PML 2023 Ultimate First Round Re-Draft!
Hindsight is 22/22 today as we re-do the first round of the 2023 PML Draft with the knowledge of players’ stats and dev traits!
1 TEN
OG Pick: QB Bryce Young [SS]
Re-Draft: QB DJ Uiagalelei [SS]
The Titans traded up to draft a QB, but knowing the dev traits and stats now, I think DJ was the true #1 QB of the draft due to his physical advantages.
2 SF
OG Pick: CB Eli Ricks [S]
Re-Draft: EDGE Will Anderson Jr [SSXF]
Boutte vs Anderson is a debate here, but what is not up for debate is whether Eli Ricks still belongs at #2. He doesn’t. Anderson is a generational pass rusher to pair with Nick Bosa.
3 BAL
OG Pick: WR Kashon Boutte [S]
Re-Draft: WR Kashon Boutte [S]
You can grant a SS or XF player here, but 96 speed for a WR with above average route running off the bat is like built-in SS abilities in itself. Plus Baltimore did trade Hollywood Brown for this pick.
4 NYJ
OG Pick: EDGE Will Anderson Jr [SSXF]
Re-Draft: CB Kelee Ringo [SS]
The Jets get Ringo to pair with Stingley in the secondary, that would be an amazing duo. Ringo comes off the bat as SS and already with the ability to lock down a team’s WR2 or even WR1 when left on an island.
5 MIN
OG Pick: CB Kelee Ringo [SS]
Re-Draft: QB Bryce Young [SS]
Bryce’s slide ends here, as Minnesota in this alternate universe drafts an elite young QB instead of trading for Joe Burrow after the draft.
6 CIN
OG Pick: QB DJ Uiagellei [SS]
Re-Draft: QB Anthony Richardson [N]
Here’s a shocker for you. Knowing Cincinnati was ready to move on from Joe Burrow for a more athletic and strong armed QB, Anthony Richardson skyrockets to #6! The Bengals have the option to let Richardson sit behind Burrow for a season or let him play through the pain as the Colts did.
7 CIN
OG Pick: HB Bijan Robinson [S]
Re-Draft: ROLB Drew Sanders [SSXF]
Robinson was the highest OVR player from this draft but didn’t feel like he made a noticeable imprint on the Bengals in his rookie campaign. The only other XF in the class, Drew Sanders comes in as a great run defender with room to grow as a pass rusher.
8 HOU
OG Pick: DT Bryan Bresee [SS]
Re-Draft: DT Bryan Bresee [SS]
No reason to pivot from the original pick here, Bresee was a plesant surprise at #8 in the real draft and is once again in the re-draft for Houston.
9 CLE
OG Pick: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba [S]
Re-Draft: DE Myles Murphy [SS]
While the Ohio State WR had a fantastic rookie campaign, Myles Murphy can enter Cleveland with the defensive versatility to play inside or as an edge rusher on the opposite side of Myles Garrett for a scary 1-2 punch.
10 CAR
OG Pick: TE Darnell Washington [S]
Re-Draft: FS Gurvan Hall Jr [SS]
Carolina would have a lot of fun with Hall Jr and the versatility he brings at safety. Hall paired up with fellow safety Jeremy Chinn is something the NFC South is happy they don’t have to worry about.
11 NYJ
OG Pick: DT Jalen Carter [S]
Re-Draft: DT Tim Smith [SS]
If the Jets really wanted DT at #11, they can have one with SS development. Smith slipped into the 3rd round to Tennessee in the real draft, but of course, with hindsight he goes in the top dozen in this re-draft.
12 LAC
OG Pick: OT Paris Johnson Jr [S]
Re-Draft: Byron Young [SS]
Johnson was a solid pick, but I’m sure LA would be giddy to pick up the SS rookie with 90+ strength off the bat.
13 CAR
OG Pick: WR Arik Gilbert [S]
Re-Draft: WR Arik Gilbert [S]
There may be better options here, but I’m not touching this pick. 6’5 and 92 speed is all you need to know here, freaks like this don’t grow on trees. Plus that is the Panthers’s draft strategy anyways.
14 ARI
OG Pick: OT Logan Brown [N]
Re-Draft: OT Paris Johnson Jr [S]
The Cardinals can go O-line again, but instead of Brown, they get the best O-line prospect at #14. Pretty smooth.
15 WAS
OG Pick: S/LB Kenderick Duncan Jr [N]
Re-Draft: CB Cordale Flott [S]
Sorry Washington, but Duncan Jr was one of the biggest first-round busts of the draft. He was so slow he got permanently moved from safety to MLB. Instead, we see the speedy DB Flott step in to replace the traded CB William Jackson III.
16 SEA
OG Pick: OT Aton Harrison [S]
Re-Draft: CB Eli Ricks [S]
Seattle did need O-line, but you can find Anton Harrison caliber players in FA right now. Seattle in the re-draft gets a young star CB to replace the CB traded Xavien Howard.
17 NE
OG Pick: LB Keontra Smith [S]
Re-Draft: LB Sam Brooks [SS]
Smith has the physical attributes to develop, this was not as bad of a pick as the player OVR stated. But in this instance, we’ll give the Patriots an LB with similar physical traits and low OVR but with SS dev off the bat.
18 MIA
OG Pick: DE Myles Murphy [SS]
Re-Draft: HB Bijan Robinson [S]
Wow, that took a while for the highest-rated player in the class to be plucked. He never felt like need/fit on the other teams. Even in Miami, it’s debatable, but the slide has to stop. The Dolphins, known for getting draft steals, will find a way to make Robinson a true #1.
19 ATL
OG Pick: EDGE B.J. Ojulari [S]
Re-Draft: EDGE B.J Ojulari [S]
We could go with SS HB McCellan here, but this was more of a need for Atlanta. And it was a solid pick, so we’ll leave it alone.
20 NE
OG Pick: FS Gurvan Hall Jr [SS]
Re-Draft: CB Brian Branch [S]
Branch actually has the versatility to be able to play safety if the Patriots wanted. Nonetheless, the Patriots get a great secondary prospect at #20.
21 DAL
OG Pick: TE Michael Mayer [S]
Re-Draft: TE Darnell Washington [S]
Dallas gets the best TE in the draft at #21 to fill a major position of need. Washington’s slide might have been a bit extreme like Bijan Robinson’s, but we have finally found him a home.
22 NYG
OG Pick: QB C.J Stroud [S]
Re-Draft: OLB Trenton Simpson [S]
The trade-up for CJ Stroud was really bad in hindsight, no beating around the bush here. So instead we’ll send the Giants a great OLB prospect to give their front 7 some needed athleticism.
23 PHI
OG Pick: OLB Jaiden Lars-Woodbrey [N]
Re-Draft: HB Jase McCellan [SS]
I think if McCellan goes to Philly he would eventually supplant Raheem Mostert as the starter. The power back would give Philly a unique weapon for their inevitable snowy home games in the playoffs.
24 LAC
OG Pick: OLB Trenton Simpson [S]
Re-Draft: DT Jalen Carter [S]
There are so many different directions this pick can go. But Jalen Carter is a 97 strength nose tackle, the kind of player to deter the shifty backs in the AFC West from running inside.
25 BAL
OG Pick: CB Emmanuel Forbes [N]
Re-Draft: CB Emmanuel Forbes [N]
I’m surprised myself that Baltimore got to nab Forbes at #25 again. They will turn this pick to the commish with a big smile on their face once more.
26 IND
OG Pick: QB Anthony Richardson [N]
Re-Draft: WR Jaxson Smith-Njigba [S]
I really thought about giving Indy C.J. Stroud here, but he’s not a major upgrade from Carson Strong. So instead Indy sticks with Strong (for lack of other options) and gives him a shiny new WR to pair up with OBJ.
27 CLE
OG Pick: TE Grant Calcaterra [N]
Re-Draft: WR Gary Bryant Jr [S]
The Calcaterra pick made little sense on draft night, but then again it’s hard to find positions of need on this roster. The Browns just miss on JSN, but they can have 94 speed Gary Bryant as a consolation prize.
28 SEA
OG Pick: OT Peter Skoronski [N]
Re-Draft: C Matt Bockhorst [S]
I can live with this pick for Seattle, they need to go O-Line at some point in the real draft or re-draft. We’ll just give Seattle a slightly better prospect with a better dev trait and move along.
29 TB
OG Pick: S Malachi Moore [S]
Re-Draft: QB C.J. Stroud [S]
Let’s stop the silliness in Tampa Bay and get a real franchise QB in the building. Stroud is an average prospect, but with the tools to become an elite pocket passer with the weapons that Tampa Bay has to offer him.
30 CHI
OG Draft: S Antonio Johnson [S]
Re-Draft: S Malachi Moore [S]
Moore comes out the box as a more Madden-made safety. While Johnson wasn’t a bad pick, Moore is a slight upgrade here for Chicago.
31 CIN
OG Pick: CB Brian Branch [S]
Re-Draft: CB Storm Duck [N]
Let’s stop ducking the storm so this great CB prospect doesn’t drop to round 3 again. The Bengals still get a great corner at 31.
32 DEN
OG Pick: CB Cordale Flott [S]
Re-Draft: HB Lorenzo Linguard [N]
The pick of the defending champs is hard to read, knowing he’ll search for athleticism at all costs. So we’ll dig into a round 4 pick, the 94 speed HB Lorenzo Linguard that the Broncos wanted to trade for after the draft last season. Perhaps Emmanuel Hall mania never breaks out with Zo in town.
BONUS! 33 CAR…you still get Harold Joiner!
Overall Synopsis: I am once again just one bored dude. Enjoy the read and have fun with it!
BAKERS DOZEN NOTABLE PLAYERS LEFT OUT:
MLB Shane Lee [SS]
OLB Keontra Smith [S]
OT Anton Harrison [S]
CB Arquon Bush [N]
TE Michael Mayer [S]
LB Nick Anderson [N]
S Antonio Johnson [S]
OT Peter Skoronski [N]
HB Tank Bigsby [N]
CB Marquis Williams [N]
DE Myles Murphy (UNC) [S]
WR Jordan Addison [N]
SS J.L. Skinner [N]
