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After six seasons, did NFL teams make the correct selections in the 2018 NFL Draft? Brant Henson re-drafts the entire first round.
The 2024 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching - the Combine is complete, pro days are finished, and front offices are putting final touches on their draft boards. Round 1 selections will alter the course of franchises - some for the better, and some not so much.
Meanwhile, the 2018 NFL Draft class is gearing up for their seventh year in the league. At this point, it's easy to look back in hindsight and to determine which teams crushed their 2018 picks. Two star franchise quarterbacks have emerged from the class, despite being the third and fifth signal-callers off the board.
The 2018 class overall had some hits - 15 out of the top 20 selections have been to at least one Pro Bowl - but is also headlined by quarterback misses in the form of Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen. Below, we redraft the first round of the 2018 class from Cleveland to Baltimore.
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Picks 1-10
1. Cleveland Browns - Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
Original Pick: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
Cleveland took 2017 Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in 2018. But what if they took the 2016 Heisman winner instead? Lamar Jackson has two MVPs and is the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history at just 27 years old. With the Browns’ history of quarterback struggles, it has to sting knowing that they could have had their division rival under center on what is today a very talented roster.
The Browns used the number 1 pick on Baker Mayfield in a draft that included Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen - nothing beats that. https://t.co/UmuHDqWmcD
— Pointing out Overrated takes (@OverratedTakes) April 1, 2024
2. New York Giants - Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Original Pick: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
The Giants selected Saquon Barkley here in 2018 - a flashy pick at the time, but not one that turned their franchise around like selecting Josh Allen would have. Allen could have sat behind Eli Manning for a year before taking the reins, ensuring a smooth transition from one franchise quarterback to another.
3. New York Jets - Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame
Original Pick: Sam Darnold, QB, USC
The Jets badly needed a quarterback in 2018, trading up the board to nab Sam Darnold. They had a solid defense at the time, but their offensive line was not a strong point. Adding Quenton Nelson, who has six Pro Bowls and is considered one of the game’s premier guards, would have been huge for a team that has faced severe offensive line struggles over the years.
4. Cleveland Browns - Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
Original Pick: Ward
Pick four is the first in this redraft that we are going to keep the same. Cleveland has had their fair share of bust picks over the years, but Denzel Ward was a smash in 2018. The corner has made three Pro Bowls and is still the face of the Browns’ secondary in his prime at 26 years old.
Browns are signing Denzel Ward to a 5-year, $100.5M contract extension, per @AdamSchefter
The deal makes him the highest-paid CB in NFL history 💰 pic.twitter.com/zO0HoAthn5
— PFF (@PFF) April 18, 2022
5. Denver Broncos - Fred Warner, LB, BYU
Original Pick: Bradley Chubb, EDGE, North Carolina State
Initially a third-round pick in the 2018 draft, Fred Warner has been an anchor of one of the most stacked defenses in the league over the past few seasons. He has three Pro Bowls and is widely regarded as one of the top linebackers in the league. Denver originally picked Bradley Chubb here, who had some good seasons but ultimately is no longer with the team following their roster teardown.
6. Indianapolis Colts - Wyatt Teller, OG, Virginia Tech
Original Pick: Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame
The Colts’ original pick, Quenton Nelson, would have remained the pick here. With him off the board, the Colts turn to Browns’ standout Wyatt Teller to anchor what was a very shaky offensive line at this time. Teller was initially a fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills, where he played just one season before being traded to Cleveland. He developed handsomely in Cleveland, where he has gone to three straight Pro Bowls.
7. Buffalo Bills - Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Original Pick: Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
With franchise quarterback Josh Allen off the board, Buffalo has to roll with Tyrod Taylor for another season while addressing the defensive side of the ball. While having a strong defensive line and secondary, this Bills defense lacked linebackers. Rolling out Roquan Smith alongside Matt Milano is too juicy to pass up.
8. Chicago Bears - Harold Landry, EDGE, Boston College
Original Pick: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
With Roquan Smith sniped one pick early, Chicago leans on Harold Landry to create a scary pass rush rotation alongside Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd. Initially a second-round pick, Landry has 41.5 career sacks and is still one of the most prominent forces defensively for Tennessee.
9. San Francisco 49ers - Jordan Mailata, OT, Australia
Original Pick: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
The 49ers originally picked Mike McGlinchey, who had some great seasons but also battled injuries in San Francisco. Here, they roll with former rugby player Jordan Mailata. Mailata was the 233rd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, most definitely the shining star of the seventh round. After missing his first two seasons due to injury, he stepped into a starting role in 2020 for Philadelphia and has not looked back. He just earned an extension and would look great blocking on the outside for Christian McCaffrey and company.
Eagles OT Jordan Mailata agrees to three-year, $66M extension. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/HJwoBdusOG
— NFL (@NFL) April 4, 2024
10. Arizona Cardinals - Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
Original Pick: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
Arizona selects Baker Mayfield instead of Josh Rosen, altering the course of their franchise. Rosen was out of the league in three seasons after just one year as the starting quarterback for the Cardinals. With Mayfield under center, perhaps Arizona never ends up with the top pick the following season to select Kyler Murray. Mayfield has had an up-and-down career and is hard not to root for after his resurgence in Tampa Bay last season.
Picks 11-20
11. Miami Dolphins - Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
Original Pick: Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama
The original pick, Minkah Fitzpatrick, was not a bad selection at all but is no longer with the team. Saquon Barkley in Miami would have been very interesting and potentially a better environment for the young running back to see some success. Miami’s running backs at the time were an aging Frank Gore and Kenyan Drake. Tackles Ja’Wuan James and Laremy Tunsil were anchoring the offensive line, creating an environment that would have been a blast to see a young Saquon Barkley play in. The 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year likely wins the award in Miami as well.
Saquon Barkley leaves the Giants after six years, where he totaled 7,311 total yards with 47 touchdowns.
The former No. 2 overall pick and Offensive Rookie of the Year will now face the Giants twice a year. https://t.co/wAuiTQRKke— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2024
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Vita Vea, DT, Washington
Original Pick: Vea
Tampa Bay hit on their twelfth overall pick, bringing in the anchor of their defensive line for years to come. Vita Vea has a Pro Bowl and a Super Bowl in his name and is still an impact piece of Tampa Bay’s defense. The big man out of Washington was the right pick for the Buccaneers.
13. Washington Commanders - Daron Payne, DT, Alabama
Original Pick: Payne
Back-to-back defensive tackles, back-to-back hits. Washington stays with Daron Payne in this redraft, as he has remained their defensive line anchor through three different regimes. Payne has a Pro Bowl and 30 career sacks and is still just 26 years old.
14. New Orleans Saints - Bradley Chubb, EDGE, North Carolina State
Original Pick: Marcus Davenport, EDGE, UTSA
The Saints’ selection of Marcus Davenport did not work out, but they right their wrong here and roll with Bradley Chubb. The athletic pass rusher has been to two Pro Bowls and has 39.5 career sacks, including 11 last season in Miami before tearing his ACL. A young Chubb paired with a prime Cameron Jordan off the edge would have been a problem for NFC South foes.
15. Las Vegas Raiders - Orlando Brown Jr., OT, Oklahoma
Original Pick: Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
The Raiders’ original pick, Kolton Miller, is still the team’s starting left tackle. However, they get the opportunity to get flashier here and roll with the more polished Orlando Brown Jr. Despite playing for three different teams, the initial third-round pick has four Pro Bowls and is considered a premier offensive tackle in the league.
16. Buffalo Bills - Josh Sweat, EDGE, Florida State
Original Pick: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
After picking Roquan Smith earlier in the first round, Buffalo just cannot resist the opportunity to add one final piece to the pass rush rotation. A defensive line including Shaq Lawson, Jerry Hughes, Josh Sweat, Kyle Williams, Harrison Phillips, and Star Lotulelei would have been insane. The initial fourth-rounder would have a season to develop behind veterans, much like he did in Philadelphia. After adding Roquan Smith and Josh Sweat to an already borderline elite defense, Buffalo feels good despite missing out on Josh Allen.
17. Los Angeles Chargers - Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama
Original Pick: Derwin James, S, Florida State
Derwin James is one of the best safeties in football when he is healthy. Injuries have been a concern, however, and the Chargers opt to draft Minkah Fitzpatrick instead. The four-time Pro Bowler has established himself as a premier safety in the league and his 19 career interceptions back up this pick for Los Angeles.
18. Green Bay Packers - Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville
Original Pick: Alexander
Injuries have ravaged Jaire Alexander in recent years, but the Packers roll with their franchise cornerback nonetheless in this spot. Alexander has made two Pro Bowls and is viewed as a cornerstone and veteran leader of Green Bay’s defense.
The Packers and Jaire Alexander have agreed on a 4-year, $84 million contract extension, per @AdamSchefter
He’s now the highest-paid CB in the NFL 💰 pic.twitter.com/RHRgyStcba
— PFF (@PFF) May 16, 2022
19. Dallas Cowboys - Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma
Original Pick: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
In the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Eagles famously traded up one spot above Dallas to select Dallas Goedert in the second round. Tight end was a huge need following the departure of longtime Cowboy Jason Witten, and Dallas ended up with Dalton Schultz in the fourth round. The Cowboys initially grabbed Leighton Vander Esch, who gave them some strong production, but he medically retired after dealing with too many neck injuries. Here, they move from one cornerstone tight end in Jason Witten directly into another in Mark Andrews. Initially a third-round pick, the three-time Pro Bowler would still be an impact player to this day in Dallas.
Dallas Goedert is a monster.
The fact that we leapfrogged the Cowboys to draft him, in Dallas, as world champs, right after Witten retired, and now he’s going to torment them for years and years to come. #FlyEaglesFly
— Eagles Fan Central (@EagleFanCentral) August 9, 2018
20. Detroit Lions - Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas
Original Pick: Ragnow
Detroit crushed it with the twentieth pick in the 2018 draft, selecting center Frank Ragnow out of Arkansas. Ragnow has started on the Lions’ line since day one and has three Pro Bowls. He’s an underrated piece of one of the league’s most underrated lines.
Picks 21-32
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
Original Pick: Billy Price, C, Ohio State
Offensive line is an issue for Cincinnati in 2024 just as it was back in 2018 when they selected Billy Price with the 21st overall pick. Price fizzled out of the league, but here the Bengals select Mike McGlinchey instead. McGlinchey has battled injuries but is an impactful tackle when healthy. He signed a five-year, $87.5 million contract with Denver last offseason, showing his value at one of the most important positions on the field.
22. Tennessee Titans - Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State
Original Pick: Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama
Darius Leonard was initially the fourth pick of the second round. Here, Tennessee grabs him instead of bust Rashaan Evans. Leonard was a menace from day 1 in the league, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2018. While injuries have held him back in recent years, he earned Pro Bowl honors from 2019-2021 and is still 28 years old.
23. New England Patriots - D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland
Original Pick: Isaiah Wynn, OT, Georgia
The first receiver comes off the board one spot higher than he did in 2018. D.J. Moore had a slower start to his career but has dealt with horrific quarterback play and is coming off of his strongest season. Had he been catching passes from Tom Brady alongside Brandin Cooks and Julian Edelman, he may have come out of the gates a bit hotter. Fast forward to today’s New England Patriots, where Moore is a great fit on a team badly needing a receiver, and this pick would have been a home run.
24. Carolina Panthers - Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Original Pick: D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland
With Cam Newton under center, Carolina badly needed a receiving threat and selected D.J. Moore. With him off the board in this redraft, Calvin Ridley is the pick. Ridley’s first three years of his career were better than Moore’s, but he then missed nearly two full seasons between mental health issues and a suspension. He returned in 2023 to produce 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns, proving to still be productive, and would have been a great WR1 over the back end of Newton’s time in Carolina.
25. Baltimore Ravens - Sam Hubbard, EDGE, Ohio State
Original Pick: Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina
Initially a third-round pick to Cincinnati, Sam Hubbard has been underrated during his career in Cincinnati. His most memorable moment was in the playoff win against Baltimore where he returned a goal-line fumble 98 yards for a touchdown to take the lead. In this redraft, Baltimore does not let that happen. They add Hubbard, who has the luxury of learning behind Ravens’ legend Terrell Suggs for a season, rather than opting for their original pick in Hayden Hurst.
26. Atlanta Falcons - Jessie Bates, S, Wake Forest
Original Pick: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
With Calvin Ridley gone, Atlanta approaches the defensive side of the ball and picks safety Jessie Bates. Initially the 54th pick in the draft to Cincinnati, Bates has had a successful career thus far and ended up as a prized free agent signing for Atlanta ahead of his 2023 Pro Bowl season. He’s the face of the Falcons’ secondary, and it only happens earlier for him in this redraft.
Falcons to sign safety Jessie Bates III to 4-year, $64M deal. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/OyQ3NgB5lj
— NFL (@NFL) March 13, 2023
27. Seattle Seahawks - Derwin James, S, Florida State
Original Pick: Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State
An extremely impactful player when healthy, Derwin James feels like a steal at pick 27. Seattle has the luxury of taking the best player available and adding him to an aging Legion of Boom where he can develop behind Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor and keep the show going. The original pick, Rashaad Penny, has rarely been healthy throughout his career. James becomes a defensive stalwart for years to come in Seattle.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers - Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
Original Pick: Terrell Edmunds, S, Virginia Tech
The Steelers’ original pick, safety Terrell Edmunds, has had a solid career. However, this team lacked receiver depth behind Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Christian Kirk, originally a second-round pick, would have added more offensive versatility to this team and could have gotten a quicker jump to NFL success. He only has one 1,000+ yard season so far but has carved out a role as a reliable WR2.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars - Foyesade Oluokun, LB, Yale
Original Pick: Taven Bryan, DT, Florida State
Foyesade Oluokun was originally a sixth-round pick to Atlanta while Jacksonville opted for defensive tackle Taven Bryan in this slot. Bryan didn’t work out, but luckily for the Jaguars, they were able to sign Oluokun in 2022 free agency. He led the NFL in tackles in both 2022 and 2023 and set an NFL record for combined tackles in 2021.
30. Minnesota Vikings - Charvarius Ward, CB, Middle Tennessee State
Original Pick: Mike Hughes, CB, UCF
The Vikings’ original pick, Mike Hughes, only played three seasons in Minnesota before being traded. Instead, they select Charvarius Ward, who went undrafted in 2018 before joining the Kansas City Chiefs. Ward went on to become one of the top corners in the league, currently holding down the CB1 role for San Francisco where he led the league in deflections in 2023. Minnesota’s pass defense needed help in 2018 and needs help today. Ward would be the ideal fit.
"Nobody let me have a plan B. I wanted to make it to the NFL"
I asked Charvarius Ward what going from undrafted free agent to multiple-time starter in the Super Bowl means to him.
Ward also talks about the development of Lenoir and Thomas. See's Lenoir headed for AP status 👀 pic.twitter.com/mQFqsAa9kW
— Nick Newman (@NinerNick_22) February 6, 2024
31. New England Patriots - Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
Original Pick: Sony Michel, RB, Georgia
With the Patriots’ second first-rounder, they selected running back Sony Michel out of Georgia. Still on the board? Michel’s UGA teammate, Nick Chubb. Chubb has four Pro Bowls and 6,511 rushing yards in his NFL career so far and is currently working his way back from a catastrophic knee injury. Stick him in the 2018 Patriots’ backfield with James White, and that offense becomes even more dynamic.
32. Baltimore Ravens - Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State
Original Pick: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
After passing on Hayden Hurst and missing out on Mark Andrews, Baltimore needs to bolster the tight end position. Obviously their initial pick, Lamar Jackson, is long gone. They add a weapon for Joe Flacco, who may have more years in the tank than Ravens fans think in 2018. Dallas Goedert has produced as an NFL tight end, with 3,589 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns in his career. He is an effective pickup for the Ravens at the end of Round 1, although nowhere near as franchise-altering as their original pick.
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