Hindsight is 20/20. This is especially true in the NFL, where personnel (and in-game) decisions are heavily scrutinized.
This draft do-over is less about second-guessing general managers, owners, and head coaches -- though I will point out picks that seemed like reaches at the time. My primary focus is a re-imagining of what could be if those decision-makers had a chance to re-draft this class based on players' success and current team needs.
I'll post a series of draft do-overs this week, with 2011 on Monday, 2012 on Tuesday, 2013 today, 2014 on Thursday and 2015 on Friday.
1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Pick:Eric Fisher
Do-over:DeAndre Hopkins
Fisher hasn't played up to the level of a No. 1 overall pick, while Hopkins is shredding secondaries all over the league. His 1,521 yards and 11 scores last season put him into the elite receiver category, even though his "slow" 40-yard dash supposedly limited his upside coming out of Clemson.
2. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Pick:Luke Joeckel
Do-over:Desmond Trufant
3. MIAMI DOLPHINS
Pick:Dion Jordan
Do-over:Le'Veon Bell
Yes, Bell has had injury issues with the Steelers but his luck has to change eventually, right? When healthy, he's one of the top backs in the game and the Dolphins must replace Lamar Miller to keep their offense balanced.
4. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Pick:Lane Johnson
Do-over: Same
Johnson was a late bloomer at the offensive tackle position, but he's been a very good player for the Eagles. He'll anchor the line whenever Jason Peters decides to retire.
5. DETROIT LIONS
Pick:Ezekiel Ansah
Do-over: Same
"Ziggy" has 30 sacks in three years with the Lions, the most of any member of this draft class. No need for them to change it up here.
6. CLEVELAND BROWNS
Pick:Barkevious Mingo
Do-over:Sheldon Richardson
Mingo's sack numbers fell from five in 2013 to two in 2014 to zero last season. At this point, the Browns would rather have Richardson tearing up offensive lines as a five-technique.
7. ARIZONA CARDINALS
Pick:Jonathan Cooper
Do-over:Tyrann Mathieu
It's hard to blame teams for not picking Mathieu this high in the draft originally, as his off-field issues made them skeptical of his ability to stay on the straight and narrow. His ability as a playmaker was always evident, however, and Arizona's coaches have gotten the most out of him early in his career. Cooper couldn't win a starting job, so the Cards sent him to New England (along with a second-round pick) this spring for defensive end Chandler Jones.
8. RAMS
Pick:Tavon Austin
Do-over:Keenan Allen
Austin has been a solid player for the Rams, but he probably should have been picked a bit later in the first round as a complementary piece. Allen, though, would have put up at least 1,300 receiving yards in 2015 as the Chargers' downfield home-run hitter if he hadn't suffered a lacerated kidney halfway through the season. That's the sort of threat the Rams need.
9. NEW YORK JETS
Pick:Dee Milliner
Do-over:Jamie Collins
10. TENNESSEE TITANS
Pick:Chance Warmack
Do-over:Kawann Short
Pairing Short with Jurrell Casey inside gives the Titans one of the best defensive tackle duos in the NFL. Warmack has been an average starter during his time in Tennessee.
11. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Pick:D.J. Fluker
Do-over:Tyler Eifert
Antonio Gates is nearing the end of his great career. The Chargers would benefit from a young talent like Eifert to complement him in 2016 and lead the tight end group going forward.
12. OAKLAND RAIDERS
Pick:D.J. Hayden
Do-over:Kenny Vaccaro
Charles Woodson retired after a Hall of Fame career with the Raiders and Packers. Vaccaro's play makes him the best fit at this pick given the large vacancy Woodson leaves.
13. NEW YORK JETS
Pick:Sheldon Richardson
Do-over:Alec Ogletree
Richardson would be the pick if he hadn't been wrestled away earlier. Ogletree has the ability to play outside for the Jets, or step inside to team up with David Harris.
14. CAROLINA PANTHERS
Pick:Star Lotulelei
Do-over:Justin Pugh
Lotulelei's production has decreased over each of his first three seasons, and now the Panthers are wondering whether he's the nose tackle of the future. The team's offensive line is still wondering what hit them in the Super Bowl, and Pugh's toughness would have been nice to have against that vaunted Broncos pass rush.
15. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Pick:Kenny Vaccaro
Do-over:Kyle Long
Jahri Evans has left the building, and Long's best position is guard. It's a perfect fit.
16. BUFFALO BILLS
Pick:EJ Manuel
Do-over:D.J. Fluker
There aren't any defensive line or linebacker fits for the Bills available here, so they attempt to strengthen the offensive line with Fluker, who can play tackle or guard.
17. PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pick:Jarvis Jones
Do-over:Terron Armstead
Jones has yet to become a difference-maker for the Steelers, so they'll be looking for a breakout season from him before exercising his fifth-year option. Armstead has quietly become one of the league's top left tackles. This move instantly improves the sturdiness of Pittsburgh's offensive line.
18. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Pick:Eric Reid
Do-over: Same
Reid did not have any interceptions last season after picking off seven over his first two years, but San Francisco still might want his leadership and skill set in the secondary.
19. NEW YORK GIANTS
Pick:Justin Pugh
Do-over:Travis Kelce
Combining a pass-catcher like Kelce on the inside with Odell Beckham outside spells trouble for opposing defenses.
20. CHICAGO BEARS
Pick:Kyle Long
Do-over:Eddie Lacy
Chicago has been on the wrong side of a couple of 100-yard performances from Lacy since he joined the Packers. I'm sure they would rather see him pounding the Green and Gold defense.
21. CINCINNATI BENGALS
Pick:Tyler Eifert
Do-over:Zach Ertz
San Diego poached Eifert in this exercise, so now the Bengals can choose between Ertz and Jordan Reed to replace their starting tight end. Ertz is a better all-around blocker/receiver, so I'll go that direction.
22. ATLANTA FALCONS
Pick:Desmond Trufant
Do-over:Jordan Reed
Having an athletic tight end like Reed at his disposal would remind Matt Ryan of the fun he had throwing to Tony Gonzalez early in his career.
23. MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Pick:Sharrif Floyd
Do-over: Same
Floyd's a consistent threat to affect the passing game from the interior. The Vikings need that threat to maximize their defensive potency.
24. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Pick:Bjoern Werner
Do-over:Travis Frederick
Andrew Luck just got a lot more comfortable in the pocket with the addition of Frederick.
25. MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Pick:Xavier Rhodes
Do-over:Tavon Austin
At this point in the first round, Austin makes more sense as an inside threat that plays off Stefon Diggs, Charles Johnson, and, presumably, whomever the Vikings draft early this April.
26. GREEN BAY PACKERS
Pick:Datone Jones
Do-over:David Bakhtiari
Bakhtiari wasn't loved by Packers fans until they saw what happened when he wasn't in the lineup. The three-year starter deserved to go no lower than Round 2 in 2013, instead of waiting until the fourth round to be picked, but now he lays claim to a top-32 slot in this do-over.
27. HOUSTON TEXANS
Pick:DeAndre Hopkins
Do-over:Latavius Murray
It's not hard to see Murray operating in the Texans' offense, as he looked like Arian Foster at times during his 1,000-yard season for the Raiders in 2015. Houston found a flat-out steal in Hopkins this late in 2012's first round.
28. DENVER BRONCOS
Pick:Sylvester Williams
Do-over:Manti Te'o
Te'o hasn't been a world-beater for the Chargers, but his instincts and grit would be appreciated in the middle of a Broncos defense that lost Danny Trevathan this offseason.
29. MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Do-over:Logan Ryan
Xavier Rhodes is unseated by Ryan, who handles his responsibilities in coverage (11 career interceptions) and against the run very well. Patterson's size and athleticism has not translated to the NFL so far, other than as a kick returner (four career touchdowns). He had two catches for 10 yards last season.
30. RAMS
Pick:Alec Ogletree
Do-over:Darius Slay
The Rams used their franchise tag on Trumaine Johnson and let fellow starter Janoris Jenkins walk. Slay is a great replacement for Jenkins, as the Lions' top defender has become the type of smooth but tough cover guy teams desire.
31. DALLAS COWBOYS
Pick:Travis Frederick
Do-over:Terrance Williams
If given the chance to pick between Williams, Robert Woods, and Kenny Stills, I'm thinking the Cowboys would stick with their original third-round selection out of Baylor. He set career highs with 52 catches and 840 yards last season, and should be even better this season if Tony Romo returns to full health.
32. BALTIMORE RAVENS
Pick:Matt Elam
Do-over:Chance Warmack
Both Warmack and Lions starter Larry Warford would be good picks here, but I'll go with Warmack as the ultimate road grader to replace Kelechi Osemele on the Ravens' front line.
Follow Chad Reuter on Twitter _@chadreuter_.
