It's important to note that in the introduction to his 2011 NFL Draft redo, Buck mentioned that you need three years to accurately gauge how an organization fared in the draft. In fact, he and I will be doing just that next week for the NFL '13 with Draft Xtra app ... except, instead of three years, we'll have three minutes.
That said, below I took another shot at the 2010 first round, with the benefit of the three-year rearview. There were some tough calls, to say the least. If you think you can do better, would love to hear your thoughts at the usual place: @HarrisonNFL.
Let's get to it!
1) St. Louis Rams
Pick:Sam Bradford, QB
Do-over: Same.
Bradford has been underwhelming. We get it. Yet, given the circumstances facing so many of the teams in quarterback limbo these days (the Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans), it's tough to imagine the Rams taking someone else. Bradford has shown flashes and, in fairness, hasn't had a top-notch wideout since he joined the team. His 21-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2012 was pretty strong, considering the lack of help he has in St. Louis.
2) Detroit Lions
Pick:Ndamukong Suh, DT
Do-over:NaVorro Bowman, LB
Suh is a good player, but Bowman is a bit better than that. In fact, you can make the case that Bowman is the top overall player in the 2010 NFL Draft class. In three seasons, he's been named All-Pro twice. What he has not been is an on-field distraction like Suh.
3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pick:Gerald McCoy, DT
Do-over:Joe Haden, CB
McCoy has been quite the effective player of late, yet he's managed to collect just nine sacks in his career. Sacks aren't everything, especially for a defensive tackle, but the reality is the Bucs have been destroyed via the air and could really use more of a pass rush ... or, for that matter, coverage. Last season, Tampa Bay gave up 297.4 net yards passing per game, ranking 32nd in the league. There are only 32 teams. Enter Haden. Upgrade -- big time.
4) Washington Redskins
Pick:Trent Williams, OT
Do-over:Ndamukong Suh, DT
Like McCoy, Williams has come on of late. However, Suh was effective from Day 1, and that's precisely what the Redskins needed in 2010. Suh is such a unique talent that the Redskins could have used him as a nose tackle, on the edge as a 3-4 defensive end or as a standard defensive tackle in four-man fronts. Teamed with Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, Suh could've given the Redskins so much of what Albert Haynesworth did not.
5) Kansas City Chiefs
Pick:Eric Berry, S
Do-over:Earl Thomas, S
Berry looks to have been a solid pick, but Thomas is one of the best players from the 2010 NFL Draft class -- and he's also the top safety, hands down. Thomas was named first-team All-Pro in 2012 after going to the Pro Bowl the previous season. In three years, he has 10 interceptions and well over 200 tackles. Berry, on the other hand, missed all of 2011 with a knee injury.
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6) Seattle Seahawks
Pick:Russell Okung, OT
Do-over:Rob Gronkowski, TE
Okung has become a quality left tackle in Seattle, there's no question about that. But how could the Seahawks pass up Gronkowski for the second time? Remember, this is a do-over draft. Would sixth overall be too high for a tight end? Not if he's the kind of tight end who can account for 2,663 yards and 38 touchdowns in three seasons despite missing five games. That's 12.7 touchdowns per season. The most any Seahawks tight end has had in a season? Seven. Ever.
7) Cleveland Browns
Pick:Joe Haden, CB
Do-over:Demaryius Thomas, WR
Well, we reach the first team to miss out on its original pick in our do-over. The Browns found themselves a player in Haden, but since he's not available in this exercise, Cleveland nabs an athlete who can make plays vertically, on the back-shoulder fade and over the middle. Getting Thomas here spares the Browns from having to take Greg Little with a second-round pick in 2011. And Thomas actually catches the football, so that's nice.
8) Oakland Raiders
Pick:Rolando McClain, LB
Do-over:Dez Bryant, WR
To say McClain hasn't been what the Raiders expected would be putting it somewhat mildly. Bryant, on the other hand, is an Al Davis-style player. With the benefit of hindsight ... or foresight ... (these draft do-overs get confusing) Oakland obtains a player who can turn a game on its ear. Bryant had 92 catches for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2012.
9) Buffalo Bills
Pick:C.J. Spiller, RB
Do-over:Jason Pierre-Paul, DE
Spiller takes a seat, and here's why: Pierre-Paul was dominant in 2011, forcing teams to account for him constantly in 2012. The Bills haven't had a defensive end who could make that kind of impact since Mr. Smith went to Washington in 2000. Spiller was awesome last season, but Buffalo has seen the likes of Travis Henry, Willis McGahee, Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson put up numbers -- and it hasn't translated to wins. Getting JPP also saves the club from having to give Mario Williams $50 million guaranteed last offseason.
10) Jacksonville Jaguars
Pick:Tyson Alualu, DT
Do-over:Geno Atkins, DT
Alualu has not done enough in his young career to merit being picked 10th overall, that we know for sure. Instead, the Jaguars fill their need at defensive tackle with Atkins -- a player whose performance is worthy of such lofty status. Atkins was awesome last year, posting 12.5 sacks from the interior as well as being named to a certain prestigious All-Under-25 team.
11) San Francisco 49ers
Pick:Anthony Davis, OT
Do-over: Victor Cruz, WR
Why not draft the guy who decimated your secondary in the 2011 NFC Championship Game? That's what I always say. The 49ers were thisclose to beating the Giants and earning a berth in Super Bowl XLVI; Cruz would have been huge for a San Francisco team that went 1-for-13 on third downs in that game. Instead, he caught 10 passes for 142 yards for the other side. Cruz has put up consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, and he certainly would have represented an upgrade for the Niners' receiving corps.
12) San Diego Chargers
Pick:Ryan Mathews, RB
Do-over:Trent Williams, OT
The Chargers' 2010 season was as frustrating as it gets: San Diego ranked No. 1 in total offense AND defense, despite GM A.J. Smith engaging in bitter contract-related battles with left tackle Marcus McNeill and receiver Vincent Jackson. Ultimately, these issues became distractions, and the club went 9-7 -- missing the playoffs. Mathews was (and has been) of little help, losing too many games to injury. Williams, meanwhile, has become a solid left tackle, a guy who could've stepped in for McNeill and preemptively solved what has become the team's biggest need in 2013.
13) Philadelphia Eagles
Pick:Brandon Graham, DE
Do-over:Russell Okung, OT
Graham's career has gotten off to a slow start -- at this stage, the team would be much better off with a player of Okung's caliber plugged in at tackle. Okung certainly would give whoever plays quarterback this season in Philadelphia a better chance to stay upright in Chip Kelly's offense.
14) Seattle Seahawks
Pick:Earl Thomas, S
Do-over:Daryl Washington, LB
Seattle did itself right by grabbing Thomas at No. 14 in the 2010 NFL Draft. Yet, in this re-do, he's no longer available, having gone to the Chiefs at fifth overall. Thus, Seattle takes Washington to become the replacement for Lofa Tatupu, who hasn't played in the league since 2010. Seattle could play Washington outside or inside. Also, Pete Carroll could have spent his second-round pick in 2012 (Bobby Wagner) on another position -- though Wagner and Washington (who is completely underrated) would be awesome together.
15) New York Giants
Pick:Jason Pierre-Paul, DE
Do-over:Gerald McCoy, DT
Since Pierre-Paul has already been snatched up by the Bills, the Giants are left to take another big body to rotate up front. Make that a bigger body; in McCoy, New York gets a unique interior presence who instantly upgrades the middle of coordinator Perry Fewell's defense. The Giants have won two Super Bowls partially due to their D-line rotation; McCoy provides the unit with a shot in the arm.
16) Tennessee Titans
Pick:Derrick Morgan, DE
Do-over:Maurkice Pouncey, C
While Morgan hasn't done much, Pouncey is a solid center who would've parked Eugene Amano on the bench. Moreover, Pouncey's presence in the middle certainly could have curbed the decline in Chris Johnson's production since his 2,000-yard season in 2009.
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17) San Francisco 49ers
Pick:Mike Iupati, OG
Do-over: Same
Iupati has developed into an elite-level guard for a power-running football team. Done and done.
18) Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick:Maurkice Pouncey, C
Do-over:C.J. Spiller, RB
Pouncey is no longer available in our 2010 NFL Draft re-do, so the Steelers take the steal of this imaginary draft in Spiller, who drops from ninth to 18th because of the various needs and circumstances facing the teams above. Spiller, who rushed for 1,244 yards last season, took a while to develop to the point where he could grasp both pass-protection concepts and overall scheme. Still, on draft day, Spiller and his 5.4 yards per carry are just too much for the Steelers to ignore.
19) Atlanta Falcons
Pick:Sean Weatherspoon, LB
Do-over:Kareem Jackson, CB
The Falcons tried once before to get a Texans corner who could cover, but that experiment failed. So now they steal Jackson one pick before he originally went to Houston.
20) Houston Texans
Pick:Kareem Jackson, CB
Do-over:Eric Berry, S
If not for the development of Thomas DeCoud and William Moore at safety, the Falcons probably would have taken Berry. Instead, one of the prizes of this draft class falls to Houston. Berry would have kept Houston from spending free-agent dollars on Ed Reed. He also would have been a huge help in 2010, when the Texans finished last in pass defense.
21) Cincinnati Bengals
Pick:Jermaine Gresham, TE
Do-over:Aaron Hernandez, TE
Gresham is no bust, but is he as big a difference-maker as Hernandez? No. The Bengals fill the same need they addressed in 2010 with a player who's been more productive -- recording more catches, yards and touchdowns -- while appearing in fewer games. And, don't forget: Hernandez isn't even the primary tight end in the New England Patriots' offense.
22) Denver Broncos
Pick:Demaryius Thomas, WR
Do-over:Jimmy Graham, TE
Thomas was scooped up by the Browns 15 picks ago, so the Broncos go in a slightly different direction -- actually, just inside a bit -- by taking a tight end who can catch the ball over the middle or play outside the numbers, just like D.T. Even during a "down" 2012 campaign in New Orleans, Graham caught 85 passes for 982 yards and nine touchdowns.
23) Green Bay Packers
Pick:Bryan Bulaga, OT
Do-over:Sean Lee, LB
Both Bulaga and Lee have had injury problems thus far. At this stage, however, Lee has been the better player. So general manager Ted Thompson makes a move, replacing A.J. Hawk with Lee ... and then trying to secure Bulaga's talents in the second round. Thompson has to worry about the Arizona Cardinals (picking 26th) and the St. Louis Rams (who eventually took tackle Rodger Saffold 33rd overall), but even if he loses out on Bulaga, the GM gets an impact player on a defense that sorely needs one up the middle. Despite Green Bay's O-line deficiencies, picking Lee reflects both a "needs-based" and a "best player available" mentality.
24) Dallas Cowboys
Pick:Dez Bryant, WR
Do-over:Kam Chancellor, S
The Raiders already selected Bryant eighth overall; now the Cowboys have been further jock-blocked by the Packers, who snapped up Sean Lee. Thus, Dallas FINALLY gets a safety who can play -- their first since Darren Woodson hung 'em up nine years ago.
25) Denver Broncos
Pick:Tim Tebow, QB
Do-over:Eric Decker, WR
It's safe to say that the most famous 25th overall pick in NFL history hasn't lived up to his first-round status, so this time, Denver drafts Decker. Yes, No. 87 went 87th overall to these same Broncos in 2010, but with the benefit of hindsight, what are the chances NFL teams would let Decker -- who caught 13 touchdown passes in 2012 -- slip that far again?
26. Arizona Cardinals
Pick:Dan Williams, DT
Do-over:Bryan Bulaga, T
Arizona was abysmal when it came to protecting the quarterback last season, allowing 58 sacks -- seven more than the next closest team. Taking Bulaga is not the sexy pick; it's the right one.
27. New England Patriots
Pick:Devin McCourty, CB
Do-over:Reshad Jones, S
New England has gone through its fair share of safeties since Rodney Harrison retired. Jones made both our All-Under 25 Team and our All-Underrated Team. McCourty was a solid pick, but right now Jones is more of an impact player, recording 94 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and four interceptions last year. He also recovered two fumbles. How did he not make the Pro Bowl? Because that game is pure silliness.
28. Miami Dolphins
Pick:Jared Odrick, DL
Do-over:Antonio Brown, WR
OK, so what if Brown was drafted here? He, Brian Hartline and Davone Bess would make a nice trio, allowing the front office to save the many millions it's giving Mike Wallace. This would've been a frugal move, drafting Brown ... correct?
29. New York Jets
Pick:Kyle Wilson, CB
Do-over:Devin McCourty, CB
Wilson has had, at best, a mediocre career. McCourty's play might not be at an All-Pro level, but it's far superior to Wilson's. McCourty has ranked among the top eight cornerbacks in two of the past three seasons (2010 and 2012).
30. Detroit Lions
Pick:Jahvid Best, RB
Do-over:Carlos Dunlap, DE
This is an easy choice. Dunlap would have been an upgrade to Kyle Vanden Bosch over the past three seasons and would ease the pain of the Cliff Avril departure.
31. Indianapolis Colts
Pick:Jerry Hughes, DE
Do-over:Jon Asamoah, G
If you watched Andrew Luck run for his life last season, then you can see why adding a guard here makes sense. Luck escaped a lot of sacks with his tricky mobility, but in games like the Week 15 loss to Houston (sacked five times), Luck barely had time to think on some dropbacks. Asamoah is a solid, if not spectacular, young guard who can start for years to come.
32. New Orleans Saints
Pick:Patrick Robinson, CB
Do-over:Ben Tate, RB
Interesting selection here, I know, but keep an open mind. By taking Ben Tate here, New Orleans could've avoided spending a first-round pick on Mark Ingram in 2011. Instead, they could have taken Bruce Carter, Kyle Rudolph, Rahim Moore, Torrey Smith, or Randall Cobb instead. Just saying.
Follow Elliot Harrison on Twitter _@HarrisonNFL_
