Re-Drafting the 2004 NFL First Round

One of my favorite things to do is to look back on years past and critically analyze what we have been viewing over the last few years. According to the NFL Players Association, the average career length of an NFL player is 3.5 years. So, I would say allowing a draft class 6 years to prove what kind of NFL players they are is fair. Lets re-draft the first round of 2004 with the knowledge of how those players performed.



1. San Diego Chargers - QB Ben Roethlisberger - Two Super Bowls make him the most worthy of the franchise quarterback tag and he would sit behind Drew Brees for a season or two.






2. Oakland Raiders - QB Phillip Rivers - Rich Gannon was 3 years removed from his MVP season and had absolutely nothing left in the tank. Rivers is another franchise quarterback who could have changed the fortune of this franchise and created one of the best rivalries in the NFL with Rivers and Roethlisberger meeting twice a year ala Cutler and Rivers before Cutler went to Chicago.







3. Arizona Cardinals - WR Larry Fitzgerald - They got it right with one of the best Wide Receivers in the league who is gonna be great for a long time and may find himself in Canton one day.





4. New York Giants - QB Eli Manning - The other Manning brother is the only viable choice for this team that finished the season with 8 straight losses and had Kerry 'Freakin' Collins as its QB with Jesse Palmer as the back-up. They have no other choice but the Ole Miss signal caller.







5. Washington Redskins - S Sean Taylor - This is a tough one because his life was tragically ended in 2007 but he was the best safety prospect to come out of college since Ed Reed and he was truly special during his 3 year career. He also paired with Champ Bailey at the time and made a scary defensive back field.



6. Cleveland Browns - RB Steven Jackson - The Browns rushed for 1,600 yards as a team in 2003, which Jackson is probably capable of. He ran for 1,500 yards in '06 and 1,400 yards last year on horrible teams. He is the best back available and is a corner-stone of a franchise.




7. Detroit Lions - S Bob Sanders - The '07 D.P.O.Y. would help give Dre Bly some extra coverage over-top but this would hardly make this team go from 5-11 to 11-5. This team needs so much help that 6 years later, they are still scrambling.




8. Atlanta Falcons - NT Vince Wilfork - This guy is huuuuugggeee and could certainly fill the gap in the middle of their 3-4 defensive scheme and free up, at the time, Pro-Bowl LB Keith Brooking to continue making plays for that defense.






9. Jacksonville Jaguars - TE Kellen Winslow II - This team was as good defensively as anybody in the league this season, but as mediocre in the passing game as anyone as well. Winslow made some mistakes in his career but he is a game changer when he wants to be and is a first round talent in almost any draft. In '03, 34-year old Jimmy Smith was the leading receiver with 54 receptions and 27-year old RB Fred Taylor was second with 48. That passing game needs help.



10. Houston Texans - DT Tommie Harris - This is another team that needs multiple picks to become a mediocre team but Harris would have help the 31st-rated rush defense by stuffing the running lanes and the 31st-rated pass defense by putting pressure on opposing QBs. And in a division with Peyton Manning, you have to do all you can to just try and stop him.



11. Pittsburgh Steelers - OL Chris Snee - Believe it or not, the Steelers ranked 31st in the league in rushing yards in '03 and putting a 2x Pro Bowl player on that offensive line would be a huge help. He was looked as a tackle out of college but has since moved to guard.



12. New York Jets - DE Jared Allen - In '03, the Jets starting DE combined for 18.5 sacks but you can never get too much pressure on the QB. Allen has average 12 sacks a year and is constantly in opposing teams backfield and in NFL quarterbacks nightmares. I can't believe had him sitting around this long.



13. Buffalo Bills - QB Matt Schaub - The Bills were an incredibly stout defensive team in '03 but the statue named Drew Bledsoe running the offense lead to him being sacked 49 times. Schaub would get some of bumps and bruises but he gives you a better chance to win than any QB they have had since Jim Kelly Retired.



14. Chicago Bears - WR Wes Welker - Hard to believe he was undrafted out of Texas Tech but he is an incredible player who could have given Rex Grossman a security blanket. He has twice led the league in receptions and twice made the Pro Bowl. Ask Tom Brady how valuable this guy is.



15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - OT Jason Peters - The 24th ranked rushing offense would have received an upgrade while helping to keep 35 year old Brad Johnson off the turf. Peters is a monster 3x undrafted Pro Bowler who would have been a welcome addition to the mediocre Bucs.



16. Philadelphia Eagles - DT Darnell Dockett - Has recorded 20 sacks over the last 3 seasons and is a high energy guy who could help this defense and would be welcomed onto any team in the NFL right now.



17. Denver Broncos - TE Chris Cooley - Cooley is a 2x Pro Bowler who is as versatile a player as anyone in the league. He has had at least 700 receiving yards 4 times and would help be a great alternate for aging Shannon Sharpe.





18. New Orleans Saints - DE Will Smith - This guy was an absolute beast in college and recorded 20 sacks as a senior. Last season, he had a huge impact for the Super Bowl champs and recorded 13 sacks. He has also not missed a start in the last 3 seasons giving New Orleans good reason to feel like they made a quality pick 6 years ago.





19. Miami Dolphins - WR Lee Evans - Evans is a speedster who excels even when he has atrocious quarterback play. He would have paired up with Chris Chambers and Randy McMichael to make the passing offense some-what explosive. The then-dominant Ricky Williams could have allowed them to utilize the play-action pass. At least he's better than Ted Ginn.





20. Minnesota Vikings - LB Jonathan Vilma - The '04 Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2x Pro Bowler is a leader in the locker room as well as on the field. He had some off-field issues that were a little troublesome, but he was a play maker on last years Super Bowl Champion Saints defense. The Vikings had mediocre play from their Linebackers in '03 and Vilma would have been an instant up-grade.





21. New England Patriots - RB Willie Parker - It seems unfair that the '03 Super Bowl Champs have two first round draft picks, but that's just how it goes. Everything was really good about this team except for their running game. 'Fast Willie' went undrafted out of UNC but he would have instantly helped this team for about 5 seasons, which is really good production out of a running back these days. He also made 2 Pro Bowls.





22. Buffalo Bills -C Nick Hardwick - 50 starts over the last 6 years and being the leader of an offense that has continuously gotten more and more explosive allows the Bills to get this guy. He would be a welcome addition to almost every team in the NFL.



23. Seattle Seahawks - LB Karlos Dansby - He has the size, speed and big play ability that was lacking on in the Seahawks defensive repertoire in '03. He has averaged 87 solo tackles the last 3 seasons and is a big hitter. Just ask Cardinals fan's about what he does in the playoffs to change games.



24. St. Louis Rams - RB Michael Turner - A great college running back turned into a really good NFL running back. He beat the Colts, single-handedly, when they were going for perfection a few years ago. Two years ago, Atlanta made a big free-agent acquisition of Turner and it "Turned' into almost 1,700 yards and 17 TDs. Last year was marred by injuries but he still had a good year. Just imagine how good he would be now if he had been carrying the load for the last 6 years.



25. Green Bay Packers - CB Chris Gamble - Averages 4 interceptions per season and is not afraid to get up-field and make a tackle (in '08 he had 93 tackles). He can also double up as a punt returner. He was Mr. Do-Everything at Ohio State and he could have certainly helped out Green Bay's 23rd ranked pass defense.



26. Cincinnati Bengals - CB Dunta Robinson - All of the Defensive backs on the Bengals were 27 or older in '03 and they needed some help on the 24th ranked pass defense. Robinson has made some big plays over his career and could have helped force some turnovers. He is probably the 26th best player to come into the league in '04.



27. Houston Texans - CB Nathan Vasher - He led the NFC in '05 with 8 interceptions and was returned a missed field goal for a touchdown that year too. He made plays for a good defense and could probably have helped the Texans 31st rated pass defense.



28. Carolina Panthers - WR Malcom Floyd - The past two seasons he has begun to blossom with Philip Rivers throwing the ball for him, but he had a hard road to get here. He was undrafted and had to work his way through the system. If he was a first round pick, the 6'5" Floyd would have been a great complement to dominant, but diminutive, receiver Steve Smith.



29. Atlanta Falcons - CB DeAngelo Hall - He has averaged over 4 interceptions per season and has gone over 100 interception return yards three times in his career. The worst passing defense in the league could certainly have used Hall athleticism in '03.



30. Detroit Lions - RB Derrick Ward - They had the worst rushing offense in the NFL in '03 and they already helped their defense with getting Bob Sanders. Ward is more so a pick because nothing else would really help them. He had over 1,000 yards and 41 receptions two years ago and has shown that he can carry the load. He would still be better than Shawn Bryson and Olandis Gary.

31. San Fransisco 49ers - LB D.J. Williams - He has recorded 100+ tackles in two seasons since '04 and has recently turned into a leader on his Broncos defense. He is from "the U" and has the athletic skill set to make plays on a defense that had a dominant Julian Peterson and game-changing Tony Parrish.

32. New England Patriots - DE Igor Olshansky - He was a beast in college, but has had a some-what disappointing NFL career so far. I just feel like Bill Bellicheck would love a 300-pound defensive end/tackle that can rush the passer and play the run effectively. He has rarely been injured as well, starting at least 12 games every season.