There are so many ways the Philadelphia Eagles have built a perennial Super Bowl contender — from the flashy trades to 1st round picks to signing critical free agents.
There’s 1 player on the roster, however, who has so overperformed for the Eagles that it’s become almost a historical footnote. That player is left offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, who Pro Football Focus NFL reporter Bradley Locker called the NFL’s “best non-first-round pick” since 2016.
“The Eagles have a penchant for cultivating talent as well as any organization in football, and Mailata is the crown jewel of that,” Locker wrote. “The former rugby star has rounded into one of the NFL’s best all-around tackles despite being among the last picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. Mailata’s career 94.1 overall PFF grade is the third-best among tackles to play at least 4,500 snaps in the last eight seasons, and his 1.66 PFF Wins Above Replacement places 11th in that span. On top of that, Mailata has earned at least an 81.7 overall PFF grade in a staggering five straight seasons, and his 95.2 overall mark in 2024 was one of the best by a lineman in PFF history.
“Most players selected this late in the draft are viewed as either depth or a flier. In Mailata’s case, he became not just a starter, but an ultimate success story and a cornerstone for the Eagles’ Super Bowl title.”
Mailata’s 2025 Pro Bowl Snub Defied Logic
Mailata, a 2024 NFL All-Pro, found himself on the outside looking in when it came to the Pro Bowl in 2025 — a snub that defied logic.
Mailata, 6-foot-8 and 365 pounds, had the best season of his career in 2024 as he graded out as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the entire NFL with a 95.8, according to PFF.
One person who was not happy about Mailata’s snub and expressed as much profanely and succinctly was Eagles fan and Barstool Sports producer Max Dolente on the “Pardon My Take” podcast on January 3.
“Jordan Mailata not being a Pro Bowler is (expletive),” Dolente said. “Number one ranked player in all of offense in the NFL this year, according to PFF. Number one ranked offensive player.”
While Mailata didn’t make the Pro Bowl, 6 of his teammates did; running back Saquon Barkley, center Cam Jurgens, guard Landon Dickerson, offensive tackle Lane Johnson, interior defensive lineman Jalen Carter and inside linebacker Zack Baun.
Mailata Transitioned From Pro Rugby to NFL
Mailata, 6-foot-8 and 365 pounds, was a professional rugby player in Australia before finding a way to the NFL via the league’s International Player Pathway Program, with the Eagles selecting him in the seventh round (No. 233 overall) in the 2018 NFL draft.
Mailata missed all but 2 games of his first 2 seasons in the NFL with injuries, but started 10 games in 2020 and became a full-time starter in 2021 and signed a 4-year, $60.4 million contract extension before that season.
The Eagles have been one of the NFL’s best teams with Mailata in the lineup, where they’ve made the playoffs each season, including a Super Bowl appearance following the 2022 season. In April 2024, Mailata got a new contract with the Eagles that made him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL at his position — a 3-year, $66 million deal with $40.8 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus.
Eagles’ $66 Million ‘Crown Jewel’ Called NFL’s Best Non-First-Round Pick Since 2016