Re-drafting the 2013 NFL Draft: Clemson receiver goes first

First, let me start by saying that no quarterbacks will be taken in this redraft, no matter how desperately a team needed one. This was the worst quarterback draft class in recent history and none of the prospects available at the position are worth an early-round pick.

Second, I made these draft decisions considering team needs based on their 2012 and 2013 rosters. Things like injuries and contracts were also considered. Basically, these picks are being made with the use of hindsight, but I tend to focus more around the time of this draft and the years immediately following it.

Kansas City Chiefs Pick #1

Original Pick- Eric Fisher OT

New Pick- DeAndre Hopkins WR (Drafted 27^th Overall by Texans)

There were a lot of players the Chiefs could’ve used this pick on. The team had a bunch of needs, but a great wide receiver like Hopkins would’ve given Kansas City a great triple threat along with Pro Bowlers Alex Smith and Jamaal Charles.

Jacksonville Jaguars Pick #2

Original Pick- Luke Joeckel OT

New Pick- Le’Veon Bell RB (Drafted 48^th Overall by Steelers)

Bell was the best player in the 2013 NFL draft. At this time the Maurice Jones-Drew era was coming to an end in Jacksonville and Bell could be his successor. The addition of Bell wouldn’t make the Jaguars a playoff team, but they would win a few more games.

Miami Dolphins Pick #3

Original Pick- Dion Jordan DE

New Pick- Xavier Rhodes CB (Drafted 25^th Overall by Vikings)

This team had Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon on it. There was no need to draft a defensive end. In 2013 the Dolphins took a risk on Brent Grimes, but it paid off. However, fellow cornerback Nolan Carroll left the team after the season. Rhodes and Grimes would form one of the best cornerback duos in the league.

Philadelphia Eagles Pick #4

Original Pick- Lane Johnson OT

New Pick- Darius Slay CB (Drafted 36^th Overall by Lions)

Johnson is good, good enough I wouldn’t be surprised if the Eagles actually redrafted him in this situation. However, that 2013 secondary was begging for a shutdown corner. Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams weren’t cutting it.

Detroit Lions Pick #5

Original Pick- Ezekiel Ansah DE

New Pick- Ezekiel Ansah DE (Drafted 5^th Overall by Lions)

I’m not entirely sold on Ansah, he’s a little too inconsistent for me, but at his peak he’s a Pro Bowl talent. The 2013 Lions did need cornerback help but Ansah has flashed enough that I think the team would redo his selection if they had the choice.

Cleveland Browns Pick #6

Original Pick- Barkevious Mingo LB

New Pick- Kyle Long OG (Drafted 20^th Overall by Bears)

The Browns need help every year and in most positions. But back in 2013, the team had a surprising amount of talent in the secondary and a solid linebacker corp. The offense had weapons too, just no quarterback. Because of the lack of quarterbacks in this class Long gets selected here to take the right guard spot from Shawn Lauvao, who left the Browns after the 2013 season. The addition of Long would give the Browns three Pro Bowl offensive linemen.

Arizona Cardinals Pick #7

Original Pick- Jonathan Cooper OG

New Pick- Travis Frederick C (Drafted 31^st Overall by Cowboys)

There are flashier players still available, but the Cardinals offensive line needed a massive overhaul. In my opinion, Frederick was the best offensive lineman in this draft and was good enough to replace the Cardinals’ long-time center, Lyle Sendlein. While Sendlein was a consistent starter, Frederick is on a different level entirely.

St. Louis Rams Pick #8

Original Pick- Tavon Austin WR/RB

New Pick- Travis Kelce TE (Drafted 63^rd Overall by Chiefs)

The 2013 Rams were far from perfect, but their offense’s lack of weapons is extremely glaring. Sam Bradford did go down midway through the season, but even backup quarterbacks can hit Kelce because he’s such a big target. Kelce would easily supplant Jared Cook in the Rams’ offense.

New York Jets Pick #9

Original Pick- Dee Milliner CB

New Pick- A.J. Bouye CB (Undrafted)

2013 was actually a pretty good class for cornerbacks, except that one of them went undrafted and the Jets took Milliner instead. Bouye took a few years to take off but he’s now one of the best corners in the game while Milliner isn’t even in the league anymore.

Tennessee Titans Pick #10

Original Pick- Chance Warmack OG

New Pick- Lane Johnson OT (Drafted 4^th Overall by Eagles)

Warmack hasn’t been astounding, to say the least. He’s been converted into a backup in Philadelphia. On the other hand, Johnson has thrived in Philly and is the perfect replacement for right tackle David Stewart, who played his last year in the NFL during 2013.

San Diego Chargers Pick #11

Original Pick- D.J. Fluker OT

New Pick- Keenan Allen WR (Drafted 76^th Overall by Chargers)

The Chargers aren’t letting Allen fall to the third round in this redraft, instead they’re snagging him with the eleventh pick. Allen was already the team’s best receiver in his rookie season, and, despite injury issues, he’s continued to grow. His Pro Bowl 2017 season erased two injury-prone campaigns that predated it.

Oakland Raiders Pick #12

Original Pick- D.J. Hayden CB

New Pick- Micah Hyde CB (Drafted 159^th Overall by Packers)

Does this seem a little high for Hyde? It could be me overacting to his Pro Bowl 2017 campaign, but the 2013 Raiders needed a cornerback big time. In fact, both of their 2013 starters weren’t even on the roster the following season. Hyde leapfrogged a few defensive backs on this list because he’s had fewer injuries and is finally trending in the right direction for his career.

New York Jets Pick #13

Original Pick- Sheldon Richardson DT

New Pick- Kawann Short DT (Drafted 44^th Overall by Panthers)

Right position, wrong pick. Short has recorded 29.5 sacks in his five NFL seasons, but he’s only been a full-time starter for the last three years. In those seasons he has 24.5 sacks. While Richardson has fallen off since his early years in the league, Short has only gotten better.

Carolina Panthers Pick #14

Original Pick- Star Lotulelei DT

New Pick- Tyrann Mathieu DB (Drafted 69^th Overall by Cardinals)

This Panthers team was pretty solid overall, they went 12-4. The most glaring issue was their secondary and Mathieu can fix that. The Honey Badger has dealt with many injuries but in his prime he was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. When he’s healthy he’s also one of the most versatile defensive backs in the game.

New Orleans Saints Pick #15

Original Pick- Kenny Vaccaro S

New Pick- Desmond Trufant CB (Drafted 22^nd Overall by Falcons)

The Saints were right to add talent to their secondary. The Vaccaro pick wasn’t bad, but they could’ve done better with Trufant. Trufant has a more limited injury history and would fill a soon-to-be immediate need for the Saints. 2013 was the final year one of their starting cornerbacks, Jabari Greer, played in the NFL.

Buffalo Bills Pick #16

Original Pick- EJ Manuel QB

New Pick- Zach Ertz TE (Drafted 35^th Overall by Eagles)

Almost any other pick would’ve been better than Manuel here. I’m going with Ertz because Buffalo’s tight ends in 2013 were Lee Smith, Chris Gragg, and Scott Chandler. Chandler led the trio with 53 receptions and 655 receiving yards, not bad, but he never reproduced those numbers.

Pittsburgh Steelers Pick #17

Original Pick- Jarvis Jones LB

New Pick- David Bakhtiari LT (Drafted 109^th Overall by Packers)

This was another blown pick that resulted in a bust. The Steelers hit a low point, going 8-8 in 2013. Their offensive line was full of holes that year, including at left tackle where Kelvin Beachum played. Bakhtiari could take over and be a day one starter.

San Francisco 49ers Pick #18

Original Pick- Eric Reid S

New Pick- Eric Reid S (Drafted 18^th Overall by 49ers)

Controversial? Yes. Smart pick? I think so. The 49ers offense was loaded in 2013 with four Pro Bowlers, no help needed there. The linebackers were even more impressive and that complimented the defensive line well. That just leaves the secondary and Reid is the best remaining defensive back. His 2013 campaign ended up being his best and earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl.

New York Giants Pick #19

Original Pick- Justin Pugh OT

New Pick- Latavius Murray RB (Drafted 181^st Overall by Raiders)

It’s debatable whether Murray is a first round pick, but the Giants were in desperate need of a running back. The team’s leading rusher in 2013 was Andre Brown. While Murray took a little while to take off, by 2015 he was a solid starter. In his three seasons as a starter, Murray has 2,696 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns.

Chicago Bears Pick #20

Original Pick- Kyle Long OG

New Pick- Larry Warford OG (Drafted 65^th Overall by Lions)

The Bears offensive line needed all the help they could get in 2013. That’s why they drafted Long, but he’s already gone in this redraft so the team will take another Pro Bowl guard, Warford.

Cincinnati Bengals Pick #21

Original Pick- Tyler Eifert TE

New Pick- Jamie Collins LB (Drafted 52^nd Overall by Patriots)

Eifert would’ve been taken here again if he could just prove he had the ability to stay healthy. Instead, Collins gives the team a versatile weapon on defense. His athleticism allows teams to deploy him in a number of roles.

Atlanta Falcons Pick #22

Original Pick- Desmond Trufant CB

New Pick- Justin Pugh RT/LG (Drafted 19^th Overall by Giants)

Pugh can move around on the line, as he’s shown with the Giants during his career. This would help the Falcons out immensely because their right tackle left the league after 2013 and their left guard followed in 2014. Pugh has spent significant time at both positions. On top of that, I think he’d just be an upgrade on the line.

Minnesota Vikings Pick #23

Original Pick- Sharrif Floyd DT

New Pick- Adam Thielen WR (Undrafted)

The Vikings didn’t get any top-tier prospects because of their draft locations, but that doesn’t mean they got bad players. Thielen didn’t really start producing until 2016, but now he’s one of the most productive receivers in the league. He was so good in 2017 he was named a Second-Team All-Pro.

Indianapolis Colts Pick #24

Original Pick- Bjoern Werner DE

New Pick- C.J. Anderson RB (Undrafted)

During the 2013 season, the Colts relied on Donald Brown and Trent Richardson for most of their rushing yards. The two leading rushers combined for 995 rushing yards. Anderson surpassed that mark by himself in 2017. He might not be a true first round talent, but the Colts had a glaring need and this isn’t exactly the most talented draft in recent history.

Minnesota Vikings Pick #25

Original Pick- Xavier Rhodes CB

New Pick- Kenny Vaccaro S (Drafted 15^th Overall by Saints)

Jamarca Sanford started opposite Andrew Sendejo in 2013. That’s a situation that could be improved. Vaccaro is capable of playing either safety position and is a quality safety, despite never delivering on his long proclaimed potential.

Green Bay Packers Pick #26

Original Pick- Datone Jones DE

New Pick- Jordan Reed TE (Drafted 85^th Overall by Redskins)

I almost gave Reed the Eifert treatment, but the Florida product has had more productive seasons than his Bengals counterpart. 2013 was Jermichael Finley’s last season in the NFL and would’ve been the perfect time to introduce Reed to Aaron Rodgers. That would be a dangerous duo.

Houston Texans Pick #27

Original Pick- DeAndre Hopkins WR

New Pick- Johnathan Cyprien S (Drafted 33^rd Overall by Jaguars)

Unfortunately, Hopkins and most of the best talent in this draft is already gone. Despite tearing his ACL this August, Cyprien has been a consistent player for his five NFL seasons. Besides, Houston’s safeties were D.J. Swearinger and Shiloh Keo in 2013. The team could’ve used Cyprien.

Denver Broncos Pick #28

Original Pick- Slyvester Williams DT

New Pick- Sheldon Richardson DT (Drafted 13^th Overall by Jets)

The Broncos swung and missed with Williams. I mean he was okay, but never really stood out on the defense. I believe Richardson is overrated, but he’s definitely a step up on Williams, who actually played more like a nose tackle than a defensive tackle.

Minnesota Vikings Pick #29

Original Pick- Cordarrelle Patterson WR

New Pick- Kiko Alonso MLB (Drafted 46^th Overall by Bills)

Chad Greenway had some questionable partners at the linebacker position in 2013. Alonso’s career started off well but an injury cost him his sophomore season and he wasn’t himself in 2015 either. He seems to have stabilized over the last two seasons though, recording 115 combined tackles in both 2016 and 2017.

St. Louis Rams Pick #30

Original Pick- Alec Ogletree LB

New Pick- Alec Ogletree LB (Drafted 30^th Overall by Rams)

All things considered, Ogletree wasn’t a bad pick for the Rams. I five seasons with the tea, one of which he missed most of because of injuries, he recorded over 500 combined tackles. He served as a day one starter in 2013 and played well on a talented Rams defense.

Dallas Cowboys Pick #31

Original Pick- Travis Frederick C

New Pick- Tony Jefferson S (Undrafted)

Jefferson didn’t become a full-time starter until 2016 but hear me out. He started eight games in 2014 and seven in 2013 and still put up solid numbers while contributing on special teams during his early years as well. With the exception of his rookie season, Jefferson has recorded at least 78 combined tackles each season. Also, the Cowboys secondary needed help. Rookie Jeff Heath and Barry Church were the starters at safety that year.

Baltimore Ravens Pick #32

Original Pick- Matt Elam S

New Pick- Brandon Williams DT/NT (Drafted 94^th Overall by Ravens)

The big man ended up on the Ravens anyways, but he’d never fall to the third round in this redraft so the Ravens are getting him now. In the three seasons that he’s played in all 16 games, Williams has averaged 50 combined tackles. He’s a true run stopping, gap closing force in the middle for the Ravens.

Best Remaining- Ricky Wagner OT, Terron Armstead OT, Eric Fisher OT, Jordan Mills OT, Kyle Juszczyk FB, Eddie Lacy RB, Giovani Bernard RB, Robert Woods WR, Marquise Goodwin WR, Terrance Williams WR, Tyler Eifert TE, Jack Doyle TE, Bennie Logan DT/NT, Johnathan Hankins DT, Vince Williams LB, Paul Warrilow LB, Logan Ryan CB, T.J. McDonald S

There are a lot of solid offensive tackles left over in this draft. In all likelihood, more of them would’ve been selected than I predicted. The 2013 NFL Draft produced some of the most spectacular busts in recent history. Eric Fisher was the posterchild of this group for a while, but he’s actually rebounded and has turned into a decent NFL player.

Eifert, Lacy, and Warrilow weren’t selected in the redraft because of longevity issues. All three just haven’t been able to stay healthy and seem to have already peaked. On the other hand, I was really tempted to include Goodwin and Woods, because their careers are trending up right now.

I came really close to putting McDonald at #31 to the Cowboys, but I went with Jefferson. Both Logan and Hankins are good and could arguably be first round picks in this draft.

This actually feels like the complete opposite of the 2011 redraft I did. In that one there was a ton of clear first round talent left over, I don’t get the same feeling with the 2013 class. I guess that’s why it’s one of the worst draft classes in recent history.