As the 2018 NFL Draft looms closer, its never too late at what could have been. With that in mind, we look back at the 2017 NFL Draft and what NFL futures were stunted by bad choices.
[divider]2018 NFL DRAFT:
Draft Home | Compare Draft Prospects | Prospect Rankings
Compare NFL Teams | Compare NFL Players[divider]
Last year's draft brought us stars — Kareem Hunt, Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore — and some busts — Mike Williams, Joe Mixon, John Ross. How would that have changed? Would Cleveland be picking at the top of the NFL Draft for the second straight year had the Browns gone a different direction?
Enough questions. Let's get to the picks:
[divider]
1. Cleveland Browns
Redraft Pick: Deshaun Watson, QB
Actual Pick: Myles Garrett, DE
Had the Browns picked Watson instead of Garrett, maybe Joe Thomas is not retired. Maybe, Cleveland finally has a franchise quarterback for the first time in almost 20 years. Maybe they win more than zero games. Maybe.
[divider]
2. Chicago Bears
Redraft Pick: Mitchell Trubisky, QB
Actual Pick: Same
Once the Bears jettisoned Jay Cutler, there was only one move in the draft. After Watson went off the board, the next best prospect was Trubisky. The Bears should be happy, the redraft mimicked the actual, which should bode well for the Bears going forward.
COMPARE: Trubisky vs. Watson
[divider]
3. San Francisco 49ers
Redraft Pick: Myles Garrett, DE
Actual Pick: Solomon Thomas, DE
Garrett will be a good player for a long time. NFL franchises value pass rushers more than any other position outside of quarterback. Garrett's the choice.
[divider]
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
Redraft Pick: Kareem Hunt, RB
Actual Pick: Leonard Fournette, RB
Kareem Hunt led the league in rushing, had almost 1800 yards from scrimmage. After year one, he is a better running back and prospect than Fournette, who was dogged by injuries in his first year.
COMPARE: Hunt vs. Fournette
[divider]
5. Tennessee Titans
Redraft Pick: Marshon Lattimore, CB
Actual Pick: Corey Davis, WR
Lattimore is a rare lockdown corner and will be for a long time. In the actual draft, the Titans took Adoree Jackson at corner, so the need was there.
[divider]
6. New York Jets
Redraft Pick: Jamal Adams, S
Actual Pick: Same
Adams is a difference maker at the safety position and fills a need for the Jets. The nailed this one.
[divider]
7. Los Angeles Chargers
Redraft Pick: Ryan Ramczyk , OT
Actual Pick: Mike Williams , WR
Williams was a bust for the Chargers, and Rivers seemed to do just fine with his core of wide receivers. What they have been lacking is someone to protect Rivers on the line. Ramczyk is one of the best linemen in the league, not just an offensive lineman. He's also very familiar with Melvin Gordon due to their time together in Wisconsin.
[divider]
8. Carolina Panthers
Redraft Pick: Alvin Kamara, RB
Actual Pick: Christian McCaffrey, RB
McCaffrey was projected as the best all-purpose running back prospect. It was Kamara, however, who led all running backs, averaging 9 yards per touch!
[divider]
9. Cincinnati Bengals
Redraft Pick: Corey Davis, WR
Actual Pick: John Ross, WR
The Bengals offense was absolutely putrid last year. Give Andy Dalton an extra weapon to pair alongside AJ Green and maybe they don't suck to start the season.
[divider]
10. Kansas City Chiefs
Redraft Pick: Christian McCaffrey, RB
Actual Pick: Patrick Mahomes, QB
What Matt Nagy and Andy Reid were able to do with Kareem Hunt in the background was absolutely stunning at times. While Hunt may be the better running back at this point, it's not a far step down from McCaffery who would absolutely revel in the Chiefs' multi-set offense.
[divider]
11. New Orleans Saints
Redraft Pick: Tre'Davious White, CB
Actual Pick: Marshon Lattimore, CB
Saints don't lose much here. In fact, Pro Footbal Focus grades White higher than Lattimore. Either way, the Saints are getting another Richard Branson (island owner).
[divider]
12. Houston Texans
Redraft Pick: Patrick Mahomes, QB
Actual Pick: Deshaun Watson, QB
There was no way the Texans could have possibly expected Tom Savage to do anything remotely productive in Houston. Mahomes has to be the pick. If not him, maybe TJ Watt to have the brothers together to form some sort of NFL version of Batman and Robin.
[divider]
13. Arizona Cardinals
Redraft Pick: Jarrad Davis, LB
Actual Pick: Haason Reddick, LB
According to Pro Football Focus, Reddick was the worst linebacker graded. Consider Davis a big upgrade and helping a defense took a big step back from years prior.
[divider]
14. Philadelphia Eagles
Redraft Pick: Carl Lawson , DE
Actual Pick: Derek Barnett, DE
The Eagles defensive front's effectiveness was predicated on the ability to rotate players in and out and keep them fresh. Lawson was better than Barnett last year, ipso facto, the Eagles still win the Super Bowl.
COMPARE: Lawson vs. Barnett
[divider]
15. Indianapolis Colts
Redraft Pick: Malik Hooker, S
Actual Pick: Same
Malik Hooker was a fantastic player for the Colts last year. Any time you can get a defensive anchor, you hold on to them like a comfort blanket.
[divider]
16. Baltimore Ravens
Redraft Pick: Leonard Fournette, RB
Actual Pick: Marlon Humphrey, CB
The Ravens had a revolving door at running back this season. Fournette is the type of ball-carrier that can establish your offense, something Baltimore had a tough time doing this past year.
[divider]
17. Washington
Redraft Pick: Jonathan Allen, DE
Actual Pick: Same
Allen was a beast last year. Washington would take him over and over and over again.
[divider]
18. Tennessee Titans
Redraft Pick: Juju Smith-Schuster, WR
Actual Pick: Adoree' Jackson, CB
Tennessee has been looking for a young pass catcher to pair with Marcus Mariota. After going defense early, the Titans get their guy later. Smith was the best rookie wide receiver last year and would finally provide some long-term security for Mariota.
[divider]
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Redraft Pick: Dalvin Cook, RB
Actual Pick: OJ Howard, TE
For some reason, the Bucs did not see a need at running back position despite everyone on the outside cringing at the thought of who would be carrying the rock. Maybe this alters the trajectory for both. Cook doesn't blow out his knee, and the Bucs eat a lot of Ws.
[divider]
20. Denver Broncos
Redraft Pick: Garett Bolles, OT
Actual Pick: Same
The Broncos defense was still one of the best in the league, but struggled to get anything going on offense. Bolles was the second best offensive lineman taken and will be an anchor on that line for a long, long time. They nailed that pick. Now they just need a quarterback.
[divider]
21. Detroit Lions
Redraft Pick: Derek Barnett, DE
Actual Pick: Jarrad Davis, LB
Barnett immediately helped the Eagles solidify one of the best defensive lines in the league. He would do the same for the Lions.
[divider]
22. Miami Dolphins
Redraft Pick: Evan Engram, TE
Actual Pick: Charles Harris, LB
The Dolphins had a world of problems last year. While the defense had many issues, prompting a selection like Harris in the first round, getting someone like Engram could have been a franchise-changing decision. Giving Adam Gase a player of his caliber to play with and scheme for would have made the Dolphins season end a lot differently, guaranteed.
[divider]
23. NY Giants
Redraft Pick: Dion Dawkins, OT
Actual Pick: Evan Engram, TE
The Giants hit a home run with Engram. Unfortunately, Engram's production did not lead to an increase in wins. The Giants struggled to keep Eli Manning upright which forced New York to change its gameplan. It also did not help losing Odell Beckham, Jr. early in the season. What can we say, there was a lot that went wrong last year.
[divider]
24. Oakland Raiders
Redraft Pick: Desmond King, CB
Actual Pick: Gareon Conley, CB
Conley was decent for the Raiders last year, but King was even better. He was one of the best in defending both the run and the pass and could fill a variety of roles in the defensive backfield. A true, unique talent.
COMPARE: King vs. Conley
[divider]
25. Cleveland Browns
Redraft Pick: Marcus Williams, S
Actual Pick: Jabrill Peppers, S
No one could have faulted the Browns for taking Peppers–considered one of the best defensive players out there. What no one could have expected was second-round pick, Williams, being arguably the best rookie safety in the league last year. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams gave up 0.13 yards per snap in coverage…WHAT!
COMPARE: Williams vs. Peppers
[divider]
26. Atlanta Falcons
Redraft Pick: T.J. Watt, LB
Actual Pick: Takkarist McKinley, LB
McKinley was a nice pick for the Falcons so far down in round one. Having said that, TJ Watt was a revelation. The difference is slight, but Watt was an All-Rookie performer, McKinley was not.
[divider]
27. Buffalo Bills
Redraft Pick: Marlon Humphrey, CB
Actual Pick: Tre'Davious White, CB
The Bills absolutely nailed this pick, getting White who has skyrocketed to the top of most people's best cornerbacks list. In a redraft, White won't be there at 27, so the Bills take another corner with comparable skills.
COMPARE: Humphrey vs. White
[divider]
28. Dallas Cowboys
Redraft Pick: Takkarist McKinley, LB
Actual Pick: Taco Charlton, DE
McKinley had a huge rookie season that included six sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and seven tackles for loss. Taco did not.
[divider]
29. Cleveland Browns
Redraft Pick: Adoree' Jackson, CB
Actual Pick: David Njoku, TE
The Browns did not fail with Njoku, who showed flashes of the athleticism that made him a first-round pick, it's more that the Browns needed a lot of help everywhere and Njoku really didn't have the opportunity to shine. Cleveland's defense was bad, its pass defense even worse. Jackson would be a great selection here with the Browns able to hold out on a tight end, something that wasn't really a need–later.
[divider]
30. Pittsburgh Steelers
Redraft Pick: David Njoku, TE
Actual Pick: T.J. Watt, LB
Steelers lost a late-round gem in Watt but get another weapon for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense. Njoku would abolutely thrive in Pittsburgh.
[divider]
31. San Francisco 49ers
Redraft Pick: Dalvin Tomlinson, DT
Actual Pick: Reuben Foster, LB
Foster was not selected in this redraft due to his current legal situation. The 49ers, instead, shore up their defensive interior and select Tomlinson to pair up with DeForest Buckner. A lethal duo that would cause problems for any offense.
[divider]
32. New Orleans Saints
Redraft Pick: Cooper Kupp, WR
Actual Pick: Ryan Ramczyk , OT
Saints absolutely killed the 2017 draft. In fact, many have considered this the best single-team draft this century. Ramczyk was a big get for them, but so would Kupp. It's hard not to imagine what Kupp would have been able to do had he spent his rookie year in New Orleans instead of Los Angeles.