2005 Draft Redo - What Should've Happened

What should each team have done in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft?

Draft Redo ... 2005

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 2005 draft. In parentheses is the round the player was actually taken. 

Who Went	How the Draft Should've Gone
1. San Francisco 49ers Alex Smith, QB Utah	QB Aaron Rodgers (1st), California Green Bay Packers
The Niners needed a ton of help. At the time there was some talk of Rodgers going No. 1 overall. San Francisco turned out to be the first team to improperly scout the new wave of spread quarterbacks.
2. Miami Dolphins Ronnie Brown, RB Auburn	DE/LB Shawne Merriman (1st), Maryland San Diego Chargers
While not necessarily a need pick, Merriman is too good, banned substances and all, for any team to not slide any further. An elite pass rusher, he'd be even more of a killer with Jason Taylor taking away most of the attention.
3. Cleveland Browns Braylon Edwards, WR Michigan	OT Jammal Brown (1st), Oklahoma New Orleans Saints
Cleveland needed building blocks in a big way. Taking a rock of a starting left tackle like Brown would've given the offense a vital building block.
4. Chicago Bears Cedric Benson, RB Texas	RB Marion Barber III (4th), Minnesota Dallas Cowboys
Too high? There are a ton of fantastic players on the board, but the Bears desperately needed skill players. If Thomas Jones could be effective behind the Bear line, imagine what a hard runner like Barber would've done. He would've been a god in Chicago.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Carnell Williams, RB Auburn	DE Demarcus Ware (1st), Troy State Dallas Cowboys
The Bucs need skill players, but Ware is way too good to let slide any further. He probably could've gone No. 1 overall.
6. Tennessee Titans Adam Jones, CB West Virginia	OT Michael Roos (2nd), Eastern Washington Tennessee Titans
This might be a bit of a stretch, but the Titans needed help on the line and could've used an upgrade at tackle. Plug in Roos and let him be a rock. He worked out well for the Titans with the second round selection.
7. Minnesota Vikings Troy Williamson, WR South Carolina	WR Braylon Edwards (1st), Michigan Cleveland Browns
The quarterback situation is about to get very, very ugly, but the team desperately needed someone to replace Randy Moss.
8. Arizona Cardinals Antrel Rolle, CB Miami	RB Ronnie Brown (1st), Auburn Miami Dolphins
Rolle hasn't been all that bad coming off a banged up rookie season, but the Cardinals needed a big-time boost to the running game.
9. Washington Redskins Carlos Rogers, CB Auburn	LB Lofa Tatupu (2nd), USC Seattle Seahawks
Washington was in desperate need of linebacking help. See the linebacker, take the linebacker. Tatupu have been a perfect fit.
10. Detroit Lions Mike Williams, WR USC	WR Roddy White (1st), UAB Atlanta Falcons
The Lions needed receiving weapons. Williams wasn't awful, but White would've been more explosive.
11. Dallas Cowboys Demarcus Ware, DE Troy State	LB Kirk Morrison (3rd), San Diego State Oakland Raiders
Dallas was going defense, defense, defense in this draft. Morrison would've been a great fit and a tackling machine in the scheme.
12. San Diego Chargers Shawne Merriman, LB Maryland	DE Trent Cole (5th), Cincinnati Philadelphia Eagles
Cole isn't Merriman, but he wouldn't have been a bad consolation prize. A Pro Bowl-caliber pass rusher, he would've filled in the hybrid OLB/DE role nicely.
13. New Orleans Saints Jammal Brown, OT Oklahoma	S Kerry Rhodes (4th), Louisville New York Jets
While some consideration would've been given to several of the O linemen on the board, the Saints also needed a boost for the defense. The more playmakers, the better, and Rhodes would've been too good to slide any further.
14. Carolina Panthers Thomas Davis, DB Georgia	RB Frank Gore (3rd), Miami San Francisco 49ers
A do-it-all back like Gore to catch passes out of the backfield as well as become a workhorse would've been a nice luxury to a Panther offense that already had some good backs in place.
15. Kansas City Chiefs Derrick Johnson, LB Texas	LB Derrick Johnson (1st), Texas Kansas City Chiefs
No need to mess with what worked, even if Johnson didn't become a superstar.
16. Houston Texans Travis Johnson, DT Florida State	QB Jason Campbell (1st), Auburn Washington Redskins
The Texans desperately needed a quarterback to develop after the David Carr experiment failed. Campbell would need time, but there's upside.
17. Cincinnati Bengals David Pollack, DE Georgia	RB Brandon Jacobs (4th), Southern Illinois New York Giants
With Rudi Johnson winding down, the Bengals could've used a thumper to pound away and take the pressure off the passing game.
18. Minnesota Vikings Erasmus James, DE Wisconsin	DE Justin Tuck (3rd), Notre Dame New York Giants
Would Tuck shine as a No. 1 end without much help? Doubtful, but the upside would be there to be far more productive than James with phenomenal tackles eating everything up inside.
19. St. Louis Rams Alex Barron, OT Florida State	OL Nick Kaczur (3rd), Toledo New England Patriots
Barron wasn't a bad pick, but the versatility of Kaczur would be vital down the road.
20. Dallas Cowboys Marcus Spears, DE LSU	LB Michael Boley (5th), Southern Miss Atlanta Falcons
While Spears might have been the pick here in the redraft, the Cowboys needed secondary help. Boley would've been a top-tackler in the Dallas system.
21. Jacksonville Jaguars Matt Jones, WR Arkansas	TE Heath Miller (1st), Virginia Pittsburgh Steelers
Jacksonville desperately needed players who could catch the ball.
22. Baltimore Ravens Mark Clayton, WR Oklahoma	OG/C Jason Brown (4th), North Carolina Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens could've used a versatile interior presence like Brown, who would've been used in a variety of ways.
23. Oakland Raiders Fabian Washington, CB Nebraska	LB Barrett Ruud (2nd), Nebraska Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ruud probably should've gone earlier. Much earlier. He would've done a little bit of everything for the Raider D.
24. Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers, QB California	QB Matt Cassell (7th), USC New England Patriots
Stick Cassell behind No. 4 for a few years and let him learn. Then he'd hit the ground running.
25. Washington Redskins Jason Campbell, QB Auburn	DT Luis Castillo (1st), Northwestern San Diego Chargers
While this might be a bit low for Castillo, he's not quite the all-around player many make him out to be. He's a good cog in the system, and that's what the Redskin defensive interior could've used.
26. Seattle Seahawks Chris Spencer, C Ole Miss	C/OG Chris Spencer (1st), Ole Miss Seattle Seahawks
There are better players still on the board, but Spencer would eventually turn into a dependable starter for the Seahawks.
27. Atlanta Falcons Roddy White, WR UAB	S Nick Collins (2nd), Bethune-Cookman Green Bay Packers
Collins is a good-tackling Pro Bowl performer who would've done wonders for an Atlanta secondary in need of big-time producers.
28. San Diego Chargers Luis Castillo, DT Northwestern	LB Channing Crowder (3rd), Florida Miami Dolphins
It would be nice if a receiver was here worth taking, but the Chargers also needed a linebacker. Take the sure-thing tackling machine would've been a boost for emerging D.
29. Indianapolis Colts Marlin Jackson, CB Michigan	S Antrel Rolle (1st), Miami Arizona Cardinals
Even though the Colts were in dire need of cornerback help, the hope would be for Rolle to be the difference maker in the safety rotation who could step in and replace Bob Sanders when hurt.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers Heath Miller, TE Virginia	OG Logan Mankins (1st), Fresno State New England Patriots
The Steelers love to bring in tough, steady linemen and revolve the offense around them. Mankins would be a perfect fit for the rotation.
31. Philadelphia Eagles Mike Patterson, DT USC	DT Mike Patterson (1st), USC Philadelphia Eagles
Patterson might not be a superstar, but he was a good enough pick to go here again.
32. New England Patriots Logan Mankins, G Fresno State	CB Adam Jones (1st), West Virginia Tennessee Titans
Call this the shoot-for-the-stars pick. Take Pacman, hope he has his stuff together when on a Super Bowl contender, and pray he keeps his nose clean long enough to produce when Asante Samuel takes off.