2011 NFL Draft Re-Do

A decade has passed since the best draft class that the NFL has had to offer in recent memory. The likes of Cam Newton, Richard Sherman, and J.J. Watt were just a few of the many franchise-changing selections in this group. And while some teams made their franchise with their picks, others broke theirs. For example, two AFC South teams chose to forego selecting Watt in favor of reaching on a pair of quarterbacks that put up a combined starting record of 14-36 during their time with the Jaguars and Titans. Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert were bullied out of the division by Watt and his terrorizing methods, leaving the Texans as the overwhelming beneficiary of the two selections. It’s fair to say that these teams and a couple others would make a different decision given a do-over.

Today, we will take a look at the picks all over again, and take a look at what would change if a re-draft scenario occurred for the 2011 NFL Draft. With ten years of production and experience, it’s fair to say that teams will know who panned out and who didn’t in the second-time around. Who rushes to the podium to bring back the right guy, and who ends up in a new jersey during this scenario. And without further ado; with the first pick of the 2011 NFL Draft Re-Do, the Carolina Panthers select:

1. Carolina Panthers – Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

• Original Pick: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

The other quarterback prospects selected on opening night fizzled out, but Cam Newton didn’t. The former Florida Gator and Auburn Tiger was the charismatic and explosive leader for the Carolina Panthers throughout the 2010s. In his nine seasons with the team, Cam posted a 68-55-1 record as a starter and led the Panthers to the Super Bowl on a 15-1 record during his MVP-winning 2015 season. And with nearly 10,000 passing yards and 60 touchdowns more than the franchise’s second all-time leading passer, Jake Delhomme, he still had the time to become the franchise third all-time leading rusher and first in franchise history for overall rushing touchdowns. Newton has returned to earth a bit as injuries have slowed him down with the Patriots in 2020, but rest assured his status as the greatest Panthers QB of all time is cemented.

2. Denver Broncos – Von Miller, Edge, Texas A&M

• Original Pick: Von Miller, Edge, Texas A&M

Despite missing the entire 2020 season, Von Miller has still averaged over 10 sacks per season since entering the NFL in 2011. The eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro holds the franchise record for sacks in Denver. No feat, however, is as impressive than the edge rusher’s work against Cam Newton’s Panthers in Super Bowl 50. He picked up 2.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles, as well as the Super Bowl MVP. Unfortunate off-the-field issues might hasten the end of Miller’s Denver career during this offseason, but not before the All-Decade Team nominee could establish himself as an all-time great pass rusher.

3. Buffalo Bills – J.J. Watt, DL, Wisconsin

• Original Pick: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama

J.J. Watt’s only competition for the highest peak defensive play throughout the past ten years is Aaron Donald. No one else has consistently dominated opposing offensive lines despite receiving constant double-teams. The former Wisconsin Badger came along a little slow during his rookie season in Houston before flipping the switch in the 2011 playoffs, where he picked up 3.5 sacks, a pick-six, and 4 tackles for a loss. He never looked back, as the defender’s next four years were one of the most dominant stretches I’ve ever seen by a football player. Three Defensive Player of the Year awards, 69 sacks, 41 passes batted down, 10 forced fumbles, and 119 tackles for a loss throughout 2012-2015. Nothing against Marcell Dareus’ nice career in Buffalo, Watt’s just too valuable to ignore here for the Bills.

4. Cincinnati Bengals – Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

• Original Pick: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

A.J. Green is one of the greatest players in Bengals history. Over 8,000 yards and 57 touchdown receptions in his first seven seasons before injuries slowed him down the past three seasons, Green’s play is far from the reason Julio Jones ends up a Bengal in this draft re-do. Jones, the receiver who once seemed to fragile for the league, ended up holding onto his high level of play into the 2020 season and potentially beyond. Within the past three years, while Green has had just over 1200 yards and 8 touchdowns in 23 games, while the Falcons receiver picked up over 3,800 yards and 17 touchdowns in 40 games.

5. Arizona Cardinals – Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

• Original Pick: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

Another pick that makes no sense to change, Patrick Peterson was the face of the Cardinals’ defense during his 10-year tenure with the club. The highly-regarded LSU product made his presence felt as a rookie punt returner, scoring 4 touchdowns in 2011, before turning into an athletic nightmare as a cover corner by his second season in the pros. The eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro only missed 6 games during his Arizona tenure, and leaves for free agency with the sixth-most interceptions in team history.

6. Atlanta Falcons – A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

• Original Pick: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

I was thinking about having the Browns and Falcons hold onto their original picks, as the Falcons traded up with Cleveland to select Jones sixth-overall while Cleveland received five draft picks, none of which lasted more than four seasons with the team, and only Brandon Weeden played five seasons in the league. However, Cleveland is still free to re-draft for themselves, so keeping those picks would be much more valuable in this re-draft scenario. Like Julio, A.J. Green averaged more than 1,000 yards per year between 2011 and 2017 and would have been capable of providing Matt Ryan with a similarly dangerous weapon to the one that helped him win MVP and make the Super Bowl in 2017. So, the trade stands, and A.J. Green stays in Georgia.

7. San Francisco 49ers – Ryan Kerrigan, Edge, Purdue

• Original Pick: Aldon Smith, Edge, Missouri

The 49ers had big needs at both edge rusher and receiver heading into the 2011 season. Their pick, Aldon Smith looked like yet another home run in this draft class, picking up 33.5 sacks in his first two seasons before off-the-field issues derailed his very promising NFL career. There’s no receiver worth taking at this point either, so the position remains the same for San Francisco. Ryan Kerrigan edges out Justin Houston for the pick here due to the former’s ability to get the ball out of the quarterbacks hands, forcing 26 fumbles throughout his career versus Houston’s 14. The longtime captain for the Washington Football Team produced for a defense that wasn’t always up-to-par, so he deserves a role somewhere that the defense never seems to struggle.

8. Tennessee Titans – Justin Houston, Edge, Georgia

• Original Pick: Jake Locker, QB, Washington

Matt Hasselback was the starter for the Titans in 2011, and delivered a good enough performance to lead the team to a 9-7 record and keep Jake Locker on the sideline throughout the campaign. So while quarterback isn’t an instant need for the team, pass rushing might be. The only player to record more than 4 sacks that season was rookie fifth-rounder Karl Klug, and he only picked up 14 more sacks in his entire career after collecting 7 in year one. So, Justin Houston doesn’t have to wait much longer than Ryan Kerrigan. Houston falls behind just Miller and Watt for the most sacks in this draft class, at 97.5, and he remains a steady contributor for the Colts nowadays while Jake Locker enters his seventh year of retirement.

9. Dallas Cowboys – Tyron Smith, OT, USC

• Original Pick: Tyron Smith, OT, USC

It’s safe to say that the Cowboys would opt for Tyron Smith again over most of the prospects in this draft class. The offensive lineman stepped in and excelled as Tony Romo’s blindside blocker from Day 1. Being that Dallas has had a franchise quarterback in place, either Romo or Dak Prescott, for the entirety of the 2010s, the existence of a franchise left tackle becomes all that more important. Beating Zack Martin, La’el Collins, and Travis Frederick onto the roster, this selection was the beginning of the Great Wall of Dallas-redux. Paving the way for six 1,000-yard rushers and only two seasons allowing 40 or more sacks as a line, one being his injury-plagued 2020, Smith has etched out a Hall of Fame career for himself.

10. Washington Football Team – Richard Sherman, CB, Stanford

• Original Pick: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri (JAX)

While the Julio Jones trade remains relatively well-remembered by the NFL community, the Jaguars’ trade into the top 10 for Blaine Gabbert doesn’t quite receive the lasting flak it should. The gift of hindsight allows Jacksonville from giving up a second-rounder to move up six spots in a talented draft class, leaving Washington to find their guy here. I thought about Andy Dalton or DeMarco Murray at this spot, but decided to go with best player available over need here, much like the Football Team did with Ryan Kerrigan. Richard Sherman would pair with DeAngelo Hall and LaRon Landry to create a scary group of DBs in D.C.

11. Houston Texans – Cameron Jordan, DL, California

• Original Pick: J.J. Watt, DL, Wisconsin

While losing out on J.J. Watt has to feel awful, their consolation prize is a six-time Pro Bowler, former First-Team All-Pro, and the second all-time sacks leader for the New Orleans Saints. The Texans would miss Watt’s 20-sack and double-digit pass deflection seasons, but in return get a player who hasn’t missed a single game in 10 seasons. Watt has missed 32, so the selection of Jordan would technically add a full two-seasons more of backfield disruption.

12. Minnesota Vikings – Andy Dalton, QB, TCU

• Original Pick: Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State

The Vikings could go two ways here, best player available or Andy Dalton. With an upgrade in quarterback play during Adrian Peterson’s 2012 MVP season, the team might have been able to do some damage in the playoffs, which makes me lean towards Andy Dalton here. The Red Rifle occasionally should the ability to light up defenses early in his career and used his arm to lead the Bengals to a 50-26-1 record over his first five seasons, making the playoffs in each of those years. Minnesota’s giving up a shot at players like Jason Kelce, Cam Heyward, and even Kyle Rudolph, who played in purple and gold for 10 years, but if Dalton’s presence gets them past the Packers in 2012, it’s all worth it.

13. Detroit Lions – DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma

• Original Pick: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn

It’s fun to imagine Matt Stafford playing next to a talented running back during his prime. If the Lions could see that Jahvid Best’s last season of football would be his second season, just one year after inspiring hope as the team’s franchise back, then the team would’ve likely prioritized running back over everything. The team did grab Mikel Leshoure in the second round, but Leshoure was out of the league himself after a three-year career. DeMarco Murray didn’t have the longest career himself, retiring after just seven seasons of NFL football, but the former Oklahoma Sooner did plenty of damage to opposing defenses during his four years with the Cowboys. The one-time workhorse back accumulated 250 more rushing yards in the worst year of his career than the Lions’ leading rusher had in 2012.

14. St. Louis Rams – Doug Baldwin, WR, Stanford

• Original Pick: Robert Quinn, Edge, North Carolina

Robert Quinn was a fantastic player for the Rams, picking up 62.5 sacks 21 forced fumbles in 7 years with the franchise, including his 19 sack season in 2013. Sticking with a player who had that kind of impact can not be a wrong answer, but getting Sam Bradford proper weapons could’ve turned things around for the 2010 first-overall pick. Brandon Lloyd was the only receiver on the team in 2012 that put up more than 42 catches, 432 receiving yards, or three touchdowns. Doug Baldwin, meanwhile, dwarfed those numbers as a rookie as he led an injured Seattle receiving group in receptions (51), receiving yards (788), and touchdowns (5), and then proceeded to make two Pro Bowls as an undrafted gem for the Seahawks.

15. Miami Dolphins – Jason Kelce, C, Cincinnati

• Original Pick: Mike Pouncey, C, Florida

Mike Pouncey had a fantastic career as a starting interior offensive lineman for the Dolphins, playing 7 years for the team and making three Pro Bowls. He was a better player than Jason Kelce early in their respective careers, but the Cincinnati product has evolved into a three-time First-Team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler. The Eagles center remains at the peak of his game and could’ve been snapping the ball to Tua this past season. Meanwhile, Pouncey is now out of the league after last playing 5 games in 2019 with the Chargers.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars – Chris Harris Jr., CB, Kansas

• Original Pick: Ryan Kerrigan, Edge, Purdue (WFT)

One of the founding members of Denver’s “No Fly Zone,” Chris Harris has a stronger case for the Hall of Fame than his numbers might show. Twenty-one career interceptions doesn’t seem like an ideal number for a guy who’s played in 148 career games, but Harris was consistently among the league’s premier shutdown cornerbacks between 2014 and 2018. Without a starting caliber quarterback to lead Maurice Jones-Drew and his near 2,000 all-purpose yards to success, it’s on the 2012 Jacksonville defense to pull their best 2018 Jaguars impression, and Harris is their best option to make that a reality in this fictional scenario.

17. New England Patriots – Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

• Original Pick: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

The selection that New England received in return for sending potential Hall of Famer Richard Seymour to the Raiders, Nate Solder was Tom Brady’s blindside blocker for seven years. The Colorado product played more than 90% of snaps in all-but-one season with the Pats and made four Super Bowls with the team, winning two rings. While the offensive lineman never made it to the Pro Bowl, he was only allowed to in four seasons and on injured reserve during a fifth season.

18. San Diego Chargers – Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College

• Original Pick: Corey Liuget, DL, Illinois

While the Chargers got some solid production out of their eighteenth-overall pick for eight seasons, Corey Liuget wasn’t much of a standout among the defensive line beyond his fourth year with the squad. I originally thought about putting Cameron Heyward at this spot, as the Steelers defensive end has proven to be a star in the trenches, but the Chargers offensive line is arguably what cost them the most during the 2011 season. Philip Rivers always looked rushed to get the ball out, and as a result saw an uptick in his interceptions. A year later, Rivers was sacked on a career-high 8.5% of drop backs as the team fell to 7-9. Going with Castonzo at the position would have left the offensive line in better hands after the retirement of Marcus McNeil, and could’ve helped the injury-prone Ryan Matthews stay upright during his time in San Diego.

19. New York Giants – Cameron Heyward, DL, Ohio State

• Original Pick: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

No matter who this rookie is, the 2011 season is the year in which they will be needed the least. Prince Amukamara had a solid five years in New York before departing in free agency, but he wasn’t utilized very much until his second season with the team and only played one full 16-game season with the team that drafted him. Here’s another defensive player that doesn’t have to start right away, but will wreak a lot of havoc once he does. Cameron Heyward has excelled at defensive end and defensive tackle in Pittsburgh, and could likely fill in for one of Chris Canty, Linval Joseph, Justin Tuck, and/or Osi Umenyiora, who all left the team within two years of winning Super Bowl XLVI.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Robert Quinn, Edge, North Carolina

• Original Pick: Adrian Clayborn, DL, Iowa

Adrian Clayborn had two solid seasons with the Bucs, his rookie year in 2011 and his 2013 season. His second and fourth years, however, the lineman was only on the field for a total of four games. Here’s a guy who’s missed just two more games in his entire ten-year career than the Iowa product missed over his four-year tenure with the team who drafted him. Robert Quinn had a couple meh seasons over the middle of his career before seeing a career resurgence with the Cowboys in 2019, proving that he has the longevity to play at a much higher level than Clayborn has since his impressive 2017 campaign in Atlanta. He would pair with Gerald McCoy and turn Tampa Bay’s defensive front into a much pore potent unit.

21. Cleveland Browns – Rodney Hudson, C, Florida State

• Original Pick: Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor

The Browns’ maintain their trade up with the Chiefs in order to snag one of Kansas City’s former players. Cleveland’s offensive line during the 2011 season consisted of Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, and three middling offensive linemen who were all gone by 2013. The Browns need help on offense if they’re going to make the Colt McCoy, Peyton Hillis backfield work, and Hudson could provide the team with an immediate upgrade at guard before moving to center when Alex Mack leaves for Atlanta after the 2015 season. Outside of his injury-shortened second season in Kansas City, the former Florida State Seminole has only missed 4 games, and could provide much-needed help for Joe Thomas in carrying this offensive line over the remainder of the surefire Hall of Famer’s career.

22. Indianapolis Colts – Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado

• Original Pick: Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College

The Colts made a great decision to select Anthony Castonzo in the 2011 NFL Draft. With Peyton Manning missing the entire 2011 NFL season, Indianapolis was able to find an anchor on the offensive line for years to come while keeping them in the running for the Andrew Luck sweepstakes in 2012. Unfortunately, the top offensive tackle prospects in this draft class are gone, leaving the Colts to fix up another area of need in this re-do. Jimmy Smith has had issues staying healthy throughout his career, but the longtime Raven’s cornerback was the standout of this secondary before Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey came to town. The Colts’ starting cornerbacks in 2011 were Jarraud Powers and Jacob Lacey, both middling DBs who were out of Indy by 2012. This gives them a defensive piece to build around for the post-Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis-era as well.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – K.J. Wright, LB, Mississippi State

• Original Pick: Danny Watkins, G, Baylor

Why did the Eagles’ self-proclaimed “Dream Team” fail to reach expectations? The mixed bag of returns by their free agents was one of the reasons, for sure. However, look back at the team’s 2011 draft class. Jason Kelce was the only successful player in this year of draftees, and everyone else besides Dion Lewis was out of the league by 2016. Danny Watkins, the Eagles’ original first-round pick, was 26 years old when he was drafted and only lasted two seasons with the franchise that selected him.

Here’s a guy that provides a presence on the team from day one. K.J. Wright has been overlooked for a majority of his career with the Seahawks due to Bobby Wagner, but the former Mississippi State Bulldog is nearing second on the franchise’s all-time tackles chart, just about 40 tackles behind Eugene Robinson heading into 2021. Philly’s defense had a fantastic defensive line and secondary, but the linebackers struggled to take the load-off either position group, especially the defensive backfield. Wright provides solid coverage from the position, as well as an elite tackling presence in the box.

24. New Orleans Saints – Byron Maxwell, CB, Clemson

• Original Pick: Cameron Jordan, DL, California

Being that this is the year where the Saints’ defense began to rank among the bottom of the league due to an awful pass defense, they take some steps to avoid the same outcome this time out. Byron Maxwell was only a starter for three-and-a-half seasons of his NFL career, but was among the league’s most highly-regarded cornerbacks when replacing Brandon Browner for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He eventually fizzled out in Philadelphia and Miami before returning for a final stint with Seattle in 2015. If New Orleans decided that Browner was a good fit for their team in back in 2015, they definitely wouldn’t mind picking up another former Legion of Boom-member that’d be starting his career rather than in the back-nine of it.

25. Seattle Seahawks – Jurrell Casey, DT, USC

• Original Pick: James Carpenter, OT/G, Alabama

If you were wondering how the Seahawks became so good throughout the mid 2010s, the 2011 NFL Draft helps paint a clearer picture of how the former Super Bowl champs began to look like a potential dynasty. In this re-draft, four key contributors for Seattle end up going in the first round, and even two of the draftees that aren’t to be found in this article, James Carpenter and Malcolm Smith, played solid roles for a their first franchise.

This time around, Sherman, Baldwin, Wright, and Maxwell are all off the board. The Seahawks could keep this pick the same, and move forward with the tackle-turned-guard who played solid during his four years in Seattle. However, while Carpenter was a qualified starter, it would be hard to pick him again over some of the other known talent in this draft class. Speaking of which, Jurrell Casey is an absolute steal at this point. Not many teams have needed an interior defensive lineman, but Seattle would certainly welcome a five-time Pro Bowler on the line next to Chris Clemons, who had three 11-sack seasons in a row with the good, but not great combination of Brandon Mebane, Alan Branch, and Tony McDaniel between 2011-2013.

26. Baltimore Ravens – Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland

• Original Pick: Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh (KC)

The Chiefs selected the first-round draft bust Jonathan Baldwin with this pick, but it was originally Baltimore’s selection before the team failed to submit their pick before their clock ran out, allowing the Chiefs to go on the clock before Baltimore’s selection of Jimmy Smith officially came through as the 27th pick. Here, there’s no hesitation to bring back one of the best receivers in Baltimore Ravens history. Torrey Smith was the perfect complement to Joe Flacco, as the Maryland product excelled as a speedy deep threat who could run under the quarterback’s cannon-armed throws. Smith would get more credit for his role in the team’s Super Bowl winning campaign if he was kept beyond his fourth season with the team. Still, over 200 catches, nearly 3,600 receiving yards, and 30 receiving touchdowns through four fully-healthy years is nothing to walk away from.

27. Kansas City Chiefs – Muhammad Wilkerson, DL, Temple

• Original Pick: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado (BAL)

Tyson Jackson, the Chiefs’ third-overall pick in 2009, was effectively rounding out into a full-fledged bust for the Chiefs. And without Justin Houston available for the re-taking, Kansas City goes best available along the front seven. Mo Wilkerson had some off-the-field issues, as well as a falling out with the Jets franchise that drafted him; yet his talent and production were never in question. The 2015 Pro Bowler quickly turned into the face of this Jets defense after Darrelle Revis’ first departure from New York, as he only failed twice to put up more than 10 tackles for a loss in a season for his drafted-team.

28. New England Patriots – Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama

• Original Pick: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama (NO)

I checked my phone before writing this excerpt, and just read on Twitter that Mark Ingram has signed with the Houston Texans. Congrats! Ingram has showed a lot of grit during his career with the Saints and the Ravens and after expertly handling a reduction of playing time in Baltimore last year, it was a joy to see the two-sides amicably end Ingram’s tenure with the squad and allow him to get a head start on free agency. Though the Texans are currently in a state of flux, I wish him all the best during this new stage of his career.

Speaking of Ingram, the Patriots tell the Saints “no” this time and keep the former Heisman winner for themselves. The longtime Saint had a slow start to his NFL career, participating in a backfield-by-committee that saw less touches than league-average rushing attacks due to the Saints’ affinity for throwing the ball throughout the early-to-mid 2010s. Ingram also played a huge role in changing the Saints’ philosophy to a more run-oriented approach over his final years with the Saints. New England had a solid stable of backs in BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Stevan Ridley, and Danny Woodhead, but Green-Ellis ran at a 3.7 yards-per-carry clip in 2011 while Ridley failed to assume the franchise-running back role when given the chance with the team. Here, the team gets an instant boost to their rushing attack in time for another Super Bowl against the Giants, as well as a more likely long-term solution than they’ve seen over the past decade.

29. Chicago Bears – Mike Pouncey, C, Florida

• Original Pick: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin

The offensive line cost the Bears big time this season, getting Jay Cutler beat up until he had to miss the remainder of the season. Even worse, when Caleb Hanie and Josh McCown came in to the picture, Hanie was sacked over 15% of times he dropped back while McCown was sacked over 11% of the time. For reference, Jay Cutler was sacked 23 times in 10 games and battered due to his line despite having a comparatively small 6.8 sack percentage. And even that was Cutler’s lowest sack percentage between 2010 and 2012. In this spot, the Bears have to go best offensive lineman available and ignore everything else. At this point in the draft, that’s far-and-away Mike Pouncey. The four-time Pro Bowler would be a plug-and-play anywhere along the three interior offensive line positions.

30. New York Jets – Orlando Franklin, OT, Miami

• Original Pick: Muhammad Wilkerson, DL, Temple

Make no mistake, the Jets do not make two straight AFC championships without their offensive line. Right tackle Wayne Hunter was gone after 2011, solid starters Brandon Moore and Matt Slauson were gone after 2012, while D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold pick up the slack in the waning years of their Hall of Fame-level careers. Here’s a guy that gives the other two offensive lineman some much needed help until their 2015 and 2016 retirements, and offers the Jets a building block on the line to build around once they’re gone: something the team didn’t have during that transitional period. Orlando Franklin is another tackle who was never a Pro Bowler, but played some solid football on a vaunted Denver offensive line. Starting at both right tackle and guard during his NFL career, Franklin provides New York with some options on where to play him.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers – Marcus Gilbert, OT, Florida

• Original Pick: Cameron Heyward, DL, Ohio State

With an aging defensive front, the reigning Super Bowl participants had the right idea in trying to add some youth to their line. Heyward being long gone, though, forces the Steelers to reevaluate. I thought about giving them Lawrence Guy, a guy who played for three different teams in his first four seasons (none being the team that drafter him either) before making a name for himself from 2015 to now as a standout defensive lineman for the Ravens and Patriots over that time. But here’s a more boring, more reasonable selection: moving their successful second-round pick up to their first-round selection. Marcus Gilbert dealt with some injury issues that caused him to miss forty games over his eight-year career, but was an extremely effective blocker and near-day one starter for the franchise.

32. Green Bay Packers: Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky

• Original Pick: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State

Donald Driver and Greg Jennings were out of the green and gold by the 2013 NFL offseason, making Randall Cobb a surprisingly needed selection in the second round for the Packers. Derek Sherrod didn’t work out for the Packers in their first go at the first round, so like the Steelers, the Packers don’t wait till the second frame this time to get their guy. Averaging just about 60 catches, 700 receiving yards, and nearly 10 touchdowns per season while catching passes from Aaron Rodgers, the former Pro Bowler gets to make his presence felt all over again.