The 2018 NFL Draft has come back into focus this postseason with three of the five quarterbacks drafted in the first round still alive in the playoffs.
So, where would they wind up if NFL teams could have a do-over?
We kept any trade in place if it occurred before the draft began. Any trade executed during the draft was reversed.
1. Cleveland Browns: QB Josh Allen
Original Pick: QB Baker Mayfield
The Browns are definitely taking a quarterback here, and it was difficult to pick between Allen, Mayfield and Lamar Jackson. Ultimately, Allen had the best season in 2020, so we went with him. Recency bias.
2. New York Giants: QB Lamar Jackson
Original pick: RB Saquon Barkley
The Giants waited a year to grab their quarterback of the future, Daniel Jones. It turns out, Jackson would have been the smarter pick one year earlier.
3. Indianapolis Colts: G Quenton Nelson
Original pick: Traded to Jets for 6th, 37th, 49th overall picks, 2019 second-round pick. New York took QB Sam Darnold.
The Colts traded down and took Nelson three picks later in real life. The three-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection is worthy of a top-five pick. And remember, 2018 was pre-Andrew Luck retirement. So, Mayfield stays on the board.
4. Cleveland Browns (from Houston Texans): WR Calvin Ridley
Original pick: CB Denzel Ward
Allen and Ridley? Yeah, that will do. Ridley was a monster in 2020 with 90 catches for 1,374 yards with nine touchdowns in 15 games while dealing with some injuries.
The Browns acquired this pick from the Texans during the 2017 NFL Draft in the deal that netted Houston QB Deshaun Watson.
5. Denver Broncos: QB Baker Mayfield
Original pick: LB Bradley Chubb
Mayfield might not fit John Elway’s height requirements, but he nets the Broncos a franchise quarterback.
6. New York Jets: DB Minkah Fitzpatrick
Original pick: Traded to Colts (see No. 3 overall pick). Indianapolis took G Quenton Nelson.
The Jets will wait on a quarterback since Sam Darnold hasn’t proven worthy of a top 10 or first-round pick. Fitzpatrick is a playmaker with 13 takeaways in the last two years.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Vita Vea
Original pick: Traded to Bills along with 255th overall pick for Buffalo’s 12th, 53rd and 56th overall picks. Bills took QB Josh Allen.
The Buccaneers took Vea five picks later in real life. They’ll gladly take him here to ensure they have a dominant force in the middle of their defense.
8. Chicago Bears: LB Roquan Smith
Original pick: LB Roquan Smith
Smith has worked out well for the Bears, so there’s no reason to deviate.
9. San Francisco 49ers: LB Fred Warner
Original pick: OT Mike McGlinchey
The 49ers got a steal in Warner when they drafted him in the third round. They’ll make him a top 10 pick in this re-draft.
10. Las Vegas Raiders: OT Orlando Brown Jr.
Original pick: Traded to Cardinals for Arizona’s 15th, 79th and 152nd overall picks. Arizona took QB Josh Rosen.
Brown has earned two Pro Bowl nods for the Ravens and can play left and right tackle. The Raiders took Kolton Miller later in the real draft. Brown has been the better player.
11. Miami Dolphins: LB Darius Leonard
Original pick: S Minkah Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick didn’t work out for the Dolphins, so they traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he’s found a ton of success. The Dolphins take Leonard, a three-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl selection.
12. Buffalo Bills (from Cincinnati Bengals): RB Saquon Barkley
Original pick: Traded to Buccaneers (see No. 7 overall pick). Tampa Bay took DT Vita Vea.
Barkley has dealt with injuries early in his NFL career and isn’t worth the second overall pick. But he still has the potential to be one of the best and most versatile running backs in the NFL.
The Bills acquired this pick from the Cincinnati Bengals along with the 187th overall pick for OT Cordy Glenn and the 21st and 158th overall picks.
13. Washington Football Team: WR D.J. Moore
Original pick: DT Daron Payne
Moore is a versatile playmaker with two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Payne has been solid but unspectacular for WFT.
14. Green Bay Packers: CB Jaire Alexander
Original pick: Traded to Saints for New Orleans’ 27th and 147th overall picks and a 2019 first-round pick. Saints took DE Marcus Davenport.
The Packers grabbed Alexander four picks later in real life. He was a nice find and made his first All-Pro team and Pro Bowl in 2020.
15. Arizona Cardinals: OT Mike McGlinchey
Original pick: Traded to Raiders (see No. 10 overall pick). Raiders took OT Kolton Miller.
McGlinchey has been one of the NFL’s better right tackles since entering the NFL. Needless to say, the Cardinals will not be taking Josh Rosen again.
16. Baltimore Ravens: TE Mark Andrews
Original pick: Traded to Bills along with 154th overall pick for Buffalo’s 22nd and 65th overall picks. Bills took LB Tremaine Edmunds.
The Ravens did well selecting Andrews in the third round of the draft. They’ll have to take the Pro Bowler off the board earlier here.
17. Los Angeles Chargers: S Derwin James
Original pick: S Derwin James
James missed the 2020 season with a torn meniscus. The Chargers should still be happy to have 2018 All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection on their squad.
18. Seattle Seahawks: OT Kolton Miller
Original pick: Traded to Packers along with 248th overall pick for Green Bay’s 27th, 76th, and 186th overall picks. Packers took CB Jaire Alexander.
Do the Seahawks ever not need offensive line help? Left tackles with Miller’s skill deserve to be selected in the first round.
19. Dallas Cowboys: CB Denzel Ward
Original pick: LB Leighton Vander Esch
Ward might have been a slight reach at fourth overall, but he’s still worthy of a first-round pick. Vander Esch’s injuries have been concerning.
20. Detroit Lions: C Frank Ragnow
Original pick: C Frank Ragnow
Ragnow was named a second-team All-Pro and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2020.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (from Buffalo Bills): S Jessie Bates
Original pick: C Billy Price
The Bengals grabbed Bates in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was named to his first All-Pro team in 2020. Price has been a bit of a first-round bust.
The Bengals acquired this pick from the Bills along with the 158th overall pick and OT Cordy Glenn for the 12th and 187th overall picks.
22. Buffalo Bills (from Kansas City Chiefs): LB Tremaine Edmunds
Original pick: Traded to Ravens (see No. 16 overall pick). Baltimore traded this and the 215th overall pick to the Titans for Tennessee’s 25th and 125th overall picks. Titans took LB Rashaan Evans.
The Bills were able to wait a little bit longer to grab Edmunds in our re-draft. He’s a two-time Pro Bowl selection but has not graded out especially well on Pro Football Focus.
The Bills acquired this pick from the Chiefs during the 2017 NFL Draft in the deal that netted Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes.
23. New England Patriots (from Los Angeles Rams): CB JC Jackson
Original pick: OT Isaiah Wynn
The Patriots signed Jackson as an undrafted free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. He’s gone on to become one of the best ballhawks in the league. Wynn still looks like the Patriots’ future left tackle, but he’s played just 37.5 percent of games since entering the NFL.
The Patriots acquired this pick from the Rams for WR Brandin Cooks.
24. Carolina Panthers: WR Courtland Sutton
Original pick: WR D.J. Moore
The Panthers weren’t able to get Moore, but they’ll settle for Sutton, who missed most of the 2018 season with a torn ACL but put together a 1,000-yard season in 2019.
25. Tennessee Titans: LB Bradley Chubb
Original pick: Traded to Ravens (see No. 22 overall pick). Baltimore took TE Hayden Hurst.
It turns out the Broncos had a pretty good draft seeing Sutton and Chubb go back to back in our do-over. Chubb was a Pro Bowl selection in 2020 with 7.5 sacks.
26. Atlanta Falcons: RB Nick Chubb
Original pick: WR Calvin Ridley
And now the Falcons will take Bradley Chubb’s cousin, Nick Chubb, who’s been one of the NFL’s best running backs for three straight seasons.
27. New Orleans Saints: CB Darious Williams
Original pick: Traded to Packers (see 14th overall pick). Green Bay traded this pick to the Seahawks (see No. 18 overall pick). Seattle took RB Rashaad Penny.
Maybe we’re overreacting to Williams’ 2020 campaign, but the 2018 undrafted free agent was one of the NFL’s most consistent cornerbacks in 2020.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers: S Terrell Edmunds
Original pick: S Terrell Edmunds
Edmunds was considered a reach but has worked out well for the Steelers, so they’ll grab him here again.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars: DT Poona Ford
Original pick: DT Taven Bryan
Bryan was a miss at 29th overall, whereas Ford was an absolute steal as an undrafted free agent who now finds himself in the first round.
30. Minnesota Vikings: OT Brian O’Neill
Original pick: CB Mike Hughes
Hughes has started just seven games in his NFL career. O’Neill, who was selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Vikings, is one of the NFL’s top right tackles.
31. New England Patriots: WR D.J. Chark
Original pick: RB Sony Michel
Michel is a decent player who will compete with Damien Harris for the Patriots’ starting running back job in 2021. Wide receivers are more valuable, and Chark earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019 with the Jaguars. He would add some speed and playmaking ability in New England. The Patriots can take a running back (maybe Michel) later.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: TE Dallas Goedert
Original pick: Traded to Ravens along with the 132nd overall pick for Baltimore’s 52nd and 125th overall picks and a 2019 second-round pick. Baltimore took QB Lamar Jackson.
The Eagles have to take Goedert a round earlier in our re-draft. He was a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing Eagles team in 2020.
Payne, Wynn, offensive tackle Braden Smith and outside linebacker Harold Landry are among the best players who didn’t get taken in our re-draft.
