Re-Drafting the 2014 NFL Draft: Jadeveon Clowney vs. Aaron Donald, Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Derek Carr
By Jason Lisk
The 2014 NFL Draft was loaded in talent, as it turns out. You could make an argument that there are at least 12 guys who are elite players at their positions, and should go in the top 5 in a typical draft. Some of those players have gotten their big paydays; others are still waiting and making noise about needing to get paid.
But the top of the the draft included plenty of busts, which left those teams wanting as future stars were taken right behind them. What if we could go back and re-draft? Well, that’s what I’m going to do today. My loose criteria:
- Player quality and how they have performed;
- Team needs, not as they appeared at the time but as they look in retrospect;
- Where a player was arguably among the group in consideration now, I erred toward staying with the original pick (though that’s just a general rule, which I break right away).
- How they project going forward, though since contracts go up exponentially, how they would have fared over the first four years if drafted by the team is the prime consideration.
Let’s get right to it.
#1 Texans: Aaron Donald, DT (Original: Jadaveon Clowney)
There’s no way thatAaron Donald was in consideration back in 2014 for Houston. Clowney was the clear stud, and J.J. Watt was the best defensive player in the league. If we had our crystal ball, though, Donald has become every bit the force that Watt was. Pairing those two together would have created nightmares, and provided cover for Watt’s injuries.
#2 Rams: Jadeveon Clowney, DE (Original: Greg Robinson)
Here, I have Clowney just swapping spots, but not at the same picks, as it was Greg Robinson, and not Donald, who was the first Rams’ selection. They right that error by taken Clowney, who may not have hit his ceiling yet, after a slow start in Houston due to injuries.
#3 Jaguars: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (Original: Blake Bortles)
And here’s where it gets interesting. No way do the Jaguars take Blake Bortles again if they had a semi-visible crystal ball. It’s a bit of a risk, but I’m taking Jimmy Garoppolo over Derek Carr as the top quarterback. Carr’s played more. It would have been interesting to see what Jimmy G could do with all the playing time he missed sitting behind Tom Brady. An upgrade at QB here would make the Jaguars one of the Super Bowl favorites.
#4 Bills: Odell Beckham, Jr., WR (Original: Sammy Watkins)
The Bills originally took Watkins, so we can pretty seamlessly slide Beckham into this spot as the best receiver in a loaded class. I’m sure he would still be a big name even if he were frequenting the boating life near the Great Lakes.
#5 Raiders: Derek Carr, QB (Original: Khalil Mack)
Carr or Mack? It was a great draft for the Raiders back in 2014, but no way do they get both this time around. Well, Mack is the more dominant player at his position, and could easily go as high as 2nd in the re-draft. But we know that quarterback is king, and Carr is the one that the Raiders made sure to pay early, while Mack still awaits his deal. Gruden needs the QB.
#6 Falcons: Khalil Mack, LB (Original: Jake Matthews)
Sure, the Falcons would be passing on a left tackle that has been a solid anchor in the offense, but they would no doubt go for the all-pro pass rusher to further solidify the defense, and figure out the offensive line elsewhere.
#7 Bucs: Mike Evans, WR (Original: Evans)
The next 6 or so picks are pretty even, so the Buccaneers will stay with the main target for Jameis Winston.
#8 Browns: C.J. Mosley, LB (Original: Justin Gilbert)
Here’s the first chance to correct a massive error, as Gilbert was a huge bust. Addressing the offensive line is a possibility (especially since we know that Joe Thomas is now retiring four years later) but they’ll take a team leader away from a division rival, and get a star linebacker to provide leadership on defense.
#9 Vikings: Anthony Barr, LB (Original: Barr)
The Vikings stay with Barr, who has been a key member of the defense over the last several years.
#10 Lions: Devonta Freeman, RB (Original: Eric Ebron)
The Detroit Lions have had no running game for pretty much all of the Matthew Stafford era. Can you imagine how things could have gone if they had Devonta Freeman for the last four years?
#11 Titans: Taylor Lewan, OT (Original: Lewan)
You could make an argument for several top offensive linemen here so we’ll stay with the Titans’ original pick.
#12 Giants: Zack Martin, OG (Original: Beckham)
The Giants don’t have to deal with Odell Beckham in our fictional world, they instead get a mauler on the offensive line in Zack Martin.
#13 Rams: Jake Matthews, OT (Original: Donald)
The Rams get their offensive tackle, in reverse order of how they picked in the real draft, by selecting Matthews.
#14 Bears: Kyle Fuller, CB (Original: Fuller)
Fuller’s had injuries that have affected his time with the Bears, but with the clear-cut top 13 picks off the board from this draft, and the Bears’ commitment to him in terms of a contract that shows they still think he can be a star, we’ll stay with the pick in what turned out to be a poor defensive back draft.
#15 Steelers: Ryan Shazier, LB (Original: Shazier)
This is a sentimental pick. With thoughts of Garth Brooks “The Dance” in mind, and with all the potential Hall of Famers gone, and knowing that many of the upcoming players have moved on from their original teams anyway, Pittsburgh stays with a team leader that gave them nearly four years of excellent play, and someone who will be an inspiration going forward as he recovers from his spinal injury and moves forward in life.
#16 Cowboys: DeMarcus Lawrence, DE (Original: Martin)
The Cowboys lock up another good pick from this draft and keep their pass rusher.
#17 Ravens: Jarvis Landry, WR (Original: Mosley)
Baltimore needs receivers. Landry would have been a great fit in Baltimore.
#18 Jets: Telvin Smith, LB (Original: Calvin Pryor)
The Jets snag a very good inside linebacker instead of the original pick of a safety.
#19 Dolphins: Trai Turner, OG (Original: Jawuan James)
The Dolphins reached for Jawuan James in the draft four years ago. We’ll give them a pro bowler in Turner instead.
#20 Saints: Allen Robinson, WR (Original: Cooks)
You could make an argument for several receivers here. Allen Robinson has battled injuries but has had the highest ceiling of any of them, and would have put up insane numbers playing with Drew Brees.
#21 Packers: Davante Adams, WR (Original: Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix)
The Packers, if forced to choose, would I think make sure they locked up Adams, who is not falling to the second round in a do-over.
#22 Browns: Blake Bortles, QB (Original: Johnny Manziel)
Does Blake Bortles have his flaws? Yes. But he’s also been a guy that can start in this league and just got to a title game, and he would have been better than what the Browns went with when they didn’t do their homework. This re-draft shows just how disastrous the two Browns picks were, because Mosley and Bortles are a major upgrade.
#23 Chiefs: Sammy Watkins, WR (Original: Dee Ford)
Well, they just signed him in free agency, so let’s give them Watkins from the start. He hasn’t lived up to the early draft position, but he’s still been productive enough to be a first rounder.
#24 Bengals: Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, S (Original: Darqueze Dennard)
The Bengals were one of several teams to be underwhelmed by their cornerback choice in this draft, so they get Clinton-Dix here instead.
#25 Chargers: Malcolm Butler, CB (Original: Jason Verrett)
Malcolm Butler has been the second-most accomplished cornerback to come out of this draft, and he was originally undrafted and signed as a free agent with the Patriots. Verrett, meanwhile, made a pro bowl in 2015, but has not been able to play more than 6 games in any other season.
#26 Eagles: Stephon Tuitt DE (Original: Marcus Smith)
Marcus Smith has only 6.5 sacks in his NFL career and was cut by Philadelphia prior to the last season. If they could do it over, they could add Tuitt as a better rotational player on a deep defensive line.
#27 Cardinals: Deone Bucannon, DB/LB (Original: Bucannon)
The Cardinals got a good hybrid player in Bucannon and stick with the pick.
#28 Panthers: Brandin Cooks, WR (Original: Kelvin Benjamin)
Kelvin Benjamin had a solid rookie season but a knee injury the next year slowed him and he was traded last season. Cooks is the last of the guys who merit first round consideration at a deep WR unit in 2014, in what is one of the best classes of all-time when you consider that Cooks is probably 6th and Allen Hurns 7th.
#29 Patriots: Timmy Jernigan DE/DT (Original: Domonique Easley)
The Patriots whiffed on Easley, and instead grab Jernigan, who in real life just beat them in the Super Bowl after going to Philadelphia in a trade last offseason.
#30 49ers: Andrew Norwell, OG (Original: Jimmie Ward)
The 49ers could really use some help on the offensive line, and Andrew Norwell won’t go undrafted this time around. Norwell just signed a big contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars after getting his first all-pro selection with the Panthers.
#31 Broncos: Bradley Roby, CB (Original: Bradley Roby)
Roby has been the third cornerback behind Chris Harris and Aqib Talib, and he’s gotten better each year. He gets the nod here over Bashaud Breeland, and is projected to be the starter with Talib now out of Denver.
#32 Vikings: Morgan Moses, OT (Original: Teddy Bridgewater)
Would the Vikings take Teddy Bridgewater again knowing how it worked out? He gave them one solid season and part of another before the knee injury robbed him. But we’ll add a right tackle in Moses this time around.
Others Considered: Allen Hurns, WR; Carlos Hyde, RB; Bashaud Breeland, CB; Preston Brown, LB; Kelvin Benjamin, WR; Corey Linsley C; Isaiah Crowell, RB; Weston Richburg C; Teddy Bridgewater, QB; Travis Swanson, C; Justin Britt G/C; Avery Williamson, LB; Eric Ebron TE
First Rounders that Dropped Out: Greg Robinson (2nd-Rams), Justin Gilbert (8th-Browns), Eric Ebron (10th-Lions), Calvin Pryor (18th-Jets), Ja’Wuan James (19th-Dolphins), Johnny Manziel (22nd-Browns), Dee Ford (23rd-Chiefs), Darqueze Dennard (24th-Bengals), Jason Verrett (25th-Chargers), Marcus Smith (26th-Eagles), Kelvin Benjamin (28th-Panthers), Domonique Easley (29th-Patriots), Jimmie Ward (30th-49ers), Teddy Bridgewater (32nd-Vikings).