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2004 Draft Redo - What Should've Happened
Ole Miss QB Eli Manning
Ole Miss QB Eli Manning
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Apr 20, 2008

What should each team have done in the first round of the 2004 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 2003 draft. In parentheses is the round the player was actually taken. 

Who Went How the Draft Should've Gone
1. San Diego Chargers
Eli Manning, QB Ole Miss
WR Larry Fitzgerald (1st), Pitt
Arizona Cardinals
If the Chargers had kept Drew Brees and taken Fitzgerald with the first pick, they would've had an offense with Brees, LT, Fitzgerald, and Antonio Gates. Yeesh.
2. Oakland Raiders
Robert Gallery, OT Iowa
RB Steven Jackson (1st), Oregon State
St. Louis Rams
Gallery has been a strange bust considering he was supposed to be the next big thing at tackle, but at least he starts at guard. While one of the quarterbacks here might make the most sense, getting a dependable franchise back to build around would be step one. Step two would be to get a QB.
3. Arizona Cardinals
Larry Fitzgerald, WR Pitt
QB Ben Roethlisberger (1st), Miami Univ.
Pittsburgh Steelers
It's a tough call considering the needle is pointing up on Eli Manning, but Roethlisberger has just as much long term potential and would be even steadier for a franchise in need of quarterback stability.
4. New York Giants
Phil Rivers, QB NC State
QB Eli Manning (1st), Ole Miss
San Diego Chargers (trade to New York Giants)
It was the pass rush, not Manning, who led the way to the Super Bow. Even so, Manning still had a lot to do with it and now could grow into a true superstar.
5. Washington Redskins
Sean Taylor, S Miami
S Bob Sanders (2nd), Iowa
Indianapolis Colts
Taylor would still be the pick if not for the horrific tragedy. The Redskins would have to wait a while through some injuries, but Sanders would grow into an MVP defensive playmaker.
6. Cleveland Browns
Kellen Winslow Jr., TE Miami
DE Jared Allen (4th), Idaho State
Kansas City Chiefs
Eventually, Winslow would be the right pick, but his motorcycle injury set him back while Allen, a sack machine would be desperately needed help for the Brown D.
7. Detroit Lions
Roy Williams, WR Texas
WR Roy Williams (1st), Texas
Detroit Lions
The Lions finally actually got it right with one of their first round receiver picks. Considering the later mistakes, Williams needs to be the pick again.
8. Atlanta Falcons
DeAngelo Hall, CB Virginia Tech
DE Will Smith (1st), Ohio State
New Orleans Saints
Hall turned into one of the NFL's premier cover-corners and the type of defender to build a secondary around, but the Falcons didn't win much with him and would eventually have to deal with him leaving the sinking ship.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
Reggie Williams, WR Washington
CB DeAngelo Hall (1st), Virginia Tech
Atlanta Falcons
Williams is a mega-bust for the No. 9 pick. The pick would be Hall with the hope that he'd keep the knucklehead factor to a minimum.
10. Houston Texans
Dunta Robinson, CB South Carolina
QB Phil Rivers (1st), NC State
New York Giants (trade to San Diego Chargers)
Take Rivers now and there's no need to break the bank on Matt Schaub later.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger, QB Miami Univ.
RB Willie Parker (undrafted), North Carolina
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh would still have to address the quarterback situation, but it can't go wrong taking the speedy back who'd eventually be the team's running game.
12. New York Jets
Jonathan Vilma, LB Miami
LB D.J. Williams (1st), Miami
Denver Broncos
Yeah, it didn't really work out, but for a brief time he was a major force for the Jet defense. Williams might be a better long-term answer.
13. Buffalo Bills
Lee Evans, WR Wisconsin
DT Vince Wilfork (1st), Miami
New England Patriots
Pro Bowl defensive tackles are next to impossible to find. This might be too low for the Patriot star.
14. Chicago Bears
Tommie Harris, DT Oklahoma
DT Tommie Harris (1st), Oklahoma
Chicago Bears
There's a major long-term question mark about his health, but when he's right, he's one of the top tackles in the game.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Michael Clayton, WR LSU
RB Kevin Jones (1st), Virginia Tech
Detroit Lions
Taking Jones might mean the Bucs wouldn't have to spend a high pick on Cadillac Williams a year later.
16. Philadelphia Eagles
Shawn Andrews, OT Arkansas
OT Shawn Andrews (1st), Arkansas
Philadelphia Eagles
It might take a little while, and he became a guard instead of a tackle, but there's no reason to mess with the pick.
17. Denver Broncos
D.J. Williams, LB Miami
LB Jonathan Vilma (1st), Miami
New York Jets
Vilma hit a wall, but he put up a ton of tackles in his first few years and could grow into a role. Linebacker was a need.
18. New Orleans Saints
Will Smith, DE Ohio State
DE Shaun Phillips (4th), Purdue
San Diego Chargers
Smith was a home run pick. Phillips wouldn't be a bad consolation prize, but it would take a few years.
19. Miami Dolphins
Vernon Carey, G Miami
OG Vernon Carey (1st), Miami
Miami Dolphins
This is hardly a thrilling pick, and it's not like the Dolphins have been winning Super Bowls because of it, but Carey became a regular starter.
20. Minnesota Vikings
Kenechi Udeze, DE USC
S Sean Jones, (2nd) Georgia
Cleveland Browns
A major health scare and stunningly lousy production kept Udeze from being the star he was projected to be. Sean Jones would've added a ton of help for a Viking D in constant lookout for secondary help.
21. New England Patriots
Vince Wilfork, DT Miami
RB Julius Jones (2nd), Notre Dame
Dallas Cowboys
The Patriots would pick up Corey Dillon before the year, and while Jones wouldn't be a need pick, he'd provide a good option for the ground game.
22. Buffalo Bills
J.P. Losman, QB Tulane
QB Matt Schaub (3rd), Virginia
Atlanta Falcons
Losman would never win over the team or the starting job. Schaub would've done both.
23. Seattle Seahawks
Marcus Tubbs, DT Texas
TE Kellen Winslow Jr. (1st), Miami
Cleveland Browns
Winslow can't slide any further. Seattle didn't need a tight end, but you can never have too many weapons.
24. St. Louis Rams
Steven Jackson, RB Oregon State
RB Michael Turner (5th), Northern Illinois
San Diego Chargers
Is Turner the back everyone thinks he is? With Marshall Faulk winding down, Turner wouldn't be behind anyone.
25. Green Bay Packers
Ahmad Carroll, CB Arkansas
CB Nathan Vasher (4th), Texas
Chicago Bears
Vasher would've been the playmaking corner the Packers hoped they were getting in Carroll.
26. Cincinnati Bengals
Chris Perry, RB Michigan
LB Karlos Dansby (2nd), Auburn
Arizona Cardinals
A good all-around outside linebacker and a solid pass rusher, Dansby would be a necessary fit for the Bengal D.
27. Houston Texans
Jason Babin, DE Western Michigan
C Nick Hardwick (3rd), Purdue
San Diego Chargers
Houston could use all the help it could get on the line. A Pro Bowl caliber center like Hardwick would've been a major plus, even though the position was relatively set.
28. Carolina Panthers
Chris Gamble, CB Ohio State
S Sean Taylor (1st), Miami
Washington Redskins
Take the few years of Pro Bowl production. Taylor might have been the difference to make the Panthers a Super Bowl team.
29. Atlanta Falcons
Michael Jenkins, WR Ohio State
CB Dunta Robinson (1st), South Carolina
Houston Texans
A solid producer over his first three seasons before getting hurt, he would've been fantastic paired with DeAngelo Hall.
30. Detroit Lions
Kevin Jones, RB Virginia Tech
OG Chris Snee (2nd), Boston College
New York Giants
Beefing up the line with a Pro Bowl guard wouldn't be a bad thing.
31. San Francisco 49ers
Rashaun Woods, WR Oklahoma State
WR Lee Evans (1st), Wisconsin
Buffalo Bills
Woods was an all-timer bust pick. Evans would've changed the offense.
32. New England Patriots
Ben Watson, TE Georgia
TE Ben Watson (1st), Georgia
New England Patriots
Watson is a vital offensive cog in the New England machine, even if his stats aren't eye-popping.

   



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