The Philadelphia Eagles may not be picking No. 32 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, which was the goal at the beginning of the season, but Howie Roseman may have an opportunity to land a true star at No. 23 overall.
Despite this pick coming later in the first round, there have been multiple Hall of Famers selected at this spot. If Roseman scouts well enough, the Eagles can add another standout to their mix.
Since the merger, these 10 players stand out as the best No. 23 selections and an example of what the Eagles can do if they hit the scouting nail on the head.
Top 10 No. 23 picks in NFL Draft history
10. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (2007)
Bowe once led the league in touchdown receptions in 2010. Had he not been cursed with some unspeakably bad quarterback play in his prime, the towering, physical LSU alum could have been in for a much more productive career.
9. Duece McAllister, RB, New Orleans Saints (2001)
McAllister has four 1,000-yard seasons under his belt and was one of the better pass-catching backs of his era. Despite helping New Orleans to their first playoff success, Ole Miss' finest played just eight combined games in 2005 and 2007 as injuries brought his career to an end.
8. Louis Lipps, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (1984)
Lipps won Offensive Rookie of the Year and was named second-team All-Pro twice early in his career. As the de facto No. 1 receiver of the last dying days of Chuck Noll, the Southern Mississippi standout proved to be a worthwhile selection for Pittsburgh despite the lack of postseason success in this era.
7. C Jeff Hartings, Detroit Lions (1996)
While the Penn State product was solid in Detroit as one of the few competent linemen of the Barry Sanders era, Hartings took off when he went to Pittsburgh in 2000. In six seasons with the Steelers, following five in Detroit, Hartings was named a Pro Bowler twice and made First Team All-Pro once.
6. RB Willis McGahee, Buffalo Bills (2003)
McGahee, a Miami legend, managed to overcome a serious injury at the end of his college career to put together some respectable years for Buffalo, Denver, and Baltimore in the pros. McGahee managed to pile up 1,000-yard seasons for three different franchises, ending his career with 70 touchdowns and just under 10,000 yards from scrimmage.
5. CB Antoine Winfield Sr., Buffalo Bills (1999)
Coming from Ohio State with tons of hype, Winfield went from decent in Buffalo to a force in Minnesota. Winfield was named a Pro Bowler three times and developed a reputation as one of the hardest-hitting cornerbacks of his era. His son is carrying on his tradition with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
4. OT Bruce Armstrong, New England Patriots (1987)
Armstrong is one of the best left tackles to have never received major Hall of Fame consideration. The Louisville product was an early Dante Scarnecchia success story who made six Pro Bowls in the 1990s and was twice named an All-Pro.
3. TE Ozzie Newsome, Cleveland Browns (1978)
Before Newsome masterminded the Baltimore Ravens' front office for years, he was a tight end out of Alabama who helped reinvent the position due to his pass-catching. Newsome was an All-Pro five times and topped 1,000 yards twice at a time when that was almost unheard of for tight ends.
2. P Ray Guy, Oakland Raiders (1973)
If you draft a punter from Southern Mississippi in the first round, you had better be sure he is a great player. With seven Pro Bowls and a Hall of Fame nomination, making him the only pure punter to this day to be enshrined, Guy turned out to be well worth the risk for Oakland.
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1. CB Ty Law, New England Patriots (1995)
A five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro, Law recorded 53 interceptions in his career and led the league twice. The Michigan man never gets his credit when the all-time best cornerbacks are being debated, but his stats are up there with some of the best.