Predictions are fun, which is why mock drafts are a friggin’ ball to create. But hindsight is even cooler, which is why re-mocking old drafts is an even larger pleasure.
Not long ago, we told you about how bad the 2013 NFL Draft was beginning to look as many of the players selected in that draft — those still playing, anyway — hit free agency. Now, let’s pretend the whole thing never happened. Which players would be picked where if the NFL redid the entire thing? Time to amuse ourselves with hindsight. (The real-life pick at that selection in 2013 is in brackets.)
[A tip: Don’t get too caught up on the teams. They’ve all changed too much since then. We generally tried to give teams the players that made sense for them. But in this hypothetical, let’s assume most teams are essentially going for the best available players. Oh, and this doesn’t include draft-night trades.]
1. Kansas City Chiefs: RB Le’Veon Bell [OT Eric Fisher] — One of the best backs in the league, Bell has two 1,200-yard seasons under his belt.
Where he was actually picked: No. 48
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: C Travis Frederick [OT Luke Joeckel] — Joeckel is officially a bust, while Frederick has already made three Pro Bowls in Dallas.
Where he was actually picked: No. 31
3. Oakland Raiders: DB Tyrann Mathieu [DE Dion Jordan, after being traded to Miami] — The versatile playmaker was a first-team All-Pro in 2015. He’s still only 24 and on track to become a superstar.
Where he was actually picked: No. 69
4. Philadelphia Eagles: WR DeAndre Hopkins [OT Lane Johnson] — Johnson isn’t bad, but he’s yet to become a steady left tackle and Hopkins has two 1,200-yard seasons under his belt at the age of 24.
Where he was actually picked: No. 27
5. Detroit Lions: TE Travis Kelce [DE Ezekiel Ansah] — Ansah isn’t bad either, but Kelce has become one of the top offensive weapons in the game. He was a first-team All-Pro with 1,125 yards in 2016.
Where he was actually picked: No. 63
6. Cleveland Browns: OL Kyle Long [DE Barkevious Mingo] — The three-time Pro Bowler is one of the best guards in football.
Where he was actually picked: No. 20
7. Arizona Cardinals: OT David Bakhtiari [G Jonathan Cooper] — He’s missed just two starts in four seasons and is coming off a Pro Bowl 2016 campaign. An underrated left tackle who is turning into a cornerstone.
Where he was actually picked: No. 109
8. Buffalo Bills: TE Jordan Reed [WR Tavon Austin, after being traded to St. Louis] — Reed has had some trouble staying healthy but when he’s on the field, he’s one of the best tight ends in football. He was a Pro Bowler in 2016.
Where he was actually picked: No. 85
9. New York Jets: CB A.J. Bouye [CB Dee Milliner] — He became a shutdown corner in 2016 and was one of the top stars on the free-agent market this offseason.
Where he was actually picked: undrafted
10. Tennessee Titans: CB Xavier Rhodes [G Chance Warmack] — Like Milliner, Warmack is already gone. Rhodes became a stud corner while making the Pro Bowl in 2016.
Where he was actually picked:No. 25
11. San Diego Chargers: DE Ezekiel Ansah [OT D.J. Fluker] — He had 14.5 sacks in a Pro Bowl 2015 campaign.
Where he was actually picked: No. 5
12. Miami Dolphins: LB Jamie Collins [CB D.J. Hayden] — A Pro Bowler with the 2015 Patriots, he’s now making major money in Cleveland.
Where he was actually picked: No. 52
13. New York Jets: DT Kawann Short [DT Sheldon Richardson] — Both Collins and Short are one-time Pro Bowlers who are strong starters worth big bucks, but haven’t been consistent. Richardson hasn’t been bad either.
Where he was actually picked: No. 44
14. Carolina Panthers: OT Lane Johnson [DT Star Lotulelei] — When healthy and not suspended, he’s been a top-notch right tackle. He should continue to flourish.
Where he was actually picked: No. 4
15. New Orleans Saints: CB Darius Slay [S Kenny Vaccaro] — Vaccaro has been OK, but Slay has been one of the top corners in football the last three years.
Where he was actually picked: No. 36
16. St. Louis Rams: DT Brandon Williams [QB EJ Manuel, after being traded to Buffalo] — Williams isn’t a star, but he has the potential to turn into one. And he’s been a strong enough starter to earn a big new contract in Baltimore.
Where he was actually picked: No. 94
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: S Johnathan Cyprien [LB Jarvis Jones] — He got big money from the Titans in free agency after Pro Football Focus rated him as the fifth-best safety in the league in 2016.
Where he was actually picked: No. 33
18. Dallas Cowboys: OL Justin Pugh [S Eric Reid, after being traded to San Francisco] — They’d probably be cool with Reid, who is a steady starter, but the versatile Pugh has been more than solid at guard the last two seasons.
Where he was actually picked: No. 19
19. New York Giants: WR Keenan Allen [Pugh] — He’s had trouble staying healthy, but Allen went over 1,000 yards with eight touchdowns as a rookie.
Where he was actually picked: No. 76
20. Chicago Bears: CB Desmond Trufant [Long] — He’s become a solid No. 1 corner in Atlanta.
Where he was actually picked: No. 22
21. Cincinnati Bengals: G Larry Warford [TE Tyler Eifert] — Eifert hasn’t been present enough, whereas Warford still has the look of a steady long-term starter inside.
Where he was actually picked: No. 65
22. St. Louis Rams: S Tony Jefferson [Trufant, after being traded to Atlanta] — He just signed a big free-agent contract with Baltimore after PFF rated him sixth among all safeties in 2016.
Where he was actually picked: undrafted
23. Minnesota Vikings: DT Johnathan Hankins [DT Sharrif Floyd] — Hankins has been a very solid starter with the Giants, while Floyd has had trouble staying on the field.
Where he was actually picked: No. 49
24. Indianapolis Colts: DL Sheldon Richardson [DE Björn Werner] — A lot of shine has come off Richardson, but he was still a regular starter the last four seasons and was the defensive rookie of the year in 2013.
Where he was actually picked: No. 13
25. Minnesota Vikings: S T.J. McDonald [Rhodes] — He was a steady starter the last four years for the Rams.
Where he was actually picked: No. 71
26. Green Bay Packers: S Kenny Vaccaro [DE Datone Jones] — He hasn’t quite lived up to expectations but has still been a strong starter most of the time in New Orleans.
Where he was actually picked: No. 15
27. Houston Texans: S Bradley McDougald [Hopkins] — For whatever reason, there were a lot of good safeties this year. McDougald had a strong fourth season with the Bucs.
Where he was actually picked: undrafted
28. Denver Broncos: DT Bennie Logan [DT Sylvester Williams] — Logan isn’t a star either, but he’s shown a lot more promise than Williams.
Where he was actually picked: No. 67
29. New England Patriots: WR Kenny Stills [WR Cordarrelle Patterson, after being traded to Minnesota] — He almost hit the 1,000-yard mark in 2014 and has 20 career touchdowns. Worth a key role on any roster.
Where he was actually picked: No. 144
30. Atlanta Falcons: LB Kevin Minter [LB Alec Ogletree, after being traded to St. Louis] — He’s not a star, but he hasn’t missed a start the last two years and he’s steadily improving.
Where he was actually picked: No. 45
31. San Francisco 49ers: S Eric Reid [Frederick, after being traded to Dallas] — A nice break for the Niners, who get their above-average, still-promising safety without having to trade up this time. Reid was a Pro Bowler as a rookie.
Where he was actually picked: No. 18
32. Baltimore Ravens: S D.J. Swearinger [S Matt Elam] — A slight upgrade here. Swearinger is only 25 and coming off a breakout season. I think he’ll only get better.
Where he was actually picked: No. 57
Final Notes
Quarterbacks drafted: 0
Defensive backs drafted: 12
First-round picks who stayed in the first round: 11
First-round picks who dropped out of the first round: 21
Undrafted players who should have been first-round picks: 3
