2003 NFL Draft Re-Mock

This is a 2003 NFL Draft Re-Mock, just in case you missed the big blue letters up top. I'm going back to 2003 and re-distributing all of the 2003 NFL Draft prospects to all of the teams in the 2003 NFL Draft order. This 2003 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 2003.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Tony Romo, QB, Eastern Illinois
   Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Carson Palmer, QB
   My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Carson Palmer, QB
   
   Funny that an undrafted player from this class would be the first pick in the 2003 NFL Draft if we had to do things over again. The Bengals were desperate for a franchise quarterback, but knowing what we know now, they would definitely pick Tony Romo over Carson Palmer - though there's no telling how great Palmer could have been if he didn't suffer that gruesome injury in a playoff loss to Pittsburgh back in January 2006.
   
   
2. Detroit Lions: Andre Johnson, WR, Miami
   Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Charles Rogers, WR
   My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Charles Rogers, WR
   
   Leave it to Matt Millen to draft a receiver who tested positive for an "undisclosed supplement" at the Combine. Knowing what we know now, what are the odds that this was weed? 1:4,000?
   
   I'd love to give Detroit a franchise quarterback in Carson Palmer, but they have too much money invested in Joey Harrington at this point. Instead, the Lions can have the receiver they should have drafted in the first place.
   
   
3. Houston Texans: Jordan Gross, OT, Utah
   Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Andre Johnson, WR
   My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Andre Johnson, WR
   
   Thanks to the Lions, Houston loses out on Andre Johnson. But maybe this is a blessing in disguise. With this pick, Charley Casserly can do something he should have done in the first place - protect David Carr. With Jordan Gross shielding his blind side, perhaps Carr wouldn't be waking up in the middle of the night right now and crapping his pants after having nightmares about defensive ends smashing him into pieces.
   
   
4. New York Jets: Kevin Williams, DT, Oklahoma State
   Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Dewayne Robertson, DT
   My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Dewayne Robertson, DT
   
   Right position, wrong player. The Jets drafted Dewayne Robertson to play next to Jason Ferguson back when they ran a 4-3 defense. Imagine how dominant the quartet of Ferguson, Shaun Ellis, John Abraham and Kevin Williams would have been - exactly what the Jets would have needed to defeat Tom Brady.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Dallas Cowboys: Carson Palmer, QB, USC
   Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Terrence Newman, CB
   My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Terrence Newman, CB
   
   Quincy Carter was Dallas' starting quarterback in 2003, so this pick's a no-brainer. And perhaps Carson Palmer doesn't suffer that terrible knee injury in the NFC playoffs.
   
   
6. Arizona Cardinals: Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, California
   Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Bryant Johnson, WR and Calvin Pace, DE - Trade down with Saints
   My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Terrell Suggs, DE
   
   The Cardinals passed on local product Terrell Suggs, traded down and picked up two mediocre players. Ah, remember when they used to suck?
   
   One of Arizona's starting corners in 2003 was some bum named Levar Fisher. Think Nnamdi Asomugha would have been an upgrade?
   
   
7. Minnesota Vikings: Anquan Boldin, WR, Florida State
   Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Kevin Williams, DT
   My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Jimmy Kennedy, DT
   
   Cris Carter had moved on, so Daunte Culpepper had no one to throw to back in 2003 besides Randy Moss - which makes his 3,479 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions pretty impressive. Now, imagine if Culpepper had Moss and Anquan Boldin. NFC North corners would have been epically debaclized.
   
   
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Terrell Suggs, DE, Arizona State
   Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Byron Leftwich, QB
   My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Byron Leftwich, QB
   
   As you all know, Jacksonville struggled to get to the quarterback in 2009. Well, this wasn't a new phenomenon; the team's starting defensive ends combined for just 9.5 sacks in 2003. Fail. Why can't they fix this problem?
   
   
   
   
   
9. Carolina Panthers: Troy Polamalu, SS, USC
   Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Jordan Gross, OT
   My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Marcus Trufant, CB
   
   Mike "After Dinner" Minter was a solid player for the Panthers, but perhaps they would have stopped Tom Brady on one of those second-half drives in the Super Bowl with Troy Polamalu in the defensive backfield.
   
   
10. Baltimore Ravens: Terence Newman, CB, Kansas State
    Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Terrell Suggs, DE and Kyle Boller, QB (trade up into Round 1)
    My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Kyle Boller, QB
    
    Let's save Brian Billick from the infamous Kyle Boller pick that led to his firing. Instead, the Ravens can have another shutdown cornerback across from Chris McAlister.
    
    
11. Seattle Seahawks: Marcus Trufant, CB, Washington State
    Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Marcus Trufant, CB
    My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Kevin Williams, DT
    
    My top available player is Marcus Trufant. The Seahawks chose Trufant in the 2003 NFL Draft. Happy time.
    
    
12. St. Louis Rams: Leigh Bodden, CB, Duquesne
    Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Jimmy Kennedy, DT
    My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Jordan Gross, OT
    
    I vividly remember Jimmy Kennedy announcing the following after being drafted No. 12 by the Rams in 2003: "We're going to win the Super Bowl." Yeah, OK.
    
    People forget how good Leigh Bodden was with the Browns. Chad Ochocinco once said Bodden was the best corner he ever went up against. Bodden struggled in Detroit because Matt Millen foolishly put him into the wrong system. But Bodden rebounded very well last year in New England, earning a 4-year, $22 million deal.
    
    
    
    
    
13. Chicago Bears: Osi Umenyiora, DE, Troy
    Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Michael Haynes, DE
    My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Johnathan Sullivan, DT
    
    If you thought Jacksonville's pass rush was bad, the Bears' starting defensive ends combined for eight sacks in 2003. Osi Umenyiora was a great defensive end before a knee injury in the 2008 preseason derailed his career.
    
    
14. New England Patriots: Ty Warren, DE/DT, Texas A&M
    Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Ty Warren, DE/DT
    My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Willis McGahee, RB
    
    Duplicate pick No. 2. The Patriots actually swapped picks with the Bears and obtained Ty Warren at No. 13. I guess they really liked him.
    
    
15. San Diego Chargers: Antonio Gates, TE, Kent State
    Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Sammy Davis, CB
    My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Eric Steinbach, G
    
    Sammy Davis? Who? At any rate, this Antonio Gates pick is funny because the Chargers signed him as an undrafted free agent. Yet, he's one of the top available players at this juncture, so they have to draft him here.
    
    
16. Kansas City Chiefs: Larry Johnson, RB, Penn State
    Actual 2003 NFL Draft Pick: Larry Johnson, RB
    My 2003 NFL Mock Draft Pick: Andre Woolfolk, CB
    
    Hmm... Larry Johnson or Andre Woolfolk? Andre Woolfolk or Larry Johnson? Something tells me the Chiefs made the right move here. Unfortunately, Herm Edwards would go on to ruin Johnson's career, but that's another story.
    
    
    
    Go to 2003 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


2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock