2002 Draft Redo - What Should've Happened

What should each team have done in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft?

Draft Redo ... 2002

How should the drafts have gone?

By Pete Fiutak 

2006 Draft Redo | 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

Here's a look at past NFL drafts looking to see what each team needed, who they all 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 all know now and not taking future drafts into account, this is how the first round should've gone. There were 32 picks in the first round of the 2002 draft. In parentheses is the round the player was actually taken. 

This was an awful, awful draft. You'll soon see why.

Who Went	How the Draft Should've Gone
1. Houston Texans David Carr, QB Fresno State	S Ed Reed (1st), Miami Baltimore Ravens
Carr was one of the NFL's hard luck stories. He never, ever, ever had time to work. It's tempting to jump on a Julius Peppers or Dwight Freeney, but the Texans could've used a sheriff in the secondary.
2. Carolina Panthers Julius Peppers, DE North Carolina	DE Julius Peppers (1st), North Carolina Carolina Panthers
Peppers quickly became one of the league's superstar defensive ends and a premier pass rusher giving the Panthers exactly what they wanted when at the two.
3. Detroit Lions Joey Harrington, QB Oregon	RB Clinton Portis (2nd), Miami Denver Broncos
Joey Harrington stunk. Portis quickly turned into one of the NFL's elite home run hitters.
4. Buffalo Bills Mike Williams, OT Texas	DE Dwight Freeney (1st), Syracuse Indianapolis Colts
Mike Williams went from solid to bust in a big hurry. Freeney was too small, he wasn't going to be able to blow past NFL tackles, blah, blah, blah.
5. San Diego Chargers Quentin Jammer, CB Texas	DE James Harrison (undrafted), Kent State Pittsburgh Steelers
Jammer turned out to be a good corner, but not an elite one. Harrison might not become the special player for San Diego that he became for Pittsburgh, but he'd be worth the risk.
6. Kansas City Chiefs Ryan Sims, DT North Carolina	DT Albert Haynesworth (1st), Tennessee Tennessee Titans
Kansas City went after a defensive tackle and got the wrong one. Wow, did they get the wrong one.
7. Minnesota Vikings Bryant McKinnie, OT Miami	OT Bryant McKinnie (1st), Miami Minnesota Vikings
No need to mess with what worked.
8. Dallas Cowboys  Roy Williams, S Oklahoma	RB Brian Westbrook (3rd), Villanova  Philadelphia Eagles
Williams was a shocking disappointment considering he couldn't cover anyone. Tremendous at times, inconsistent at others, he still turned out to be good enough for Dallas to think about it before doing the right thing and taking Westbrook.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars John Henderson, DT Tennessee	DT John Henderson (1st), Tennessee  Jacksonville Jaguars
There are better players still on the board, but Henderson worked out well as a steady force in the middle of the young Jaguar line.
10. Cincinnati Bengals Levi Jones, OT Arizona State	OT Levi Jones (1st), Arizona State  Cincinnati Bengals
Roundly laughed at for taking Levi Jones too early, Cincinnati actually got a good player.
11. Indianapolis Colts Dwight Freeney, DE Syracuse	DE Aaron Kampman (5th), Iowa Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis needed a pass rusher and got it in Freeney. Off the board in the redraft, getting Kampman would hardly be a bad second prize.
12. Arizona Cardinals Wendell Bryant, DT Wisconsin	LB Scott Fujita (5th), California Kansas City Chiefs
Fujita would become a mainstay on the Arizona defense for years. He'd be one of the team's leading tacklers.
13. New Orleans Saints Donte Stallworth, WR Tennessee	DE Charles Grant (1st), Georgia  New Orleans Saints
This is debatable. Stallworth had shown flashes of brilliance when he's healthy enough to be on the field, but he's hardly worth the 13th pick. For his 27.5 sacks from 2002 to 2004, Grant might be worth the 13.
14. New York Giants  Jeremy Shockey, TE Miami	TE Jeremy Shockey (1st), Miami New York Giants
Shockey hasn't been worth all the hype, but he's the best option in an awful draft.
15. Tennessee Titans Albert Haynesworth, DT Tennessee	CB Lito Sheppard (1st), Florida  Philadelphia Eagles
The knock on Haynesworth was his age, but outside of one ugly incident, he turned into a star. Sheppard would become a good ball-hawking option for the quickly fading Titan secondary.
16. Cleveland Browns  William Green, RB Boston College	OG Andre Gurode (2nd), Colorado  Dallas Cowboys
Green was a strange bust. Gurode would've been a steady starter for a line that needed to improve by leaps and bounds.
17. Oakland Raiders Phillip Buchanon, CB Miami	OG Kendall Simmons (1st), Auburn  Pittsburgh Steelers
While he might not be an elite NFL corner, Buchanon turned into a productive defender for a few years. Simmons would've been a far better option for a line that would go into the tank in a big hurry.
18. Atlanta Falcons T.J. Duckett, RB Michigan State	WR Javon Walker (1st), Florida State Green Bay Packers
Duckett has been erratic, but he wasn't a bad pick. Walker would hardly be consistent, but he might have been a great weapon (at least occasionally) for Michael Vick to work with.
19. Denver Broncos  Ashley Lelie, WR Hawaii	DE Alex Brown (4th), Florida Chicago Bears
Lelie never justified his selection. A Pro Bowl caliber pass rusher like Brown would've been a more immediate help.
20. Green Bay Packers Javon Walker, WR Florida State	CB Quentin Jammer (1st), Texas San Diego Chargers
Jammer might not have turned out to be an elite talent, but he was more than good enough to be a steady starter for the emerging Packer secondary.
21. New England Patriots Daniel Graham, TE Colorado	C LeCharles Bentley (2nd), Ohio State New Orleans Saints
Through injuries and all, Bentley would eventually be a productive starter. It would take a while for the payoff to come, but he'd be a nice leader for the constantly overachieving Patriot line.
22. New York Jets Bryan Thomas, DE UAB	WR Deion Branch (2nd), Louisville New England Patriots
New York could use all the good targets it could get. Branch would have a hard time staying healthy, but he'd be worth it for his time on the field.
23. Oakland Raiders Napoleon Harris, LB Northwestern	WR/QB Antwaan Randle El (2nd), Indiana  Pittsburgh Steelers
Randle El is the type of quirky do-it-all player who would've gotten a lot of work in the Raider offense.
24. Baltimore Ravens Ed Reed, S Miami	LB Ben Leber (3rd), Kansas State San Diego Chargers
Everyone produces in the Raven defenses in the early 2000s. Leber would've made a ton of tackles.
25. New Orleans Saints Charles Grant, DE Georgia	S Roy Williams (1st), Oklahoma Dallas Cowboys
The Saints needed defense, and while Williams would be a disappointment, he still would've helped a horrendous secondary.
26. Philadelphia Eagles  Lito Sheppard, CB Florida	RB T.J. Duckett (1st), Michigan State Atlanta Falcons
Donovan McNabb could use all the help he could get. Duckett would be a nice power runner to keep defenses from keying on the passing attack. Of course, that would only happen if the Eagles ever ran the ball.
27. San Francisco 49ers  Mike Rumph, DB Miami	QB David Garrard (4th), East Carolina Jacksonville Jaguars
How long would the Niners be able to wait for Garrard to turn into a productive starter? Considering the future of the San Francisco quarterback situation, developing the ECU star wouldn't be a bad idea.
28. Seattle Seahawks  Jerramy Stevens, TE Washington	LB Larry Foote (4th), Michigan Pittsburgh Steelers
The Seahawk D would soon start investing in linebackers far better than Foote. For the time being, the Michigan defensive leader would've filled a gap.
29. Chicago Bears Marc Colombo, OT Boston College	OT Langston Walker (2nd), California Oakland Raiders
Colombo was a good pick for the Bears up until he suffered a career altering/ending leg injury. Walker would've been a better producer.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers  Kendall Simmons, OG Auburn	WR Donte Stallworth (1st), Tennessee New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh needed offensive linemen, but the Steelers also needed field stretchers. While he wouldn't be a No. 1 target, he's make a ton of big plays.
31. St. Louis Rams Robert Thomas, LB UCLA	RB Najeh Davenport (4th), Miami Green Bay Packers
By taking Davenport and hoping he doesn't get hurt, the Rams would've had help to keep Marshall Faulk fresh.
32. Washington Redskins Patrick Ramsey, QB Tulane	QB David Carr (1st), Fresno State Houston Texans
Carr never got a chance behind the awful Houston line. This would be taking a chance on him developing in a different situation. However, he wouldn't have gotten a ton of protection behind the Steve Spurrier front five.