Okay, so I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now, and I finally got around to it. I went back and redrafted the 2017 NFL draft. You know, with the benefit of hindsight and all that good stuff.
I started by looking at the original draft order. Then I spent hours poring over stats, game footage, and old articles. My goal? To figure out how things might have played out differently if teams knew then what they know now.
Re-picking the Top 10
- First up, the Cleveland Browns. They took Myles Garrett, and honestly, I think they got that one right. The guy’s a beast, so he’s still my number one pick.
- Next, the Chicago Bears. Okay, here’s where things get interesting. They originally took Mitchell Trubisky, and… well, let’s just say it didn’t work out. This time around, I had them taking Patrick Mahomes. No-brainer, right?
- The San Francisco 49ers. They took Solomon Thomas originally, I’m giving them Christian McCaffrey in this redraft. He’s such a dynamic player.
- The Jacksonville Jaguars took Leonard Fournette. In my redraft, they’re getting Alvin Kamara. He’s such a versatile back, a real game-changer.
- The Tennessee Titans had two picks in the top 10. Originally, they took Corey Davis and Adoree’ Jackson. This time, I’ve got them taking T.J. Watt and Tre’Davious White. Two defensive studs to build around.
- The New York Jets took Jamal Adams. I’m switching that to Deshaun Watson. Quarterback is just too important.
- The Los Angeles Chargers originally took Mike Williams. In my redraft, they’re taking George Kittle. He’s become one of the best tight ends in the league.
- The Carolina Panthers took Christian McCaffrey. Since I gave him to the 49ers, I’m giving the Panthers Marshon Lattimore in this redraft. A shutdown corner is a valuable asset.
- Finally, the Cincinnati Bengals took John Ross. I’m switching their pick to Cooper Kupp. He’s turned into a top-tier receiver.
I kept going, re-picking each round, trying to match players with teams based on their needs and the player’s performance since 2017. It was a lot of work, but also a ton of fun. I really tried to dig deep, watching old games, reading old scouting reports – the whole nine yards.
It’s wild to think about how different things could have been. Some teams would be way better off, while others… well, not so much. But that’s the fun of it, right? It makes you think, it makes you debate. And honestly, it makes you appreciate just how hard it is to predict the future in the NFL.
This whole process was a blast. And I’m really curious to hear what you guys think. Let me know in the comments who you would have picked, what changes you would have made. Let’s get a discussion going!
