moved

2012 NFL Draft: Re-Drafting the First Round

By Cooper Allen

January 27, 2013 3:35 pm

The 2012 NFL Draft featured a couple of big names. Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III took the majority of the spotlight which perhaps overshadowed just how strong this class really was.

Looking back at the season, there were many huge rookie performances on both sides of the football. There were players that had rookie-of-the-year caliber campaigns, but are not even being considered.

Not all of these players came early in the first round, though. We saw second and third round picks come up big for their respective teams and make a name for themselves early on.

If we had to do the Draft over again it would certainly look a lot different. That is exactly what we are doing here at Football Nation.

This article will look at each team’s pick from this past April and then re-draft players based on team need and 2012 performance.

1. Indianapolis Colts
1 of 32

Original Pick: Andrew Luck

Re-Draft Pick: Andrew Luck

After just one year of suffering, Indianapolis has their new franchise quarterback. Andrew Luck struggled at times, throwing 18 interceptions.

That is to be expected from a rookie, though, and the Stanford product showed he can play at the next level.

Luck owns the rookie record for passing yards in a season as well as the most fourth-quarter comebacks in a season. He led the Colts from behind seven times, beating teams like the powerhouse Green Bay Packers.

After just one poor year for this Indianapolis franchise, Andrew Luck took them back to the playoffs. If they had to do the Draft over again, he would be the pick.

2. Washington Redskins
2 of 32

Original Pick: Robert Griffin III

Re-Draft Pick: Robert Griffin III

The Washington Redskins paid a very hefty price to be able to draft Robert Griffin III, and after the way he played this season, they would make that deal over and over again.

RGIII took a 6-10 Redskins squad and turned them into a 10-6 team. The four extra wins took them from being in the basement in 2011 to making the playoffs in 2012.

After starting 3-6, he stayed calm and led Washington on a seven-game win streak.

He picked up huge victories over division rivals in the process and has given this city something to cheer about.

3. Cleveland Browns
3 of 32

Original Pick: Trent Richardson

Re-Draft Pick: Russell Wilson

Their first of two picks in the first round, the Cleveland Browns selected Heisman trophy finalist Trent Richardson with the No. 3 pick.

The Alabama running back had a solid rookie year, but was one of the lone bright spots on the team.

In a re-draft, the pick for Cleveland here would be quarterback Russell Wilson. He was not selected until the third round back in April, but led Seattle to the Divisional round of the playoffs.

The Browns used their No. 22 pick on Brandon Weeden, but if they had a mulligan, they would without a doubt go quarterback first and running back later on in the Draft.

4. Minnesota Vikings
4 of 32

Original Pick: Matt Kalil

Re-Draft Pick: Matt Kalil

Adrian Peterson had a monster season in 2012, rushing for over 2,000 yards on an injured knee with very little support around him. A man cannot do it alone, however, and he definitely had some help up front.

Left tackle Matt Kalil had a solid rookie year with the Vikings. His pass blocking was good and he opened some big holes for AP throughout the year.

Although they could use some help elsewhere, Kalil would be the man to take in a re-draft.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars
5 of 32

Original Pick: Justin Blackmon

Re-Draft Pick: Ryan Tannehill

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up in the 2012 Draft to landed Justin Blackmon.

At the time he was considered the best wide receiver in the Draft and they wanted to land him to help build around Blaine Gabbert.

After another ugly year, hopefully the Jags have realized that Gabbert is not the answer at quarterback. In a re-draft they should target Ryan Tannehill, who played quite well for the Miami Dolphins.

This would be a huge upgrade at the position and his wife may attract some fans as well.

6. Dallas Cowboys
6 of 32

Original Pick: Morris Claiborne

Re-Draft Pick: Casey Hayward

With a big need for a corner, Dallas traded up to land LSU standout Morris Claiborne. He was considered the top defensive player in the Draft at the time and was thought to be a great pick for the Cowboys.

Claiborne did not play horribly for the team, but was outperformed by Packers' cornerback Casey Hayward. With six interceptions on the year, Hayward is the favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Dallas could have used his play-making ability this year.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7 of 32

Original Pick: Mark Barron

Re-Draft Pick: Doug Martin

Tampa Bay was able to trade up and land Doug Martin late in the first round, but if they had to do it all over again, they would have taken him being Mark Barron.

That is not a knock on Barron as much as it is a compliment to Martin.

He played a huge role in the Buccaneers' offense, nearly reaching 1,500 rushing yards. He combined for nearly 2,000 yards and had 12 touchdowns on the year.

The Buccaneers would not be able to get him that late in a re-draft.

8. Miami Dolphins
8 of 32

Original Pick: Ryan Tannehill

Re-Draft Pick: Luke Kuechly

Although Ryan Tannehill did play very well at quarterback for Miami, they proved in 2011 that they can get by with Matt Moore.

Their pick in a re-draft should be middle linebacker Luke Kuechly. He led the NFL in total tackles this season and played a lot better than most people expected him to.

Karlos Dansby is not getting any younger and his contract defines ridiculous.

By drafting Kuechly, the Dolphins are ensuring their future is bright defensively. It also would allow them to get rid of Dansby and save a lot of cap space.

9. Carolina Panthers
9 of 32

Original Pick: Luke Keuchly

Re-Draft Pick: Justin Blackmon

With Kuechly off the board, the Panthers should look to offense and add another weapon for Cam Newton. They have a solid running back duo and a No. 1 receiver that is not getting any younger.

A combination of Steve Smith and Justin Blackmon running through your secondary would give a defensive coordinator nightmares.

Add in the run game and some of the other weapons they possess and you have an offense that can put up 25-30 points a game.

10. Buffalo Bills
10 of 32

Original Pick: Stephon Gilmore

Re-Draft Pick: Janoris Jenkins

The Buffalo Bills' defense struggled early on in the season and they could have used a big play or two.

Their offense is not going to drop 30 every game so they need an extra spark to be able to keep up with a team like New England.

Janoris Jenkins had a great rookie campaign, reaching the end zone four times, recovering a fumble and recording three pick sixes.

He was a game changer for the Rams and would be the best corner in the Draft if not for an outstanding season by Casey Hayward.

11. Kansas City Chiefs
11 of 32

Original Pick: Dontari Poe

Re-Draft Pick: Fletcher Cox

The Kansas City Chiefs got it right when they picked a defensive tackle... they just picked the wrong one.

Dontari Poe was not as big of a factor as the Chiefs would have liked out of their first-round pick.

In a re-draft, a better choice would be Fletcher Cox. With him, Justin Houston and Tamba Hali rushing the passer, it almost doesn’t matter who you put in the secondary.

12. Philadelphia Eagles
12 of 32

Original Pick: Fletcher Cox

Re-Draft Pick: Bobby Wagner

With Fletcher Cox off the board, the Eagles should look to the second level of their defense and pick up Bobby Wagner.

He had a great rookie year with 140 tackles and three interceptions.

Wagner would have been an immediate upgrade for Philadelphia and would have played very well behind their stacked front four

13. Arizona Cardinals
13 of 32

Original Pick: Michael Floyd

Re-Draft Pick: Morris Claiborne

The Arizona Cardinals had a very good season defensively. Patrick Peterson and Daryl Washington both made it to the Pro Bowl and they were able to shut down the likes of Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford.

This is a top 10-15 unit that is only a piece or two away from being elite.

One of those pieces in a cornerback opposite Peterson. Morris Claiborne would have been perfect for that role and it would have reunited a pairing that played together at LSU.

14. St. Louis Rams
14 of 32

Original Pick: Michael Brockers

Re-Draft Pick: Trent Richardson

Current Rams running back Steven Jackson has slowed down a ton over the past two years.

In fact, teammate and cornerback Janoris Jenkins had just as many touchdowns (4) as he did.

The 29-year-old back has been a workhorse for St. Louis for a while, but that time is coming to an end.

This team was just a couple of games back from the postseason and the addition of Trent Richardson could have gotten them there.

15. Seattle Seahawks
15 of 32

Original Pick: Bruce Irvin

Re-Draft Pick: Lavonte David

West Virginia pass rusher Bruce Irvin was by far the biggest reach in the 2012 Draft.

He was not expected to be taken until day two, but Seattle felt it needed to upgrade their pass rush.

If they had to do it a second time, however, their pick should be Lavonte David. The Buccaneers' second-round choice out of Nebraska, David had 139 tackles on the year, 19 of which were for a loss.

He would have been a great addition to a Seahawks' defense that was inconsistent at times.

16. New York Jets
Next
16 of 32

Original Pick: Quinton Coples

Re-Draft Pick: Kirk Cousins

There really is no other way to put it... the Jets' quarterback situation in 2012 was an embarrassment. From Mark Sanchez to Tim Tebow to Greg McElroy, no one got the job done.

In three games and one start, Kirk Cousins showed that he is much better than what New York currently has.

Although he should go in the second round the Jets are in desperate need of a signal-caller.

17. Cincinnati Bengals
17 of 32

Original Pick: Dre Kirkpatrick

Re-Draft Pick: Harrison Smith

We did not get to see much of Dre Kirkpatrick in 2012. He did not start a game for the Bengals and appeared in only five of them.

This was more due to injury than it was to poor play; however there are still better options out there.

Harrison Smith was healthy and played very well for the Minnesota Vikings this year.

He would have been a key piece in the Bengals' defense and he may have been able to help in the playoffs.

Based on this season alone, Smith is a much better pick for Cincinnati than Kirkpatrick.

18. San Diego Chargers
18 of 32

Original Pick: Melvin Ingram

Re-Draft Pick: Michael Floyd

Philip Rivers needs help. I repeat, Philip Rivers needs help.

Although he has not been at the top of his game lately, some weapons around him wouldn’t hurt.

San Diego spent a ton to bring in Robert Meachem, but that is not enough.

Having Michael Floyd would have been huge for the Chargers. He is a solid wideout and would have provided Rivers with another quality target.

This is another team that was in the playoff race for a while and they may have made it with Floyd.

19. Chicago Bears
19 of 32

Original Pick: Shea McClellin

Re-Draft Pick: Mitchell Schwartz

The Chicago Bears' offensive line is the definition of ugly. I was shocked when they took Shea McClellin over David DeCastro last April and it is hard to see them doing the same in a re-draft.

Mitchell Schwartz quietly had a good season with Cleveland and can play both of the tackle positions. Taking Schwartz or even Riley Reiff would have made this offseason a lot easier on Chicago.

20. Tennessee Titans
20 of 32

Original Pick: Kendall Wright

Re-Draft Pick: Bruce Irvin

The Kendall Wright pick caught me by surprise a little bit, considering they already have Nate Washington and Kenny Britt at the position.

Their first-round pick could have been used to fill a need elsewhere.

Tennessee finished ninth in the league in sacks last season with 39. That number would only go up with Bruce Irvin rushing the passer.

He had eight in Seattle despite not starting a game and would have been a huge contributor

21. New England Patriots
21 of 32

Original Pick: Chandler Jones

Re-Draft Pick: Chandler Jones

Another team with two first-round picks, nothing changes for New England with their pick at No. 21 overall. A defensive end out of Syracuse, Chandler Jones had a quality year with the Pats.

Brother of UFC champion Jon and Baltimore Raven Arthur, Chandler Jones is the youngest of the three.

He had 45 tackles, six sacks and three forced fumbles in 2012 despite missing two games due to injury.

Jones will be a key piece of the Patriots' defense going forward and this is the right selection for New England even in a re-draft.

22. Cleveland Browns
22 of 32

Original Pick: Brandon Weeden

Re-Draft Pick: Alfred Morris

In both the original Draft and the re-draft, Cleveland finds themselves taking a quarterback and a running back.

The difference is that they select a quarterback early and a running back later in the round.

The Browns hung around with some of the teams in their division this year and are a team that could be considered on the rise.

It would be very interesting to see where they would be with Russell Wilson and Alfred Morris as opposed to Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden.

23. Detroit Lions
23 of 32

Original Pick: Riley Reiff

Re-Draft Pick: Stephon Gilmore

There were a few solid corners to come out of this draft class and Stephon Gilmore is certainly one of them.

After being taken in the top 10 in the original Draft, he falls to No. 23 due to the play of Casey Hayward and Janoris Jenkins.

Detroit has a huge need for a corner, especially since they play in a division with Jordy Nelson and Brandon Marshall among others.

They were lit up last year and would have been much better off with a player like Gilmore.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers
24 of 32

Original Pick: David DeCastro

Re-Draft Pick: Mark Barron

At the time, David DeCastro was a great pick for the Steelers. They needed to protect Big Ben and help the run game and DeCastro was one of the best blockers in the Draft.

Unfortunately for them, he missed most of the year with an injury.

Speaking of injury, Troy Polamalu missed nine games in 2012. Between him, Ryan Clark and Ike Taylor, they are developing a retirement home in their secondary.

Mark Barron would be an ideal pick for Pittsburgh as they look to get younger on the defensive side of the ball.

25. New England Patriots
25 of 32

Original Pick: Dont’a Hightower

Re-Draft Pick: T.Y. Hilton

Tom Brady has nearly every offensive weapon imaginable. A No. 1 receiver, two All-Pro caliber tight ends, an up and coming running back and the best offensive line in the game.

Add T.Y. Hilton to that picture and they are nearly unstoppable.

Hilton would have been a great replacement for Wes Welker, whose contract has been up in the air over the past year.

Just picturing how Belichick and company would use him is scary.

26. Houston Texans
26 of 32

Original Pick: Whitney Mercilus

Re-Draft Pick: Kendall Wright

Whitney Mercilus did not have as big of an impact as the Texans would have hoped when they took him in the first round.

If they had to do it over again, then they should target a wide receiver.

In this case, the best one on the board is Kendall Wright. He had 64 receptions in his rookie campaign and reached the end zone four times.

Not bad considering the quarterback situation in Tennessee.

27. Cincinnati Bengals
27 of 32

Original Pick: Kevin Zeitler

Re-Draft Pick: David Wilson

Cincinnati upgraded at running back when they replaced Cedric Benson with BenJarvus Green-Ellis, but their depth was limited.

A running back duo of Green-Ellis and David Wilson is one that the opposition would not like.

Having two capable backs would also take pressure off of Andy Dalton.

He is not the guy that will win you a ton of football games so a great run game would help the Bengals a ton.

28. Green Bay Packers
28 of 32

Original Pick: Nick Perry

Re-Draft Pick: Courtney Upshaw

The Green Bay Packers were looking to upgrade their defense last offseason.

While they played much than in 2011, Nick Perry wasn’t as big of a contributor to that as most people expected him to be.

If the same strategy is being used in a re-draft, then Courtney Upshaw is the man to take.

He was more effective than Perry and would have been a huge help to the Packers' defense.

29. Minnesota Vikings
29 of 32

Original Pick: Harrison Smith

Re-Draft Pick: Kevin Zeitler

Minnesota traded up into the first round to select Harrison Smith. With him off the board, they should take another offensive lineman.

At guard, Kevin Zeitler would be an upgrade over what they currently have.

This would have allowed the running game to be even more successful than it was and it would give Christian Ponder more time to throw.

With two solid, young blockers, the Vikings' offensive line would be set for a while.

30. San Francisco 49ers
30 of 32

Original Pick: A.J. Jenkins

Re-Draft Pick: Coby Fleener

Another candidate for the biggest reach in the Draft, A.J. Jenkins was not supposed to go until at least the third round. San Francisco took a risk on him and it didn’t pay off.

They are a very talented team, though, and can afford to draft need over talent in this situation.

In a re-draft they should take tight end Coby Fleener. Vernon Davis had his worst year since 2008 and was non-existent over the final six weeks of the regular season.

With Fleener, you are adding another quality weapon to an already talent-filled offense.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
31 of 32

Original Pick: Doug Martin

Re-Draft Pick: Zach Brown

With Lavonte David being selected earlier in the re-draft, the Buccaneers need to find someone to replace him.

That man could and should be Zach Brown. The linebacker had 93 tackles, three interceptions and a forced fumble in 2012, proving to be a bit of a steal for the Titans in round two.

Tampa Bay had a solid Draft last April as three of their players have gone in round one of the re-draft.

32. New York Giants
32 of 32

Original Pick: David Wilson

Re-Draft Pick: Dont’a Hightower

With David Wilson off the board, the Giants should look to the defensive side of the football for their first-round pick.

New York had to rely on guys like Chase Blackburn, Keith Rivers and Michael Boley.

Their linebacker corps lacks some talent and depth, so bringing in Dont’a Hightower would be perfect for them.

He would thrive behind their loaded front four and be a great contributor to the defense.

http://www.footballnation.com/content/2012-nfl-draft-re-drafting-the-first-round/21146/

Pewter Report: Your source for inside and breaking news on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Login

NOT REGISTERED