2002 Draft Redo - What Should've Happened

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

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 Aaron Kampman (5th), Iowa Green Bay Packers
Jammer turned out to be a good corner, but not an elite one. Kampman became a special pass rusher.
6. Kansas City Chiefs Ryan Sims, DT North Carolina	RB Brian Westbrook (3rd), Villanova  Philadelphia Eagles
While running back would hardly become a need for Kansas City, Westbrook would've gone ballistic behind the Chief line. His pass catching skills would've given the offense another dimension.
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	S Roy Williams (1st), Oklahoma Dallas Cowboys
Williams has been a strange superstar. Tremendous at times, inconsistent at others, he still turned out to be good enough for Dallas to do it again.
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	DT Albert Haynesworth (1st), Tennessee Tennessee Titans
Indianapolis needed a pass rusher and got it in Freeney. Off the board in the redraft, getting the run stuffing tackle wouldn't have been a bad option, but the Colts would've had to wait a bit for the payoff.
12. Arizona Cardinals Wendell Bryant, DT Wisconsin	WR Javon Walker (1st), Florida State Green Bay Packers
Eventually, receiver would be a strength for the Cardinals. They don't have Anquan Boldin or Larry Fitzgerald yet.
13. New Orleans Saints Donte Stallworth, WR Tennessee	DE Charles Grant (1st), Georgia  New Orleans Saints
This is debatable. Stallworth has 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	CB Quentin Jammer (1st), Texas San Diego Chargers
Green was a strange bust. Jammer might not have turned out to be special, but he would've been a consistent starter for the Saints.
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 Donte Stallworth (1st), Tennessee New Orleans Saints
Duckett has been erratic, but he wasn't a bad pick. Stallworth 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 is still waiting to justify 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	WR Deion Branch (2nd), Louisville New England Patriots
Branch might turn out to be inconstant and erratic, but he'd have blown up with No. 4 throwing to him.
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	LB Scott Fujita (5th), California Kansas City Chiefs
New York could use all the good defenders it could get. Fujita might be average, but he made a lot of stops and he'd have been a starter right away.
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	OG Andre Gurode (2nd), Colorado  Dallas Cowboys
The Saints needed defense, but Gurode is the type of player who'd be a steady starter for the Saints for a decade.
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 Steeler
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	CB Phillip Buchanon (1st), Miami Oakland Raiders
Pittsburgh needed offensive linemen, but the defense always found ways to get the best out of decent talents. Buchanon was a decent talent.
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.

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