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Eagles would like to forget the last time they selected 23rd overall

That was not great.
Anthony Miller
Anthony Miller

Inside the Iggles

Philadelphia Eagles guard Danny Watkins / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

While the uncertainty of the 2026 NFL Draft is floating around the Philadelphia Eagles fan base, there is also a certain level of excitement for what general manager Howie Roseman is going to do.

The Eagles have plenty of positions to improve on, including offensive tackle, wide receiver, tight end, edge rusher, and safety. With the talent level of the draft class, it leaves a lot of great options for Philly despite being in the later part of the draft.

This year, the Eagles have the 23rd overall pick in the draft, which is not the first time the franchise has had that pick. In 2011, Philly had the same pick, and they used it on an offensive lineman they wished they could take back.

The last time the Eagles selected at pick 23 was a nightmare move

Offensive guard Danny Watkins was the Eagles' selection at pick 23 in the 2011 NFL Draft. At the time, the move was a huge risk for Philly, as he was the oldest first-round pick since 1971 at 26.

In his rookie season, Watkins started 12 of the 16 games that year, but after an up-and-down year, Watkins only started six of the 11 games in 2012. The Eagles would end up releasing Watkins before the 2013 season, and he ended up playing just one game with the Miami Dolphins before he decided to retire.

The two-year experiment by Watkins was one of the biggest busts Roseman has ever made during his tenure with the Eagles. Watkins just struggled to play consistently at right guard and was never the dominant lineman he was at Baylor.

Read more: Peter Schrager stays on track with Eagles prediction in his final mock draft

Roseman has made mistakes since the draft, but this would be one of the top five worst picks he has ever had. The hope is if the Eagles select an offensive lineman in the 2026 NFL Draft, it will go a lot differently than it did with Watkins.

Anthony Miller

Anthony Miller

Anthony has been covering football since 2019 starting with his coverage on the XFL and has expanded to the NFL, college football, CFL, and UFL. He is currently the site expert for Inside the Iggles & Bear Goggles On and contributor for The Viking Age. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and more.