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We're just a few days away from the 2024 NFL Draft and this year's draft is looking like it'll be one of the most stacked draft classes on paper. The same was being said about the 2015 NFL Draft as well, and many analysts claimed the rivalry between Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota would be one of the biggest of the next decade.
That didn't happen though, as both QBs failed to live up to the hype. However, we shouldn't discredit this entire draft class, because we saw many players become superstars in this league, including six Pro Bowlers in the first 10 picks.
With that being said, let's redraft the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Keep in mind that the priority here is team needs, not player talent. So we will only make selections based on team needs and whether a team was tanking/contending at the time. You'll see the perfect example of this with the first pick of this redraft. Also, we're assuming that the draft order and all draft day trades stay the same.
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Picks 1-10
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Original Pick: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Yes, Jameis Winston failed to live up to expectations, but there was no way the Bucs would have drafted any position other than a QB. The Bucs entered the draft with Mike Glennon as the only active QB, and Winston is easily the best quarterback of this entire draft class. So they still end up taking him in this redraft. Winston is the Bucs' all-time passing leader and he also became (at the time) the fourth quarterback in Bucs history to earn a Pro Bowl nod.
Bucs Jameis was on demon time 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/XAfrDrswNx
— astro2 (@97Tgod) October 6, 2023
2. Tennessee Titans - Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Original Pick: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Mariota was worse than Winston, the Titans had multiple positions of need and had a young (but ultimately unsuccessful) QB in Zach Mettenberger, so drafting electric wideout Amari Cooper would have been the perfect move for them.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
Original Pick: Dante Fowler Jr., LB, Florida
Fowler Jr. never really found a home in the NFL, as he'll be on his fifth team in 10 seasons in 2024. Current Jaguars tackle Brandon Scherff would have been the ideal protector for second-year starter Blake Bortles.
4. Oakland Raiders - Todd Gurley II, RB, Georgia
Original Pick: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Drafting a running back this high is taboo, but Gurley was an MVP candidate in his prime, Cooper is off the board, and the 2014 Raiders were the worst rushing team in the league. They had also just lost their leading rusher Darren McFadden (coincidentally also picked by the Raiders with the fourth pick).
Todd Gurley was so robbed of MVP in 2017. It's a damn shame that it's become more of a QBs award in recent years. pic.twitter.com/qNQQRItFp9
— Milko (@mrmilko8) December 30, 2022
5. Washington Commanders/Redskins - Marcus Peters, DB, Washington
Original Pick: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
Washington badly needed a defensive back entering this draft, so they take Peters here, one of the best DBs in football until the end of the 2010s.
6. New York Jets - Danielle Hunter, EDGE, LSU
Original Pick: Leonard Williams, EDGE, USC
Williams had a great start to his career with the Jets, but he plateaued and never became a superstar. Meanwhile, Hunter is still one of the best at his craft, making the Pro Bowl in each of his last four healthy seasons.
7. Chicago Bears - Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland
Original Pick: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
White is one of the most forgotten busts in NFL history, starting just eight games in his career due to nagging injuries. So, the Bears pick Diggs here, the perfect replacement for the departing Brandon Marshall.
Just a routine pass turned into a TD thanks to Stefon Diggs pic.twitter.com/1KyVaoB2Ba
— Random College Football Plays (@PlaysCollege) April 16, 2024
8. Atlanta Falcons - Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA
Original Pick: Vic Beasley Jr., LB, Clemson
Beasley was the definition of a one-trick pony with the Falcons, as he had a ridiculous anomaly of a year for converting pressures into sacks in 2016 which caused him to lead the league in sacks and become grossly overrated by people who just looked at the stats and didn't watch the games. Kendricks is a very consistent player who would have helped the Falcons more than Beasley.
9. New York Giants - Rob Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin
Original Pick: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
Ereck Flowers was a massive disappointment for the Giants, and if they could go back in time they'd go for Havenstein, one of the most underrated offensive linemen of his era who has been consistently excellent.
10. St. Louis Rams - Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State
Original Pick: Todd Gurley II, RB, Georgia
In real life, the Rams had an excellent draft as they walked out of the draft with Gurley and Havenstien, but they still ended up with a gem in this redraft. Tyler Lockett has steadily developed into one of the best wideouts in the NFL with the Seahawks, and he'd be a great fit with their arch-rivals in this alternate timeline.
Every time the @Seahawks play the Rams on TNF we have to post the @TDLockett12 toe tap.
Those are the rules.
📺: #LARvsSEA -- Thursday 8pm ET on NFLN/FOX/PRIME VIDEO
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/QIk9aFjnjA— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2021
Picks 11-20
11. Minnesota Vikings - Ali Marpet, OG, Hobart
Original Pick: Trae Waynes, DB, Michigan State
Waynes was a decent player, but nowhere near a star and Minnesota would unquestionably choose a different player in a redraft. That's why they go with Marpet here, who played his entire career with the Bucs and was one of their most beloved players ever.
12. Cleveland Browns - Za'Darius Smith, EDGE, Kentucky
Original Pick: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
Shelton would only play three disappointing seasons in Cleveland, so instead they take current Browns star Smith here who would have brought some life into those terrible 2015-2017 Browns teams.
Browns re-signing LB Za'Darius Smith on two-year, $23.5M deal. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/yJCBinnreY
— NFL (@NFL) March 11, 2024
13. New Orleans Saints - Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
Original Pick: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
Peat is a very polarizing player in New Orleans, as he has recently lost his starting spot due to injuries and a drop in performance. He did make three Pro Bowls at his peak, so the Saints still pick him.
14. Miami Dolphins - DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
Original Pick: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
WR was the Dolphins' biggest need heading into the draft and Parker is the best WR available after the "big three" of Cooper, Diggs, and Lockett. So Parker still ends up in Miami in this redraft.
15. San Diego Chargers - Leonard Williams, EDGE, USC
Original Pick: Melvin Gordon III, RB, Wisconsin
Gordon was a good pick, but with Williams falling to the 15th pick, I could see the Chargers picking him. As mentioned before, Williams' best years were at the start of his career, which coincided with the final years of the Philip Rivers era.
16. Houston Texans - Melvin Gordon III, RB, Wisconsin
Original Pick: Kevin Johnson, DB, Wake Forest
The 2015 Texans were one of the best defenses and worst offenses in the league. They still won the AFC South that year (and also the next year) so imagine how much better they would have been if they had a good RB like Gordon instead of Johnson, who was a fringe starter at best.
17. San Francisco 49ers - Arik Armstead, EDGE, Oregon
Original Pick: Arik Armstead, EDGE, Oregon
For the first time since 2015, Arik Armstead will be wearing a different jersey next season, which just shows you how impactful he has been during his tenure in the Bay Area. The Niners would take him again if they could go back in time.
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Former #49ers star DL Arik Armstead says that he felt “disrespected” by the 49ers organization from their $6M offer to him this offseason. He later signed with the #Jaguars on a 3-year $51M deal.
Via: Third and Long || @TidalLeaguepic.twitter.com/mBtySDwBKO
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) March 28, 2024
18. Kansas City Chiefs - Preston Smith, LB, Mississippi State
Original Pick: Marcus Peters, DB, Washington
Peters was an awesome pick, but he's off the board so the Chiefs take Smith here, who entered the league as an edge rusher but switched to LB and has been a staple of the Packers' defense since joining them in 2019.
19. Cleveland Browns - David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa
Original Pick: Cameron Erving, C, Flordia State
Cameron Erving was yet another disappointing pick for the Browns, and although injuries decimated David Johnson's career, his unbelievable 2016 season would have helped the '16 Browns win at least one game, right?
2016 David Johnson was ELECTRIC ⚡️
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) March 2, 2023
20. Philadelphia Eagles - Landon Collins, DB, Alabama
Original Pick: Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
Agholor wasn't terrible for the Eagles, but he's more remembered for Philadelphians making fun of him than for his exploits on the field. Strong Safety was the Eagles' biggest need heading into the draft, and Collins fills that hole perfectly. He played 14 total games against the Eagles in his career, but in this alternate universe, he's a part of the Eagles family.
Picks 21-32
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson
Original Pick: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
Ogbuehi only started in 25 games for the Bengals, and they would definitely take another player here. Grady Jarrett is one of the most talented players in this class, but he had to wait a bit to see his name in this redraft because other teams had more important needs than a DT.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers - Alvin "Bud" Dupree, LB, Kentucky
Original Pick: Alvin "Bud" Dupree, LB, Kentucky
Dupree wasn't a star, nor was he a bust. He was a good player who understood his role, worked hard, and was respected by Steelers fans, making him the perfect pick for the Steelers' culture.
23. Denver Broncos - Shaq Mason, OG, Georgia Tech
Original Pick: Shane Ray, EDGE, Missouri
The eventual Super Bowl champions of the 2015 NFL season completely whiffed on their draft pick Shane Ray, who only started in 15 games for them. In this universe, they end up with Mason, a reliable and steady guard.
24. Arizona Cardinals - Quandre Diggs, DB, Texas
Original Pick: D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
Humphries was a good player for the Cardinals when he was on the field, but he was plagued by injuries which is why he's currently a free agent at the age of 30. Quandre Diggs would have been the perfect cornerback partner for Patrick Peterson on a loaded Cardinals team that just needed another CB for a potential Super Bowl run.
25. Carolina Panthers - Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke
Original Pick: Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington
The Panthers were dominant all season long even though their best WR was Ted Ginn Jr., who finished the year with 739 yards. Thompson was a fine pick, but Cam Newton would have preferred having an additional weapon like Jamison Crowder, who could have been the difference-maker in Super Bowl 50.
26. Baltimore Ravens - Jordan Hicks, LB, Texas
Original Pick: Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
Like Kevin White, Perriman was an injury-prone WR who became a bust. The Ravens have always had a great defense and the consistent Jordan Hicks would have fit right in with that unit.
27. Dallas Cowboys - Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon/Taylor Heinicke, QB, Old Dominion
Original Pick: Byron Jones, DB, Connecticut
Byron Jones didn't impress Cowboys fans too much apart from one Pro Bowl season, so they'd likely go a different direction here. I had them picking a QB to grow behind the aging Tony Romo and had to decide between the originally undrafted Taylor Heinicke or the original second-overall pick Marcus Mariota.
Tony Romo would have had a better campaign than Dak Prescott these past couple of seasons if he never got hurt a couple of years ago. If he never got hurt throughout his career, he would have been a HOFer. https://t.co/F98QWXunvL
— Tiki (@T1K1_sero1123) May 28, 2018
Since they're two similar players in terms of production, it doesn't matter which one Dallas chooses here. Assuming Hicks—who initially injured Romo—plays for Baltimore, Romo doesn't get hurt and Dallas has their QBs of the present and the future. In this timeline, Dallas won't draft Dak Prescott in 2016, changing NFL history forever.
28. Detroit Lions - Raheem Mostert, RB, Purdue
Original Pick: Laken Tomlinson, OG, Duke
Tomlinson's best years were away from Detriot, so they'll go with another originally undrafted player, 2023 NFL rushing TD leader Raheem Mostert. He would have been a great addition to the worst rushing team of 2015.
Raheem Mostert's story is truly inspirational:
2015: went undrafted out of Purdue
2015: cut from the Eagles, Dolphins, Ravens & Browns
2016: cut from the Jets & Bears
2016-21: signed to practice squad, scored 11 TDs in 6 seasons
2022: signed to be the starting RB for the… pic.twitter.com/SnUBLPugdE
— Relentlessly Motivated with Raheem Mostert (@TheRaheemPod) January 9, 2024
29. Indianapolis Colts - Frank Clark, EDGE, Michigan
Original Pick: Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami
Dorsett became nothing more than a journeyman in the NFL, but three-time Pro Bowler Frank Clark would have been an excellent addition to one of the worst defenses in the NFL.
30. Green Bay Packers - Darren Waller, TE, Georgia Tech
Original Pick: Damarious Randall, DB, Arizona State
Damarious Randall only lasted three years in Green Bay, and although Darren Waller had a terrible and trouble-filled start to his career, he turned things around and became a star just in time for Aaron Rodgers' second prime.
imagine aaron rodgers-to-darren waller? pic.twitter.com/C6SZ2BACXf
— ryan (@StillRyanFive) May 17, 2021
31. New Orleans Saints - Vic Beasley Jr., LB, Clemson
Original Pick: Stephone Anthony, LB, Clemson
Anthony was a forgettable bust, and the Saints' terrible defense caused them to miss the playoffs in 2015 and 2016 despite having great offenses. It coincides perfectly with Beasley's statistical anomaly 2016 campaign, and the team could have made a shock Super Bowl run during that span.
32. New England Patriots - Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
32. New England Patriots - Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
Brown was a very consistent player and won two rings as a starter with the Pats, so the Patriots still end up taking him, concluding our 2015 NFL Draft redraft.
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