NFL draft: 2009 re-do
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike Wallace, WR, Ole Miss
Actual pick: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
This pick could’ve gone a lot of different ways, but I chose to go with the best overall playmaker on the board. Wallace is crazy fast and can score from anywhere on the field. I would take Wallace over Percy Harvin here because of Harvin’s injury (and migraine) issues – although Wallace hasn’t been completely consistent throughout his career, he’s been able to stay healthy, unlike Harvin.
18. Denver Broncos
B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
Actual pick: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
Terrance Knighton wasn’t a day one pick in 2009, but he really stepped up late last year into the playoffs. He’s already off the board at this point. While Raji isn’t a defensive end like Ayers, the Broncos’ original pick, he would give the Broncos what Knighton has been giving them.
19. Philadelphia Eagles
Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
Actual pick: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
Maclin’s gone, so Harvin is the pick. When healthy, Harvin is one of the league’s most explosive players and one of the most exciting to watch. Put him in Chip Kelly’s offense right now – along with LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles – and I would not be a happy camper as a Redskins fan.
20. Detroit Lions
Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan
Actual pick: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
The Lions got Delmas later in the draft, but he wouldn’t fall that far again. Pettigrew isn’t bad, but safety was more of a need and until the Lions let him go in free agency, Delmas was a very good player in the box and was adequate in pass defense.
21. Cleveland Browns
Alex Mack, C, California
Actual pick: same
Mack is definitely better than the 21st-best player in this draft – he’s probably top 10. But there’s not much value in centers these days, and teams picking in the top 20 had other needs. For the Browns, there’s no reason not to pick him here.
22. Minnesota Vikings
Sebastian Vollmer, OT, Houston
Actual pick: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
The Vikings should build a wall in front of Adrian Peterson and draft Vollmer. Guys like Vollmer and Nate Solder are key in Tom Brady’s success, as much as experts hate to admit it – he would help with run and pass blocking.
23. Baltimore Ravens
T.J. Lang, OT, Eastern Michigan
Actual pick: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
Michael Oher is a great feel-good story – “The Blind Side” culminated in his being drafted by the Ravens. But unfortunately it didn’t work out in the long term with Oher and the Ravens. Instead, Baltimore gets a better tackle in T.J. Lang.
24. Atlanta Falcons
Paul Kruger, LB, Utah
Actual pick: Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
Atlanta needs pass rush help badly, and Jerry did not pan out for the team. Kruger was instrumental in the Ravens’ Super Bowl run in 2012, and he would greatly help the Falcons’ pass rush and run defense.