Grading Every Howie Roseman First-Round Pick — And What It Tells Us About Pick 23

With the 2026 NFL Draft less than a month away, the Eagles hold pick 23 — and the entire fanbase has opinions about what Howie Roseman should do with it. But before we project forward, let's look backward. Roseman's first-round track record tells a very specific story about who he is as a drafter, where he thrives, and where he's burned this franchise.

Here's every first-round pick of the Howie Roseman era, graded honestly.

The Home Runs: A+

Fletcher Cox, 2012 (No. 12 overall) — Six Pro Bowls. Four All-Pro selections. The anchor of the Eagles defense for over a decade. This is the gold standard of Roseman first-round picks. Grade: A+

Lane Johnson, 2013 (No. 4 overall) — The best right tackle in the NFL for nearly a decade. Johnson overcame early PED suspensions to become the heartbeat of that offensive line. A franchise cornerstone. Grade: A+

DeVonta Smith, 2021 (No. 10 overall) — The Heisman winner delivered immediately and became Jalen Hurts' most trusted target. Over 3,500 career receiving yards through his first four seasons, a model of consistency. Grade: A

Jalen Carter, 2023 (No. 9 overall) — Still early, but Carter's first two seasons have been dominant. He's already flashing All-Pro caliber play on the interior. If the trajectory holds, this could be Roseman's best defensive pick since Cox. Grade: A-

The Solid Contributors: B Range

Brandon Graham, 2010 (No. 13 overall) — The pick was booed on draft night. Fourteen years later, Graham retired with 70+ sacks and the most important strip-sack in franchise history. Slow start, legendary finish. Grade: B+

Jordan Davis, 2022 (No. 13 overall) — Davis is a run-stuffing monster when healthy, but the "when healthy" qualifier does real work here. He hasn't been the three-down force many expected from a top-13 pick. A good player, not a great one — yet. Grade: B-

The Disappointments: C and Below

Carson Wentz, 2016 (No. 2 overall) — This one's complicated. Wentz was on an MVP trajectory in 2017 before the torn ACL. The Eagles won the Super Bowl anyway, but Wentz was never the same player after. The trade up cost significant capital, and the divorce was ugly. You can't call the pick a bust — it contributed to a championship — but the long-term return on investment was brutal. Grade: C+

Derek Barnett, 2017 (No. 14 overall) — Barnett had moments, including a fumble recovery in the Super Bowl, but never became the consistent pass rusher Philadelphia needed. Injuries derailed what was already a middling career. Grade: C-

Andre Dillard, 2019 (No. 22 overall) — The Eagles traded up for Dillard, and he never won the starting job. Jordan Mailata — a seventh-round pick who'd never played football — beat him out. That tells you everything. Grade: D

Jalen Reagor, 2020 (No. 21 overall) — The worst first-round pick of the Roseman era, full stop. Justin Jefferson went one pick later and became a generational talent. Reagor had 64 catches in two years and was shipped to Minnesota for pennies. This one still stings. Grade: F

Danny Watkins, 2011 (No. 23 overall) — A 26-year-old firefighter-turned-guard who lasted two seasons and 23 games. An Andy Reid pick in name, but it happened on Roseman's watch. Grade: F

Marcus Smith, 2014 (No. 26 overall) — Zero starts. Four sacks in three years. One of the most anonymous first-round picks in Eagles history. Grade: F

Nolan Smith, 2023 (No. 30 overall) — Two seasons in and Smith hasn't carved out a consistent role. The Georgia pedigree hasn't translated to NFL production. There's still time, but the early returns are concerning for a first-rounder. Grade: D+

The Pattern Roseman Should Follow

Look at the grades above and a clear pattern emerges. Roseman's best picks share three traits:

1. They play premium positions. Cox and Carter on the defensive interior. Lane Johnson at right tackle. DeVonta Smith at receiver. When Roseman drafts blue-chip talent at positions that move the needle, he nails it.

2. They're ready to contribute immediately. Every A-grade pick above made an impact as a rookie. Roseman's misses — Dillard, Reagor, both Smiths — were projects that never developed.

3. The misses cluster at edge rusher. Barnett, Marcus Smith, and so far Nolan Smith — three first-round edge rushers, three disappointments. That's not coincidence. It's a pattern worth respecting.

What This Means for Pick 23

The Eagles need an offensive tackle and an edge rusher. The historical data screams offensive tackle.

Roseman's track record drafting offensive linemen in round one — Lane Johnson, Jordan Davis as a line-adjacent pick — is significantly better than his edge rusher record. When you add in the fact that this tackle class is deep with first-round talent like Kelvin Banks Jr. and Cameron Williams, the pick becomes obvious.

Does that mean the Eagles should never draft an edge rusher? Of course not. But Howie's history suggests he's better off finding pass rushers through trades and free agency — the way he acquired Brandon Graham's production through patience, or the way he's pursuing Myles Garrett right now.

Pick 23 should be an offensive lineman. The data doesn't just support it. It demands it.

The Eagles have four weeks to get this right. If Roseman's learned anything from Reagor, Dillard, and the ghost of Marcus Smith, he'll play to his strengths — not chase the need that's burned him before.