Eagles are already doing their homework. And after what Malachi Fields showed at the Senior Bowl, he’s going to be a big part of that conversation.