2017 NFL Draft do-over: Deshaun Watson goes No. 1 to Browns

Each first-round draft pick provides the chance to change your team's trajectory. It also can end up being a regrettable decision, much like that late-night drive-thru run after an evening of revelry. (Which, of course, precedes the hazy, late-night impulse purchase on NFL Shop where you unexpectedly end up with a Jay Cutler throwback on your doorstep seven to 10 working days later. Oh, wait -- I don't regret that at all.)

But today, I would love to give every team a do-over from last year's draft. And who wouldn't want that kind of hindsight?

NOTE: For the purposes of this exercise, I worked off the draft order that we had ENTERING the first round of last year's event -- before a series of draft-night trades mucked things up.

As is tradition, we lead off with the quarterback the Browns should have selected. Is 2018 the year the Browns do the right thing? Nah. They'll go Saquon Barkley at No. 1 and Bradley Chubb at No. 4, only to trade back into the first to take Mason Rudolph. Sorry, I'm projecting.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M. 
</content:power-ranking>

I'm going to assume the 49ers still end up with Jimmy G (I know, this time travel stuff is weird -- try pragmatically thinking your way through the "Back to the Future" movies), so it makes sense to go with the biggest impact player on the defensive side of the ball. But in this redo, you don't get the Bears' picks.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford (at No. 3 overall following trade with Bears). 
</content:power-ranking>

Did I make a YouTube video complaining about this pick in the aftermath? I did. Do I regret it now? I do. Are rhetorical questions the laziest of the writing devices? Sure are. But Mitch can play.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina (at No. 2 overall following trade with 49ers). 
</content:power-ranking>

Alvin Kamara and Kareem Hunt might be better all-around backs, but Fournette fits better with Doug Marrone's smashmouth style.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU. 
</content:power-ranking>

Tennessee's actual pick, Corey Davis, has potential at receiver, but Lattimore is a true difference maker on defense.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan. 
</content:power-ranking>

Jamal Adams was a great pick. But the Jets have longed for a quarterback since the Chad Pennington era. Mahomes brings some excitement and, you know, is a quarterback.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Jamal Adams, S, LSU. 
</content:power-ranking>

The Chargers are loaded at the cornerback position, and Adams would make L.A.'s defensive secondary absolutely (wait for it) great. Ah, I'm just kidding. Electric. The Chargers' secondary would be electric.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Mike Williams, WR, Clemson. 
</content:power-ranking>

I'm torn here. McCaffrey was a pretty good player for the Panthers in Year 1. And you wonder if Kamara would have had the same impact if he landed in Charlotte. But watching Kamara last year, he looked like the better back.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford. 
</content:power-ranking>

This might be a reach. But there is something so Bengals-like about drafting a guy who crushed it for the Steelers.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 John Ross, WR, Washington. 
</content:power-ranking>

Well it was a better deal nabbing White at No. 27 after trading down last year, for sure. But guess what? You missed the Happy Hour pricing and you have to take him here.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU (at No. 27 overall following trade with Chiefs). 
</content:power-ranking>

Lattimore and Kamara -- two picks from New Orleans' epic 2017 draft haul -- are already gone. But Hunt would have a similar impact to Kamara.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State. 
</content:power-ranking>

The eventual replacement for Joe Thomas.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan (at No. 25 overall following trade with Texans). 
</content:power-ranking>

Davis played well in his brief Year 1 time with the Titans and gives the Cardinals a much-needed presence opposite Larry Fitzgerald.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Haason Reddick, LB, Temple. 
</content:power-ranking>

So many things went right for the Eagles in 2017, including this pick right here. So there is no need to change it at all.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee. 
</content:power-ranking>

This was a pretty good pick for the Colts. Injuries cost Hooker, but he's going to be great in Indy for a long time.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State. 
</content:power-ranking>

The Ravens have seemingly never hit on a receiver in the draft. The Steelers seem to never miss.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama. 
</content:power-ranking>

The Redskins need help up the middle on defense. The best DT on the board (Dalvin Tomlinson) might not be the best fit in a 3-4, so we'll go with Davis in this spot.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama. 
</content:power-ranking>

The Titans lost just Sylvester Williams, but Tomlinson would be there to fill a need. Can you imagine this defense with Lattimore and Tomlinson from last year?

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC. 
</content:power-ranking>

The Bucs have needed a running back for some time. And had he stayed healthy, Cook might have been the best rookie back last season.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama. 
</content:power-ranking>

All right: The thought of Lil' McCaffrey playing for the Broncos is a visual that is just too good to pass up. And with the recent release of C.J. Anderson, it's clear the Broncos favor running backs who can catch.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Garett Bolles, OT, Utah. 
</content:power-ranking>

The Lions haven't been shy about taking tight ends in the first round. Even if it cost them Odell Beckham Jr. and Aaron Donald in the 2014 NFL Draft. But Engram would replace Ebron this year.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida. 
</content:power-ranking>

You have Cameron Wake and traded for Bobby Quinn, but I don't see how you go wrong getting more pass rushers.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Charles Harris, DE, Missouri. 
</content:power-ranking>

The Giants need offensive line help. I mean, they could use a lot of things, but let's start with the line.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss. 
</content:power-ranking>

If you watched the Raiders attempt to play defense last year, you know corner was a screaming need. Humphrey was one of the best rookie CBs last year.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State. 
</content:power-ranking>

Houston could use some help up front. Freeney was especially effective as a road-grader who should help whomever is running for the Texans this year.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson (at No. 12 overall following trade with Browns). 
</content:power-ranking>

The Seahawks snatched up Griffin in the third round last year, but will have to take him here in the first. He'll headline as the leader of the recast Legion of Boom. I just get worried about reboots, though.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State (at No. 34 overall following multiple trades down). 
</content:power-ranking>

This is why you don't pay too much attention to the NFL Scouting Combine, people. King, a fifth-round pick one year ago, would replace Marcus Peters.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech (at No. 10 overall following trade with Bills). 
</content:power-ranking>

I hear the Cowboys could use a receiver. I mean, if they don't sign that Dez Bryant guy in free agency, of course.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan. 
</content:power-ranking>

The NFC North is the premier offensive division in football (yeah, that checks out) and it's important to add as many defensive playmakers as possible.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Kevin King, CB, Washington (at No. 33 overall following trade with Browns). 
</content:power-ranking>

The Steelers need a safety. Jackson goes in the first here, after the Bears absolutely stole him in the fourth of the real 2017 draft. I'm old enough to remember when the Steelers did stuff like that.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 T.J. Watt, Edge, Wisconsin. 
</content:power-ranking>

I don't know -- I feel like you can't have too many big-bodied receivers for Matt Ryan to ignore.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Takkarist McKinley, Edge, UCLA (at No. 26 overall following trade with Seahawks). 
</content:power-ranking>

Good lord, the Saints had an amazing draft last year. Here they get to hold on to one of their own.

 <strong>Actual pick:</strong> 
 Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin. 
</content:power-ranking>

Follow Adam Rank on Twitter @AdamRank.