2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock

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This is a 2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock, just in case you missed the big blue letters up top. I'm going back to 2002 and re-distributing all of the 2002 NFL Draft prospects to all of the teams in the 2002 NFL Draft order. This 2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock is based on how these players have performed in their careers, as well as the needs each team had back in 2002.

Houston Texans: Julius Peppers, DE, North Carolina
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: David Carr, QB
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: David Carr, QB
Needs: All

David Carr was the right pick at the time. Unfortunately, Charley Casserly refused to draft linemen to protect him or a potent running back for him to hand off to (Casserly took Jabar Gaffney instead of Clinton Portis in the second round of this draft). It didn't help that Carr waited 10 seconds to get rid of the football on every play.

Four years later, the Texans will shock the world by taking Mario Williams first overall. With Julius Peppers on the team, maybe they can pass on Williams, and draft Reggie Bush or Vince Young... guess things worked out after all. Just took a while.
Carolina Panthers: Dwight Freeney, DE, Syracuse
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Julius Peppers, DE
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Julius Peppers, DE
Needs: QB, OT, DE, RB, CB, OG, LB

Same position, different player. This Carolina Panther team had a ton of holes, including the defensive end position. Mike Rucker had nine sacks in 2001, but no other player had more than four. Dwight Freeney registered double-digit sacks in his first four seasons in the NFL.
Detroit Lions: Ed Reed, FS, Miami
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Joey Harrington, QB
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Quentin Jammer, CB
Needs: CB, LB, OG, WR, TE, DE

Maybe the Lions should have stayed away from Joey Harrington once they heard he was into caviar and piano-playing. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Taking safeties in the top three usually isn't a good idea, but Ed Reed is no ordinary safety. Detroit's free safety in 2002? Brian Walker.
Buffalo Bills: Albert Haynesworth, DT, Tennessee
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Mike Williams, OT
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Bryant McKinnie, OT
Needs: RT, DT, SS, LB

For the Lions, I had them going Quentin Jammer over Joey Harrington. For the Bills, I had them taking Bryant McKinnie over Mike Williams. Maybe I'm not a complete idiot after all.

This pick has to be Albert Haynesworth, especially when you consider that Buffalo started Shawn Price and Leif Larsen next to Pat Williams in 2001. Haynesworth would be No. 1 based on how he's played the last two seasons, but it concerns me that he's only been dominant in his contract years; he wasn't great before 2007.
San Diego Chargers: Sheldon Brown, CB, South Carolina
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Quentin Jammer, CB
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Mike Williams, OT
Needs: CB, WR, OG, RT, TE, C

Mike Williams at No. 5? OK, maybe I am an idiot.

It really amazes me that Sheldon Brown has never made the Pro Bowl. Brown is one of the top corners in the NFL; in fact, he surrendered only one touchdown in 2008, a fade to Larry Fitzgerald in the NFC Championship, which Nnamdi Asomugha couldn't have stopped.
Kansas City Chiefs: John Henderson, DT, Tennessee
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Ryan Sims, DT
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Albert Haynesworth, DT
Needs: DT, WR, OG, QB

It's amazing that this Chiefs team passed on both John Henderson and Albert Haynesworth in favor of Ryan Sims. Imagine how good this team would have been if it had a dominant defensive tackle to complement its high-powered offense.
Minnesota Vikings: Bryant McKinnie, OT, Miami
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Bryant McKinnie, OT
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Phillip Buchanon, CB
Needs: OT, OG, FS, LB, CB

The Vikings got this pick right. Bryant McKinnie has been far from great in pass protection, but he a monstrous run-blocker, as Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor can both tell you. Considering Minnesota's offensive tackles were Brad Badger and Chris Liwienski, the team definitely needed an upgrade here.
Dallas Cowboys: Aaron Kampman, DE, Iowa
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Roy Williams, SS
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Donte' Stallworth, WR
Needs: CB, TE, DT, DE, FS, WR

Aaron Kampman was drafted in the fifth round, but the Cowboys could have used him; right end Peppi Zellner managed just three sacks in 2001. By the way, no Brian Westbrook or Clinton Portis here because the Cowboys considered Troy Hambrick (wow, what happened to him?) their star running back of the future.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Westbrook, RB, Villanova
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: John Henderson, DT
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: John Henderson, DT
Needs: RB, OG, S, LB, DE, DT, WR, TE

Fred Taylor played just two games in 2001, and at that point in his career, he was considered really unreliable. Brian Westbrook would have been a great complement. Fortunately, Jacksonville found one a few years later in Maurice Jones-Drew.
Cincinnati Bengals: Quentin Jammer, CB, Texas
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Levi Jones, OT
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Joey Harrington, QB
Needs: CB, QB, OG, OT, C, TE, DE

By the way, I'm taking these team needs off About.com. In their 2002 NFL Mock Draft, the explanation for projecting Phillip Buchanon here: "The Bengals need serious help in their secondary!"

Wow. Sounds super serial.
Indianapolis Colts: Alex Brown, DE, Florida
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Dwight Freeney, DE
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Ryan Sims, DT
Needs: DL, DB

No Dwight Freeney, but Alex Brown could have displaced Brad Scioli as Indianapolis' left end.

By the way, About.com no longer has needs for teams 11-32, so I'm just going off the team's 2001 depth chart.
Arizona Cardinals: Clinton Portis, RB, Miami
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Wendell Bryant, DT
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Roy Williams, SS

Wendell Bryant? The Cardinals should have just passed.

Clinton Portis should be a lot higher than this, but the demand for running backs just wasn't there. Well, it's there in Arizona, where Michael Pittman averaged less than four yards per carry in 2001. Thomas Jones was also on the roster, but at that point in his career, he was considered a bust. He couldn't even beat out Michael freaking Pittman.
New Orleans Saints: Jeremy Shockey, TE, Miami
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Donte' Stallworth, WR
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Wendell Bryant, DT

Well, at least they have Jeremy Shockey now, right? New Orleans tight ends Cam Cleeland and Lamont Hall combined for 15 receptions, 153 yards and four touchdowns in 2001.
New York Giants: Charles Grant, DE, Georgia
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Jeremy Shockey, TE
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Levi Jones, OT

At the time, the Giants had no one across from Michael Strahan. Strahan was coming off his record-setting, 22.5-sack campaign. Meanwhile, right end Kenny Holmes had just 3.5 sacks in 16 starts.
Tennessee Titans: Jermaine Phillips, SS, Georgia
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: Albert Haynesworth, DT
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Ashley Lelie, WR

Jermaine Phillips hasn't been a great safety as a pro, but he's definitely been solid. Still, he's a huge upgrade over what the Titans had at the position in 2001. Perry Phenix? Aric Morris? I'm guessing they didn't stick around for long.
Cleveland Browns: Chester Taylor, RB, Toledo
Actual 2002 NFL Draft Pick: William Green, RB
My 2002 NFL Mock Draft Pick: William Green, RB

Who would have thought that Chester Taylor would emerge as the better running back over William Green? Green is one of the greatest epic failures in recent NFL Draft history.

Go to 2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock: Picks 17-32

Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I've received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwith.

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2006 NFL Draft Re-Mock

2005 NFL Draft Re-Mock

2004 NFL Draft Re-Mock

2003 NFL Draft Re-Mock