NFL draft redux: Ranking the 14 classes from 2000-13
There are no do-overs when it comes to the NFL draft.
But at times, there aren't a ton of options when it comes to making draft picks. If you screw it up in a weak draft year (relatively speaking), it doesn't have the same consequences of committing mistakes in a strong draft class.
So, when looking back upon the respective drafts from 2000-13, how would things be different, in hindsight?
Yes, we're going to draft ... drafts. Or draft classes, anyway.
Bad decision-making won't be punished -- if players end up being great in the fifth round, so be it -- but drafts with more first-round picks to make a Pro Bowl will be rewarded.
And like the league itself, a great quarterback draft might get a bit of a bump over one that's not as QB-heavy, but still very deep.
But maybe that depth will give some drafts a bump over others. So, let's rank the various classes of that era -- 1 through 14.
1 -- 2004
Pro Bowlers: 31 (15 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Eli Manning (No. 1 overall), Larry Fitzgerald (No. 3), Philip Rivers (No. 4), Sean Taylor (No. 5), Kellen Winslow II (No. 6), Roy Williams (WR) (No. 7), DeAngelo Hall (No. 8), Ben Roethlisberger (No. 11), Jonathan Vilma (No. 12), Tommie Harris (No. 14), Will Smith (No. 18), Vince Wilfork (No. 21), Steven Jackson (No. 24), Jason Babin (No. 27)
Karlos Dansby (second round), Chris Snee (second round), Bob Sanders (second round), Darnell Dockett (third round), Chris Hardwick (third round), Chris Cooley (third round), Matt Schaub (third round), Shaun Phillips (fourth round), Jerricho Cotchery (fourth round), Jared Allen (fourth round)
Final Verdict: You want success rate? Well, seven of the top eight overall picks went to at least one Pro Bowl (Robert Gallery going No. 2 overall was the lone exception). And this is arguably the best quarterback draft class since 1983 (Marino, Elway, Kelly).
Manning, Rivers and Roethlisberger are or have been three of the best quarterbacks in the league practically since their arrival. Matt Schaub in the third round? Yeah. Some franchise-changers on this list, like Wilfork, or even Snee, who was so key for the Giants. Jared Allen in the fourth? Stop it.
2 -- 2001
Pro Bowlers: 34 (17 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Michael Vick (No. 1 overall), LaDainian Tomlinson (No. 5), Richard Seymour (No. 6), Santana Moss (No. 16), Steve Hutchinson (No. 17), Casey Hampton (No. 19), Reggie Wayne (No. 30), Drew Brees (No. 32)
Chad Johnson (second round), Kris Jenkins (second round), Matt Light (second round), Adrian Wilson (third round), Steve Smith, Sr. (third round), Chris Weinke (fourth round), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (seventh round)
Final Verdict: The top of this draft was special. Brees, Vick, Tomlinson, Wayne -- those players have been staples of the league for a long time now, and plenty of later-round picks went on to have great careers. The quarterback picks certainly worked out very well, and though there was no depth after that, the 17 Pro Bowl first-rounders helps tip the scales 2001's way.
3 -- 2006
Pro Bowlers: 37 (16 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Mario Williams (No. 1 overall), Reggie Bush (No. 2), Vince Young (No. 3), D'Brickashaw Ferguson (No. 4), Vernon Davis (No. 6), Donte Whitner (No. 8), Matt Leinart (No. 10), Jay Cutler (No. 11), Haloti Ngata (No. 12), Antonio Cromartie (No. 19), Tamba Hali (No. 20), Johnathan Joseph (No. 24), Santonio Holmes (No. 25), DeAngelo Williams (No. 27), Nick Mangold (No. 29)
DeMeco Ryans (second round), D'Qwell Jackson (second round), Roman Harper (second round), Greg Jennings (second round), Devin Hester (second round), Maurice Jones-Drew (second round), Jason Hatcher (third round), Owen Daniels (fourth round), Jahri Evans (fourth round), Stephen Tulloch (fourth round), Brandon Marshall (fourth round), Elvis Dumervil (fourth round), Antoine Bethea (sixth round), Cortland Finnegan (seventh round)
Final Verdict: It was considered earth-shattering for Houston to pick Williams over Bush, or even Young. It turned out fine for the Texans, as neither Bush nor Young was probably worth as much to them as Williams has been.
Some guys went a bit high, obviously, but a lot of these players are guys who are still in the league playing at a reltaively high level, and a lot of steals there, including Dumervil in the fourth and even a game-changer like Hester in the second.
Young, Leinart and Cutler all went in the top 11 and all have had their moments, especially Cutler. They weren't the types of busts that other high picks have been at QB, so tough to punish this class a lot for that.
4 -- 2003
Pro Bowlers: 35 (13 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Carson Palmer (No. 1 overall), Andre Johnson (No. 3), Byron Leftwich (No. 7), Jordan Gross (No. 8), Kevin Williams (No. 9), Terrell Suggs (No. 10), Marcus Trufant (No. 11), Ty Warren (No. 13), Troy Polamalu (No. 16), Willis McGahee (No. 23), Dallas Clark (No. 24), Larry Johnson (No. 27), Nnamdi Asomugha (No. 31)
Charles Tillman (second round), Rashean Mathis (second round), Drayton Florence (second round), Anquan Boldin (second round), Osi Umenyiora (second round), Lance Briggs (third round), Jason Witten (third round), Nate Burleson (third round), Terrence McGee (fourth round), Asante Samuel (fourth round), Ike Taylor (fourth round), Robert Mathis (fifth round), David Diehl (fifth round), Dan Koppen (fifth round), David Tyree (sixth round), Yeremiah Bell (sixth round)
Final Verdict: From 2000-13, only the 2006 class has more total Pro Bowlers. Just look at that list. Some of the best wide receivers and defensive players of the last decade or so came from this draft, and the second and third rounds read like a first round from any other year.
The sheer depth of this class alone is enough to set it apart, in spite of the quarterback struggles (Palmer had a good career prior to injuries, Leftwich had a solid career but neither Kyle Boller nor Rex Grossman were worth first-round picks and they were chosen 19th and 22nd, respectively).
5 -- 2007
Pro Bowlers: 33 (16 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: JaMarcus Russell (No. 1 overall), Calvin Johnson (No. 2), Joe Thomas (No. 3), LaRon Landry (No. 6), Adrian Peterson (No. 7), Patrick Willis (No. 11), Marshawn Lynch (No. 12), Darrelle Revis (No. 14), Brady Quinn (No. 22), Dwayne Bowe (No. 23), Brandon Meriweather (No. 24), Jon Beason (No. 25), Joe Staley (No. 28), Greg Olsen (No. 31)
Kevin Kolb (second round), LaMarr Woodley (second round), Ryan Kalil (second round), James Jones (third round), Charles Johnson (third round), Brandon Mebane (third round), Dashon Goldson (fourth round), Brent Celek (fifth round)
Final Verdict: The quarterbacks are going to punish this class, perhaps a bit unfairly. But the quarterbacks -- Russell, who was a colossal bust, and Quinn -- are bad. Kolb had some nice moments, but everyone below that was somewhere between backup and bad.
However, Calvin Johnson and Adrian Peterson are two of the best ever at their position, and Willis isn't far behind. Lynch has been the force behind a Seahawks team that nearly went back to back, Revis is still one of, if not the, best corner in the NFL and Greg Olsen is a great tight end.
6 -- 2005
Pro Bowlers: 31 (13 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Alex Smith (No. 1 overall), Ronnie Brown (No. 2), Braylon Edwards (No. 3), Pacman Jones (No. 6), Antrel Rolle (No. 8), DeMarcus Ware (No. 11), Shawne Merriman (No. 12), Thomas Davis (No. 14), Derrick Johnson (No. 15), Aaron Rodgers (No. 24), Jason Campbell (No. 25), Roddy White (No. 27), Heath Miller (No. 30), Logan Mankins (No. 32)
Lofa Tatupu (second round), Vincent Jackson (second round), Frank Gore (second round), Channing Crowder (third round), Justin Tuck (third round), Richie Incognito (third round), Kyle Orton (fourth round), Brandon Jacobs (fourth round), Darren Sproles (fourth round), Chris Canty (fourth round), Trent Cole (fifth round), Chris Harris (sixth round), Derek Anderson (sixth round), Jay Ratliff (seventh round), Matt Cassell (seventh round)
Final Verdict: Ah yes, the draft where Aaron Rodgers got away. But it should also be known for Ware and Merriman, two of the better defensive players in the last 10 years or so, plus the depth in the second and third rounds, which is absurd.
Sproles, a game-changer for the Saints, went in the fourth round! Alex Smith wasn't a great No. 1 overall pick, but he eventually found his way, and Rodgers has been great. Campbell was solid for a time, Mankins solidified the Patriots' line, Gore was a great back (still is) and even Anderson and Cassell have started in the league. Deep, quality draft.
7 -- 2010
Pro Bowlers: 32 (16 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Sam Bradford (No. 1 overall), Ndamukong Suh (No. 2), Gerald McCoy (No. 3), Eric Berry (no. 5), Russell Okung (No. 6), Joe Haden (No. 7), C.J. Spiller (No. 9), Earl Thomas (No. 14), Jason Pierre-Paul (No. 15), Mike Iupati (No. 17), Maurkice Pouncey (No. 18), Demaryius Thomas (No. 22), Dez Bryant (No. 24), Tim Tebow (No. 25)
Rob Gronkowski (second round), Golden Tate (second round), Emmanuel Sanders (third round), NaVorro Bowman (third round), Jimmy Graham (third round), Aaron Hernandez (fourth round), Geno Atkins (fourth round), Kam Chancellor (fourth round), Riley Cooper (fifth round), Greg Hardy (sixth round), James Starks (sixth round), Antonio Brown (sixth round)
Final Verdict: The quarterbacks somewhat unfairly drag this class down -- Bradford has been injury-plagued, Tebow has been...well, just not an NFL quarterback, probably, Jimmy Clausen was disastrously chosen in the second round and guys like Colt McCoy and Mike Kafka went in the top four rounds.
But look at the rest of those names! Suh and McCoy are two of the best defensive linemen in the league, and Berry and Thomas are great at their respective positives. Thomas and Bryant (not to mention Gronkowski and Hernandez) are or have been been game-changers as pass-catchers (Hernandez is now a convicted murderer, but when he was on the field, he had an impact) and some later-round guys were enormous steals. Clausen
8 -- 2011
Pro Bowlers: 23 (13 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Cam Newton (No. 1 overall), Von Miller (No. 2), Marcell Dareus (No. 3), A.J. Green (No. 4), Patrick Peterson (No. 5), Julio Jones (No. 6), Aldon Smith (No. 7), Jake Locker (No. 8), Blaine Gabbert (No. 10), J.J. Watt (No. 11), Christian Ponder (No. 12), Nick Fairley (No. 13), Robert Quinn (No. 14), Mike Pouncey (No. 15), Ryan Kerrigan (No. 16), Mark Ingram (No. 28)
Andy Dalton (second round), Colin Kaepernick (second round), Shane Vereen (second round), Torrey Smith (second round), Randall Cobb (second round), DeMarco Murray (third round), Stevan Ridley (third round), Julius Thomas (fourth round), Richard Sherman (fifth round), Jason Kelce (sixth round)
Final Verdict: Sherman going in the FIFTH ROUND might be reason enough for this draft to be bumped up a few spots. What this draft lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality, as the top seven picks have all made at least one Pro Bowl.
Locker and Gabbert were busts as first-round QBs, but Newton has been very good and Dalton and Kaepernick have been as well as second-rounders. Those are three NFL starters at quarterback, plus franchise-changers like Watt, Miller, Green, Smith, and guys among the best at their positions as recently as last year in Murray and Thomas.
9 -- 2000
Pro Bowlers: 28 (14 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: LaVar Arrington (No. 2 overall), Jamal Lewis (No. 5), Plaxico Burress (No. 8), Brian Urlacher (No. 9), John Abraham (No. 13), Chad Pennington (No. 18), Shaun Alexander (No. 19), Keith Bulluck (No. 30)
Chad Clifton (second round), Laveranues Coles (third round), Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (fifth round), Dante Hall (fifth round), Marc Bulger (sixth round), Tom Brady (sixth round)
Final Verdict: Kicker Sebastian Janikowski worked out great for the Raiders...except he was taken in the first round. Is any kicker first-round worthy? That's certainly doubtful. The first quarterback taken was Chad Pennington, who had a very solid career but nothing spectacular.
Arrington, Urlacher, Abrham, Bulluck and Alexander were great players, and of course Tom Brady certainly paid off as a sixth-round steal for the Patriots. Some very good players up top, but not a ton of depth.
10 -- 2008
Pro Bowlers: 24 (10 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Jake Long (No. 1 overall), Chris Long (No. 2), Matt Ryan (No. 3), Darren McFadden (No. 4), Jerod Mayo (No. 10), Ryan Clady (No. 12), Jonathan Stewart (No. 13), Branden Albert (No. 15), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (No. 16), Joe Flacco (No. 18), Aqib Talib (No. 20), Rashard Mendenhall (No. 23), Chris Johnson (No. 24), Duane Brown (No. 26)
Jordy Nelson (second round), Matt Forte (second round), DeSean Jackson (second round), Calais Campbell (second round), Ray Rice (second round), Martellus Bennett (second round), Earl Bennett (third round), Jamaal Charles (third round), Jermichael Finley (third round), Carl Nicks (fifth round), Justin Forsett (seventh round)
Final Verdict: Just 10 of the first-round picks made a Pro Bowl. And beyond the first few rounds, there wasn't much there. Linemen went first and second overall, which was necessary -- and both have been very good, but it's not as "sexy" as a QB-heavy draft.
Still, Ryan and Flacco have been very good, and the Packers got a steal in Nelson while the Bears added Bennett that year. Three of the better running backs of the late 2000's in Mendenhall, Rice and Johnson.
11 -- 2009
Pro Bowlers: 22 (9 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Matthew Stafford (No. 1 overall), Mark Sanchez (No. 5), B.J. Raji (No. 9), Michael Crabtree (No. 10), Knowshon Moreno (No. 12), Brian Orakpo (No. 13), Brian Cushing (No. 15), Josh Freeman (No. 17), Jeremy Maclin (No. 19), Percy Harvin (No. 22), Michael Oher (No. 23), Vontae Davis (No. 25), Clay Matthews (No. 26)
Patrick Chung (second round), Rey Maualuga (second round), Jairus Byrd (second round), Conner Barwin (second round), LeSean McCoy (second round), Mike Wallace (third round)
Final Verdict: Since 2000, only two draft classes have had fewer first-round Pro Bowlers -- and those are the 2012 and 2013 classes, which still have plenty of time to make up for that. Just ONE of the first eight selections have been to a Pro Bowl (Stafford), and just two of the first 12. That is ... not what you have in mind.
This draft is characterized by disappointments and bad decisions. Beanie Wells went 31st. Donald Brown went 27th. Pat White went in the second round! Stafford has been fine in Detroit, but Sanchez probably wasn't worth the No. 5 pick and Freeman hasn't been the No. 17 pick, either.
12 -- 2012
Pro-Bowlers: 14 (6 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Andrew Luck (No. 1 overall), Robert Griffin III (No. 2), Trent Richardson (No. 3), Matt Kalil (No. 4), Ryan Tannehill (No. 8), Luke Kuechly (No. 9), Dontari Poe (No. 11), Bruce Irvin (No. 15), Melvin Ingram (No. 18), Brandon Weeden (No. 22), Doug Martin (No. 31)
Janoris Jenkins (second round), Stephen Hill (second round), Alshon Jeffrey (second round), Bobby Wagner (second round), Olivier Vernon (third round), Russell Wilson (third round), Nick Foles (third round), T.Y. Hilton (third round), Kirk Cousins (fourth round), Alfred Morris (sixth round)
Final Verdict: Luck is a franchise quarterback, and Wilson is too -- even though Seattle got him in the third. Foles is very good, and Tannehill has been solid. But Weeden was a disaster, and RGIII has had his share of issues after a great rookie season (though is plenty talented).
But after quarterbacks? Not much there.
Hilton was a steal in the third. And the six first-round picks to make a Pro Bowl are way too few right now; for the sake of perspective, it's too early to judge 2014 and four picks from that class made a Pro Bowl last year alone. So.
13 -- 2002
Pro Bowlers: 20 (10 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: David Carr (No. 1 overall), Julius Peppers (No. 2), Joey Harrington (No. 3), Quentin Jammer (No. 5), Bryant McKinnie (No. 7), Roy Williams (DB) (No. 8), Dwight Freeney (No. 11), Jeremy Shockey (No. 14), Albert Haynesworth (No. 15), Ed Reed (No. 24)
Clinton Portis (second round), Antwaan Randle El (second round), Brian Westbrook (third round), Chris Hope (third round), David Garrard (fourth round), Scott Fujita (fifth round), Aaron Kampman (fifth round), Brett Keisel (seventh round)
Final Verdict: Of the really solid early-2000's run in the Draft, the lone exception was this class. The 10 Pro Bowl appearances by first-round picks are tied for the fewest between 2000-08.
There's some solid depth here, including guys like Freeney, Peppers, Reed and even Westbrook, but the spectacular flop of the quarterbacks stands out. Just one of the top six picks made a Pro Bowl (Peppers) and both Carr and Harrington certainly didn't live up to their high draft status.
14 -- 2013
Pro Bowlers: 7 (5 First-Rounders)
Notable Players: Eric Fisher (No. 1 overall), Ezekiel Ansah (No. 5), Tavon Austin (No. 8), Sheldon Richardson (No. 13), EJ Manuel (No. 16), Eric Reid (No. 18), Cordarrelle Patterson (No. 29)
Giovani Bernard (second round), Manti Te'o (second round), Geno Smith (second round), Kiko Alonso (second round), Le'Veon Bell (second round), D.J. Swearinger (second round), Eddie Lacy (second round), Mike Glennon (third round), Keenan Allen (third round), Jelani Jenkins (fourth round)
Final Verdict: It's early yet, but the 2014 Draft already has nearly caught the 2013 Draft in first-round Pro-Bowlers, and is more than halfway to catching them in overall Pro-Bowlers. That's not ideal.
Fisher didn't work out as the No. 1 pick, Dion Jordan was just suspended for a year for violation of the league's drug policy (he went No. 3 overall), etc. The first Pro Bowler in this draft was the No. 13 overall pick, Sheldon Richardson. Tavon Austin has been very good for the Rams, and some other players have dealt with injuries, but the first quarterback taken was EJ Manuel and the second was Geno Smith.
It's entirely possible that none of the quarterbacks from this draft will be NFL starters when the season begins.