Redrafting the 2007 NFL Draft

 

They say that it takes three years to really grade a draft. So here we are, only a few weeks away from the 2010 NFL season. We're all ready to see the new rookies: Sam Bradford, Rolando McClain and CJ Spiller (among others).

While reviewing the 2007 draft, I realized two things: 1) there were only ten teams that hit gold on their first round picks, and 2) it was a below average draft in terms of talent.

So, let's review the first round of the 2007 draft in terms of how it should have gone.

 

1st Pick: Oakland Raiders: Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss

Original pick: Jamarcus Russell, QB, LSU

There were some excellent offensive players on the board, but Willis the best defensive player in the NFL, and big reason why San Francisco has improved so dramatically. 

2nd Pick: Detroit Lions: Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech

Original pick: Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech

Detroit nailed this one. 

3rd Pick: Cleveland Browns: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma

Original pick: Joe Thomas, T, Wisconsin

Thomas wasn't a bad original pick, but Cleveland has always needed playmakers. 

4th Pick: Tampa Bay Bucs: Darrelle Revis, DB, Pittsburgh

Original Pick: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson

Adams was traded two years after this selection and later died shortly after the completion of the 2009 season. Revis is a shutdown corner and a very valuable defenseman. 

5th Pick: Arizona Cardinals: Joe Thomas, T, Wisconsin

Original Pick: Levi Brown, T, Penn State

Brown has proved to be a good tackle, but Joe Thomas is the best current player on the Browns and one of the better o-lineman in the league. 

6th Pick: Washington Redskins: Jon Beason, LB, Miami

Original Pick: Laron landry, S, Texas

Beason is only a step behind Patrick Willis. He's the cornerstone of the Carolina defense and their best player now that Julius Peppers is gone. 

7th Pick: New York Jets pick David Harris, LB, Michigan

Original Pick: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma

Harris blew up on the scene last season with the Jets. AP already went, and Harris is the best player on the board.

8th Pick: Atlanta Falcons: Sidney Rice, WR, South Carolina

Original Pick: Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas

This would be a year before Matt Ryan became the Atlanta quarterback, but Roddy White and Rice as the two wide-outs would've turned the Atlanta Falcons into instant Super Bowl contenders. 

9th Pick: Miami Dolphins: Steve Smith, WR, USC

Original Pick: Ted Gynn Jr., WR, Miami

Miami shit the bed with this selection. It was questionable when it first happened, and it is even odder now. Smith finally got a change to succeed last season, and he's proved to be one of the better receivers in the NFC. 

10th Pick: Houston Texans: Michael Bush, RB, Louisville

Original Pick: Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville

The Texans have had plenty of trouble trying to get a good running back. Steve Slaton was supposed to be the answer but he had fumbling problems, Ben Tate was a high pick but he's on the IR. All of this would've been solved it they originally went for Bush. 

11th Pick: San Francisco 49ers: Paul Posluszny, LB, Penn State

Original Pick: Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss

He's not quite Patrick Willis, but Posluszny is the best linebacker left. 

12th Pick: Buffalo Bills: Kevin Kolb, QB, Houston

Original Pick: Marshawn Lynch, RB, California

Lynch has been an disappointment in Buffalo and is unnecessary now with Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller. Kolb is very talented and the best quarterback option in this draft. 

13th Pick: St. Louis Rams: Michael Griffin, S, Texas

Original Pick: Adam Carriker, DT, Nebraska

With this pick, St. Louis gets the one of the only safeties (Brandon Meriweather being the other) in the draft that made the pro bowl. 

14th Pick: New York Jets: Pierre Thomas, RB, Illinois

Original Pick: Darrelle Revis, DB, Pittsburgh

Can anyone believe that Thomas was actually an undrafted player? Although he's often injured, when healthy, he's perfect for the hard style run offense of the Jets. 

15th Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers: Leon Hall, DB, Michigan

Original Pick: Lawrence Timmons, LB, Florida State

Hall currently forms a great duo with DB Jonathan Joseph in Cincinnati. Whenever there is a lock-down DB on the board a team has to grab them. Hall is more valuable then Timmons is.

16th Pick: Green Bay Packers: Clint Sessions, LB, Pittsburgh

Original Pick: Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee

Harrell was a terrible pick. Sessions has been one of the stars of the Indy defense. he recorded 94 tackles last year in his first year as a starter.

17th Pick: Denver Broncos: Lawrence Timmons, LB, Florida State

Original Pick: Jarvis Moss, LB, Florida

Timmons isn't a great player, but he's a good enough defender to fit in next to Dumervil and DJ Williams in Denver.

18th Pick: Cincinnati Bengals: Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Marshall

Original Pick: Leon Hall, DB, Michigan

Adding Bradshaw to the Cincinnati offense would've paid off big. Putting him next to Cedric Benson, Cincy would have been unlimited offensively. 

19th Pick: Tennessee Titans: Brent Celek, TE, Cincinnati

Original Pick: Michael Griffin, S, Texas

Celek is this draft's best tight end. He would have provided a big boost to the Titans' weak passing game. 

20th Pick: New York Giants: Aaron Ross, DB, Texas

Original Pick: Aaron Ross, DB, Texas

Not much changes for New York here. Their pretty happy with their pick of Ross.

21st Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars: Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU

Original Pick: Reggie Nelson, S, Florida

Bowe drops a lot of passes, and he's kind of a troublemaker, but with Garrard as his quarterback he would help out the Jaguars much more then he ever helped the Chiefs. 

22nd Pick: Cleveland Browns: Justin Blalock, OT, Texas

Original Pick: Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame

I bet the Browns wish they could re-do this draft. They missed out on Thomas early, but Blalock is an underrated tackle who has started every game in his pro career.

23rd Pick: Kansas City Chiefs: LaMar Woodley, LB, Michigan

Original Pick: Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU

Chiefs get "their linebacker" for the next decade; Woodley has 29 sacks in his three-year career.

24th Pick: New England Patriots: Brandon Meriweather, S, Miami

Original Pick: Brandon Meriweather, S, Miami

New England stick by their man. He's a pro bowler, so why not.

25th Pick: Carolina Panthers: Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Ohio State

Original Pick: Jon Beason, LB, Miami

A little bit of controversy here because Gonzalez just missed a year with injury. But he's healthy this year and Carolina has always needed that 2nd wide-out to go along with Steve Smith. They make this pick here and then bypass selecting the awful Dwayne Jarrett in the second round.

26th Pick: Dallas Cowboys: Eric Weddle, S, Utah

Original Pick: Anthony Spencer: LB, Purdue

Weddle is a solid safety who the Chargers use very well in their defense. he isn't flashy but he's still a good player.

27th Pick: New Orleans Saints: Mike Sims-Walker, WR, UCF

Original Pick: Robert Meachem, WR, LSU

Meachem has been a disappointment in New Orleans. Sims-Walker is the better receiver. 

28th Pick: San Francisco 49ers: Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan

Original Pick: Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan

Staley is a good offensive lineman who the 49ers have already locked up thru 2017.

29th Pick: Baltimore Ravens: Josh Wilson, CB, Maryland

Original Pick: Ben Grubbs, OT, Auburn

Wilson is a CB who averages over 70 tackles a year and who would give good insurance to that Baltimore defense. 

30th Pick: San Diego Chargers: Steve Breaston, WR, Michigan

Original Pick: Buster Davis, WR, LSUBuster Davis was a bad pick on the part of SD, but Breaston is an underrated talent who would've made a good third option to Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson.

31st Pick: Chicago Bears: Zach Miller, TE, Arizona State

Original Pick: Greg Olsen, TE, Miami

Given that Chicago still goes down the tight end route, their best bet with this pick would be Miller, and underrated part of Oakland's current offense. 

32nd Pick: Indianapolis Colts: Kevin Boss, TE, Western Oregon

Original Pick: Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Ohio State

Boss gives insurance to Dallas Clark and gives Indy another talented target to utilize.