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Who
Went
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How the Draft
Should've Gone |
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1. Atlanta
Falcons
Michael Vick, QB Virginia Tech
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RB LaDainian
Tomlinson (1st), TCU
San Diego Chargers
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Vick spent the
first two years as the most dangerous weapon in the NFL
before getting hurt. He
matured quicker than the Falcons could've ever dreamed of
and turned out to be a franchise changing player. He's not L.T.
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2. Arizona
Cardinals
Leonard Davis, OT Texas
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QB Drew Brees
(2nd), Purdue
San Diego Chargers
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The Cardinals
didn't want to take Tomlinson after selecting Thomas Jones
the year before. Oops. Davis wasn't a bad pick, but Brees would've been the obvious
long-term choice for the
quarterback-starved franchise.
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3. Cleveland
Browns
Gerard Warren, DT Florida
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WR Chad Johnson
(2nd), Oregon State
Cincinnati Bengals
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Warren was a
mega-bust at the three.
Johnson would've been the team's franchise target and
wouldn't have gone to the hated rivals.
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4. Cincinnati
Bengals
Justin Smith, DE Missouri
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WR Steve Smith
(3rd), Utah
Carolina Panthers
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There are better
players on the board, but Smith became solid after a
lengthy holdout. Steve Smith would eventually do more for the Bengals.
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5. San Diego
Chargers
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB TCU
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QB Michael Vick
(1st), Virginia Tech
Atlanta Falcons
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For at least a
few years, Vick would've transformed the Charger franchise.
However, he wouldn't have been LT.
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6. New England
Patriots
Richard Seymour, DT Georgia
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DT Richard
Seymour (1st), Georgia
New England Patriots
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Seymour came in
and became a rock in the middle for championship teams.
He might not be a superstar, or even the best tackle in this
draft, but the pick worked.
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7. San Francisco
49ers
Andre Carter, DE California
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DT Kris Jenkins
(2nd), Maryland
Carolina Panthers
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Carter isn't a
bad selection, but Jenkins, when healthy and on, is a Pro
Bowl talent a defense can revolve around.
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8. Chicago Bears
David Terrell, WR Michigan
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TE Todd Heap
(1st), Arizona State
Baltimore Ravens
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If Terrell was
half the NFL player he thought he was, he'd be in the Hall of
Fame after his rookie year. The Bears would've taken Heap to
solve a decades-long tight end issue.
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9. Seattle
Seahawks
Koren Robinson, WR North Carolina State
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OG Steve
Hutchinson (1st), Michigan
Seattle Seahawks
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It took a little
while for Robinson to learn how to play like a pro.
Hutchinson would be one of the best linemen in the game and
probably should've gone higher.
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10. Green Bay
Packers
Jamal Reynolds, DE Florida State
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WR Reggie Wayne
(2nd), Miami
Indianapolis Colts
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The Hurricane star
would've been one of the league's most productive wideouts
going up to Green Bay with No. 4 getting him the ball.
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11. Carolina
Panthers
Dan Morgan, LB Miami
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LB Dan Morgan
(1st),
LB Miami
Carolina Panthers
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Morgan was a
solid, Pro Bowl pick and a leader of the Panther defense when
healthy.
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12. St. Louis
Rams
Damione Lewis, DT Miami
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DE Aaron Schobel,
(2nd), TCU
Buffalo Bills
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One of the NFL's
best unknown players, Schobel is a pass rushing terror who
would've been a perfect fit for the Rams.
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13. Jacksonville
Jaguars
Marcus Stroud, DT Georgia
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RB Deuce
McAllister (1st), Mississippi
New Orleans Saints
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Stroud wasn't a
bad pick, even at the 13, but McAllister would've been
deadly when paired with Fred Taylor. The Deuce probably
should've gone in the top ten (maybe eight to Chicago).
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14. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
Kenyatta Walker, OT Florida
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OT Leonard Davis
(1st), Texas
Arizona Cardinals
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Walker was a key
member of the Tampa Bay line, but if Davis were to slide this
far, it'd be a no-brainer to take him instead.
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15. Washington
Redskins
Rod Gardner, WR Clemson
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WR Chris
Chambers (2nd), Wisconsin
Miami Dolphins
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Gardner has
shown flashes of greatness, but Chambers would've been a far
better pick.
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16. New York
Jets
Santana Moss, WR Miami
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RB Rudi Johnson
(4th), Auburn
Cincinnati Bengals
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Moss hasn't been
the consistent impact player the Jets have been hoping for.
Rudi would've been tremendous as an eventual replacement for
Curtis Martin. |
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17. Seattle
Seahawks
Steve Hutchinson, OG Michigan
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OT Jeff Backus
(1st), Michigan
Detroit Lions
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Seattle hit a
home run with Hutchinson, but Backus isn't a bad backup
selection.
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18. Detroit
Lions
Jeff Backus, OT Michigan
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CB Nate Clements
(1st), Ohio State
New York Jets
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Is Clements
worth being so highly paid down the road? Yeah, but this is
still around the right spot for him to go.
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19. Pittsburgh
Steelers
Casey Hampton, DT Texas
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TE Alge Crumpler
(2nd), North Carolina
Atlanta Falcons
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Hampton wouldn't
be a bad pick for the line, but Crumpler would've been a Pro
Bowl weapon for the Steeler attack.
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20. St. Louis
Rams
Adam Archuleta, S Arizona State
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S Adrian Wilson (3rd),
NC State
Arizona Cardinals
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Archuleta was
fine, but Wilson would become one of the league's best
tacklers and top intimidating forces..
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21. Buffalo
Bills
Nate Clements, CB Ohio State
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WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (7th), Oregon State
Cincinnati Bengals
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The Bills were
dreaming to pick Clements again. Getting a game-breaking
receiver like Houshmandzadeh would've be a bad second-prize.
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22. New York
Giants
Will Allen, CB Syracuse
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DE Justin Smith
(1st), Missouri
Cincinnati Bengals
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Smith never
quite lived up to the high selection, but he might have
become a terror on the other side of Michael Strahan. |
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23. New Orleans
Saints
Deuce McAllister, RB Ole Miss
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RB LaMont Jordan
(2nd), Maryland
New York Jets
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Knowing Ricky
Williams would eventually flake out, a running back is a
must. Jordan isn't Deuce, but he wouldn't be a bad
workhorse.
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24. Denver
Broncos
Willie Middlebrooks, DB Minnesota
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RB Travis Henry
(2nd), Tennessee
Buffalo Bills
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Middlebrooks
didn't pan out for the Broncos being merely average.
If you believe you can plug any back in the Denver system,
then you believe Henry would've been a mega-star a few years
before joining the club.
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25. Philadelphia
Eagles
Freddie Mitchell, WR UCLA
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WR Santana Moss
(1st), Miami
New York Jets
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The Eagles
didn't get anything more than lip out of Mitchell. Moss
would've been a far better weapon for Donovan McNabb.
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26. Miami
Dolphins
Jamar Fletcher, CB Wisconsin
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OL Ryan Diem
(4th), Northern Illinois
Indianapolis Colts
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Fletcher was a
decent situational defensive back, but
not a first rounder. Diem would've been a major cog in the
Dolphin system for several years.
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27. Minnesota
Vikings
Michael Bennett, RB Wisconsin
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DT Marcus Stroud
(1st), Georgia
Jacksonville Jaguars
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Stroud's lasted
way, way, way too long. It's not like the Vikings needed
more tackle help, but imagine the eventual production with
Pat Williams, and eventually, Kevin Williams.
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28. Oakland
Raiders
Derrick Gibson, S Florida State
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OT Kenyatta
Walker (1st), Florida
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Walker was a
consistent pick for Tampa Bay and would've been a nice
addition to a flaky Raider line for at least five years.
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29. St. Louis
Rams
Ryan Pickett, DE Ohio State
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DE Kyle Vanden
Bosch (2nd), Nebraska
Arizona Cardinals
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Vanden Bosch a
first rounder? Early on, no, but he'd eventually be a top
pass rusher when healthy. Eventually.
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30. Indianapolis
Colts
Reggie Wayne, WR Miami
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DB Fred Smoot
(2nd), Mississippi State
Washington Redskins
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As long as there
aren't any party boats in the greater Indianapolis area,
Smoot would be a fine addition for a defense that always
needed help.
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31. Baltimore
Ravens
Todd Heap, TE Arizona State
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DT Shaun Rogers
(2nd), Texas
Detroit Lions
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The Ravens
didn't necessarily need more defensive help, but Polley
would've been a nice cherry on top of a great defense. He'd
eventually become a Raven and make 96 tackles in his one
season.
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