1991 Draft Redo - What Should've Happened

What should each team have done in the first round of the 1991 NFL Draft?

2005 Draft Redo | 2004 Draft Redo | 2003 Draft Redo | 2002 Draft Redo
2001 Draft Redo | 2000 Draft Redo | 1999 Draft Redo | 1998 Draft Redo
1997 Draft Redo | 1996 Draft Redo | 1995 Draft Redo | 1994 Draft Redo
1993 Draft Redo | 1992 Draft Redo | 1991 Draft Redo | 1990 Draft Redo
1989 Draft Redo

Part of the joy of the NFL draft for the fun of watching talented college players realize their dream of hitting the big time, the instant betterment of the teams, and most of all, the second guessing.

Here's a look at past NFL drafts looking to see what each team needed, who they took in the first round, and in hindsight, who should've gone based on how their pro careers turned out (forgetting about proper coaching and other circumstances).

If each team could draft knowing what we know now and not taking future drafts into account, this is how the first round should've gone.

Who Went	How the Draft Should've Gone
1. Dallas Cowboys Russell Maryland, DT Miami	OT Erik Williams (3rd), Central St (OH) Dallas Cowboys
While Brett Favre turned out to be the premier player in the 1991 draft, Dallas already had a young Troy Aikman. The genius of the Cowboy drafts in the early 1990s wasn't in the early round picks, it was the mid-to-late rounders and even though Russell Maryland was a decent player, Erik Williams was the premier offensive lineman of the decade. With Aikman and budding star Emmitt Smith, it's time to make the line a monster. Originally, Jerry and Jimmy traded up (New England originally had the first pick) to take Rocket Ismail, but the Irish star couldn't come to terms with Dallas and bolted for Canada before the draft.
2. Cleveland Browns Eric Turner, DT UCLA	QB Brett Favre (2nd), Southern Miss Atlanta Falcons
Bernie Kosar wasn't the player at this point he once was; who'd be better to give pointers to a young gunslinger? You don't think the Dog Pound would've liked Favre?
3. Atlanta Falcons Bruce Pickens, CB Nebraska	RB Ricky Watters (2nd), Notre Dame San Francisco 49ers
Atlanta's leading rusher in 1990 was Steve Broussard with 454 yards. Imagine a speedster like Watters on turf catching passes out of the backfield from Chris Miller in the run n' shoot.
4. Denver Broncos Mike Croel, LB Nebraska	CB Aeneas Williams, (3rd) Southern Arizona Cardinals
The Broncos had enough offense and Croel was a decent player for a few years, but Denver could've taken Williams and plugged in the Hall of Fame candidate for ten-plus years.
5. Los Angeles Rams Todd Lyght, DB Notre Dame	DT Ted Washington,  (1st) Louisville San Francisco 49ers
The Rams have a ton of offense with QB Jim Everett and a great power running game, but they need to stop the pass and stuff the run. It might take a year or two, but Washington will be a great, but ornery, run stopper for the next decade.
6. Arizona Cardinals Eric Swann, DT no college	WR Herman Moore, (1st) Virginia  Detroit Lions
Swann was almost a dominant star, but he never materialized in Phoenix. Roy Green and Ernie Jones just aren't the weapons to surround Timm Rosenbach with. While the Cardinals need a running back more than a receiver, Moore is too good to pass up.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Charles McRae, OT Tennessee	WR Ed McCaffrey, (3rd) Stanford New York Giants
McCaffrey has never received his due as a top receiver, but few had been steadier over ten years. Mark Carrier and Bruce Hill just aren't the top shelf receivers that'll help Vinny Testaverde. The Bucs desperately need a running back but there aren't any in this draft.
8. Philadelphia Eagles OT Antone Davis, OT Tennessee	DT Russell Maryland, (1st) Miami Dallas Cowboys
The Eagles could really use a running back and a top offensive lineman, but there aren't any out there worth the No. 8 pick. Maryland was a solid producer and will be sorely needed for a team that'll lose Jerome Brown and Reggie White in the coming years.
9. San Diego Chargers Stanley Richard, DB Texas	DB Eric Turner, (1st) UCLA Cleveland Browns
Richard wasn't worth the ninth pick. The Chargers needed an attitude on defense, and the big hitting Turner would've been exactly what they needed
10. Detroit Lions Herman Moore, WR Virginia	DB Todd Lyght, (1st) Notre Dame Los Angeles Rams
Defense, defense, defense. The Lions could use help anywhere and everywhere on the D, so Lyght would be the best pick.
11. New England Patriots Pat Harlow, OT USC	TE Ben Coates, (5th) Livingstone College New England Patriots
The Pats lucked their way into getting Coates later in the draft. It would be wise to snap up the Pro Bowl star now. He probably should've gone even higher than this.
12. Dallas Cowboys Alvin Harper, WR Tennessee	DT Leon Lett, (7th) Emporia State Dallas Cowboys
This is a really, really tough decision. Do you take Eric Swann and let Jimmy work with the raw talent, or do you take Lett and let Jimmy work with the even greener player? It worked out with Lett and this redraft is based on actual production, so he's the pick.
13. Atlanta Falcons Mike Pritchard, WR Colorado	DB Marty Carter, (8th) MTSU Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Falcons desperately, desperately need help in the secondary to help out the solid run defense. Carter would provide instant help, ten years of production and a huge hitting presence.
14. New England Patriots Leonard Russell, RB Arizona State	DT Chris Zorich, (2nd) Notre Dame Chicago Bears
The 1990 New England Patriots gave up points in bunches ranking 28th in scoring defense. Zorich is a steady force inside New England could really use. The Pats would pass on Eric Swann even though he's the better prospect.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers Huey Richardson, LB Florida	LB Roman Phifer, (2nd) UCLA Los Angeles Rams
The Steelers wanted a linebacker and grabbed the wrong one.
16. Seattle Seahawks Dan McGwire, QB San Diego State	WR Keenan McCardell, (12th) UNLV Washington Redskins
Seattle will stick with Dave Kreig, small hands and all, as there aren't any quarterbacks worth mentioning in this draft besides Favre. Seattle could use a game breaking receiver since Brian Blades, Tommy Kane and Jeff Chadwick just aren't exciting anyone. There are several good ones on the board and the Seahawks have to decide between the home run hitting of Alvin Harper or Michael Jackson, the longevity of Keenan McCardell, or the steady production of Jake Reed, Mike Pritchard, Jeff Graham or Yancey Thigpen. Take the long career years of McCardell.
17. Washington Redskins Bobby Wilson, DT Michigan State	WR Jake Reed, (3rd) Grambling Minnesota Vikings
The Skins don't need a whole bunch, so they're going with the best player available as a complement to their rapidly aging receiving corps.
18. Cincinnati Bengals Alfred Williams, LB Colorado	WR Alvin Harper, (1st) Tennessee Dallas Cowboys
Remember, Cincinnati was a really good team in the early 1990s, but the bottom was about to drop out. The Bengals will need a deep receiver to help out Eddie Brown.
19. Green Bay Packers Vinnie Clark, DB Ohio State	DB Merton Hanks, (5th) Iowa San Francisco 49ers
The Brent Fullwood/Darrell Thompson experiment wasn't working out, but there aren't any solid running backs to take. The pass defense could use some help and Hanks would've made an impact.
20. Dallas Cowboys Kelvin Pritchett, DT Mississippi	DT Eric Swann, (1st) no college Arizona Cardinals
We all know now that Swann was a bust as he never coming close to living up to the tag of being, possibly, the next Reggie White. The Cowboys should take him here on the chance (and this isn't the attitude to take with every team in the draft, but this is the fun pick to make) that coaching would've made a difference.
21. Kansas City Chiefs Harvey Williams, RB LSU	LB/DE Alfred Williams (1st), Colorado Cincinnati Bengals
Steve DeBerg is NOT going to have a 23 TD, 4 interception year again, but the necessary quarterback the Chiefs are looking for won't be in this draft. Williams was a nice player for several years.
22. Chicago Bears Stan Thomas, OT Texas	WR Yancey Thigpen, (4th) Winston Salem  San Diego Chargers
Wendell Davis, Ron Morris, Glen Kozlowski and Tom Waddle could be the worst receiving corps in the NFL. It's between Thigpen, Pritchard and Michael Jackson.
23. Miami Dolphins Randall Hill, WR Miami	WR Michael Jackson (6th) Southern Miss Cleveland Browns
The receiving corps is getting really, really old. The Dolphins should go with the best game breaker on the board for Marino to work with.
24. Los Angeles Raiders Todd Marinovich, QB USC	RB Howard Griffith (9th), Illinois Indianapolis Colts
Even with Marcus Allen and the injured Bo Jackson, Griffith fits in perfectly as a great lead blocker.
25. San Francisco 49ers Ted Washington, DT Louisville	DE Andy Harmon, (6th) Kent State Philadelphia Eagles
Harmon would make a great backup for Charles Haley and be a nice addition to a team needing help on the line.
26. Buffalo Bills Henry Jones, DB Illinois	DB Stanley Richard, (1st) Texas San Diego Chargers
This is a pick for right now hoping and praying the Bills can get enough talent in the secondary to deal with Art Monk, Gary Clark and the rest of the Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI.
27. New York Giants Jarrod Bunch, RB Michigan	WR Jeff Graham, (2nd) Ohio State Pittsburgh Steelers
Not buying into Stephen Baker and Mark Ingram, even though they helped the Giants win the Super Bowl, the pick is to take the decent Graham and plug him in for a decade.