I approach a draft do-over as an opportunity to draft for the same, exact team that selected players back in 2011, so that means staying true to their team needs and philosophies from that time as closely as I can.
If this were a re-ordering of talent from that draft, it would likely be a cleaner exercise because then it would be a matter of assigning value to each player and stacking them like I might do with a draft board. Tyron Smith is an elite left tackle and it's hard to argue that he isn't one of the three most coveted players to come out of 2011, but can I put him inside the top three of a re-draft based on the rest of the talent in this scary-good draft?
That's an example of just one of the tough questions I was confronted with as I completed this exercise. Here's how I see the 2011 draft playing out in a do-over:
Note: Click through the tabs above to see draft do-overs for other years.
1) Panthers: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
Original pick: Newton
Hard to say the Panthers would do anything other than take Cam in this spot.
2) Broncos: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
Original pick: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M.
Watt was drafted: Round 1, No. 11 overall by the Texans.
One could argue the Broncos would sit tight with Miller, but Watt is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
3) Bills: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
Original pick: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama.
Miller was drafted: Round 1, No. 2 overall by the Broncos.
The Bills would be more than happy to take an edge-bending rush specialist like Miller in this spot.
4) Bengals: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Original pick: Green.
After last season, an argument could be made for Julio Jones here, but Green's body of work is so substantial that he sticks.
5) Cardinals: Tyron Smith, OT, USC
Original pick: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU.
Smith was drafted: Round 1, No. 9 overall by the Cowboys.
In all likelihood, an elite left tackle like Tyron Smith would actually go inside the top three, but we'll put him with Arizona here.
6) Falcons: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
Original pick: Jones.
Atlanta moved up aggressively to target Julio Jones in 2011, and they will do the same in this redo.
7) 49ers: Justin Houston, DE, Georgia
Original pick: Aldon Smith, OLB, Missouri.
Houston was drafted: Round 3, No. 70 overall by the Chiefs.
The 49ers coveted Smith, so why not give them another pass rusher who has been productive and stayed out of trouble?
8) Titans: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
Original pick: Jake Locker, QB, Washington.
Peterson was drafted: Round 1, No. 5 overall by the Cardinals.
9) Cowboys: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
Original pick: Tyron Smith, OT, USC.
Quinn was drafted: Round 1, No. 14 overall by the Rams.
In a draft loaded with pass rushers, the Cowboys find an edge specialist for their 4-3 front.
10) Jaguars: Richard Sherman, CB, Stanford
Original pick: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri.
Sherman was drafted: Round 5, No. 154 overall by the Seahawks.
Sherman's "lack of speed" hurt him in 2011, but in the redraft, the Jags know that his skill level trumps speed.
11) Texans: Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple
Original pick: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin.
Wilkerson was drafted: Round 1, No. 30 overall by the Jets.
Houston's defensive coordinator at the time, Wade Phillips, wanted size and disruption up front. Wilkerson has provided both.
12) Vikings: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
Original pick: Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State.
Dareus was drafted: Round 1, No. 3 overall by the Bills.
Dareus slides a bit thanks to a loaded draft class, but the talented defensive tackle finds a home in Minnesota.
13) Lions: Chris Harris, CB, Kansas
Original pick: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn.
Harris was drafted: Harris went undrafted.
Detroit was in desperate need of a cornerback, and Harris would have been a good fit.
14) Rams: Jurrell Casey, DE, USC
Original pick: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina.
Casey was drafted: Round 3, No. 77 overall by the Titans.
Casey is a high-motor, disruptive force up the field, which is what the Rams were looking for from their defensive line.
15) Dolphins: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma
Original pick: Mike Pouncey, C, Florida.
Murray was drafted: Round 3, No. 71 overall by the Cowboys.
Miami needed a running back who could bang and control a game and they landed a good one here with Murray.
16) Redskins: Ryan Kerrigan, LB, Purdue
Original pick: Kerrigan.
Kerrigan has been a "Steady Eddie" off the edge since the Redskins took him in 2011. Let's keep him here.
17) Patriots: Pernell McPhee, DE, Mississippi State
Original pick: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado.
McPhee was drafted: Round 5, No. 165 overall by the Ravens.
McPhee is a good fit for New England thanks to his hybrid ability as a defensive end/rush linebacker.
18) Chargers: Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal
Original pick: Corey Liuget, DE, Illinois.
Jordan was drafted: Round 1, No. 24 overall by the Saints.
Jordan fits the Chargers' 3-4 scheme and is a quality rusher out of that 5-technique spot.
19) Giants: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
Original pick: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska.
Solder was drafted: Round 1, No. 17 overall by the Patriots.
This won't be a sexy selection, but the Giants needed a tackle here and Solder has been a solid pro.
20) Buccaneers: Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
Original pick: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa.
Sheard was drafted: Round 2, No. 37 overall by the Browns.
Tampa Bay sticks with a defensive end. Sheard should be able to create some pressure on third downs.
21) Browns: K.J. Wright, LB, Mississippi State
Original pick: Phillip Taylor, DT, Baylor.
Wright was drafted: Round 3, No. 99 overall by the Seahawks.
Wright has become a tackling machine and a rock-solid leader. Cleveland should race this card up.
22) Colts: Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
Original pick: Castonzo.
One could argue the original selection was just "meh" here, but he's still Indy's starting LT, so the Colts make the same pick here.
23) Eagles: Mike Pouncey, C, Florida
Original pick: Danny Watkins, G, Baylor.
Pouncey was drafted: Round 1, No. 15 overall by the Dolphins.
The Eagles added Jason Kelce in a later round, so why not take the best center here?
24) Saints: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
Original pick: Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal.
Heyward was drafted: Round 1, No. 31 overall by the Steelers.
Heyward would give the Saints a hybrid defender who could play outside or inside and is tough against the run.
25) Seahawks: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
Original pick: James Carpenter, OT, Alabama.
Smith was drafted: Round 1, No. 27 overall by the Ravens.
Seattle loves big cornerbacks with good length, and that is Jimmy Smith.
26) Chiefs: Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
Original pick: Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh.
Ayers was drafted: Round 2, No. 39 overall by the Titans.
Then-defensive coordinator, Romeo Crennel, would have found unique opportunities to deploy Ayers in the KC defense.
27) Ravens: Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky
Original pick: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado.
Cobb was drafted: Round 2, No. 64 overall by the Packers.
Baltimore lacked speed at receiver, but instead of doubling down on Torrey Smith, we'll take a dynamic slot receiver here.
28) Saints: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
Original pick: Ingram.
Ingram got off to a slow start with the Saints, but his success over the last few years will keep him in this spot.
29) Bears: Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland
Original pick: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin.
Smith was drafted: Round 2, No. 58 overall by the Ravens.
The Bears needed a speedy outside receiver to pair with Jay Cutler and help stretch defenses. Smith fits that bill.
30) Jets: Orlando Franklin, OT, Miami
Original pick: Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple.
Franklin was drafted: Round 2, No. 46 overall by the Broncos.
The Jets needed a guard badly at this point, and Franklin could have been a Day One starter with a move down inside to guard.
31) Steelers: Marcus Gilbert, OT, Florida
Original pick: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State.
Gilbert was drafted: Round 2, No. 63 overall by the Steelers.
Basically, we're just bumping up the Steelers' second-round pick from 2011 into the first round as he's performed well.
32) Packers: Julius Thomas, TE, Portland State
Original pick: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State.
Thomas was drafted: Round 4, No. 129 overall by the Broncos.
Before you mention Jermichael Finley, keep in mind he had been a bit of a disappointment over his first three seasons.
Follow Lance Zierlein on Twitter @LanceZierlein.
