A great “what if” scenario appears with the first selection of this draft. Just like “what if” Marty did kiss his own mother. What if the Chargers never traded the number 1 pick to the Falcons and instead just selected Michael Vick? Maybe Vick would not have got involved in the horrible things he did. Maybe he wouldn’t have been the same player on a grass surface. Maybe he would have not beat out Doug Flutie, lost his swagger and became a career backup. Play the scenario out a little further, LaDainian Tomlinson (5th pick- Round 1) and Drew Brees (1st pick- Round 2) do not become Chargers. That being said, 10 years later, there are only 3 players selected in the first round that you can take that “what if” factor out because they are still with the team that originally drafted them. Those 3 are Casey Hampton (Steelers), Jeff Backus (Lions), and Reggie Wayne (Colts). I don’t think its coincidence that 2 of the 3 were drafted into great situations like being part of long standing great defense or having Peyton Manning as your QB. Matt Light and Steve Smith are also notable 2001 draftees that are still with their original teams entering the 2011 season.
-Justin Smith (#4, Bengals, DE): Smith signed a 6 year/45 million dollar contract with the 49ers in 2008 while he quietly produces a solid NFL career that includes 65 sacks.
-LaDainian Tomlinson (#5, Chargers, RB): Just had to mention the only sure fire HOFer from this class as it stands today.
-Richard Seymour (#6, Patriots, DT): Seymour never accumulated the “sexy” stats but does have 6 Pro Bowls, 3 Super Bowl rings and a HOF debate once he retires.
-David Terrell, Koren Robinson, Rob Gardner (#8, #9, #15, WR): All 3 combined for 664 receptions, 9011 yards and 48 TDs while playing for 9 different teams. Then at pick 16 goes Santana Moss. Moss, thus far has 593 receptions, 8558 yards and 52 TDs with the Jets and Redskins. However, the 1st three weren’t complete busts. Robinson (2005, as a kick returner) did match Moss in Pro Bowl apperences with 1.
-Dan Morgan (#11, Panthers, LB): One of thousands (actual number might be a little smaller) of productive LBs produced by “The U.” Morgan had his career shortened by a slew of different injuries.
-Todd Heap (#31, Ravens, TE): Heap just recently returned home to AZ where he was born and went to college (ASU) after a solid tenure in Baltimore. As it stands today, Heap is only second to Derrick Mason in Raven all-time receptions and yards and is their all-time leader in TD receptions (41).
-Chad Johnson (#2-5, Bengals, WR): I don’t think the Bengals knew what they were in for when they drafted this skinny, 6’1” receiver out of Oregon State. In hind sight, I don’t think they would have had it any other way considering his 10,000+ yards, 66 TDs and 1 name change.
-Quincy Carter (#2-22, Cowboys, QB): Carter was on the verge of single handedly reversing the curse of the billy goat for the Cubs. Actually, his numbers in their minor league system were less than impressive (.214/.315/.314 with 7 HRs and 85 RBI in 4 seasons) as a outfielder. He decided to enroll at the University of Georgia and became somewhat coveted as a QB entering the 2001 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, Carter never lived up to the hype with the Cowboys, Jets, or Montreal Alouettes.
I could go on for days about players like Gerard Warren (#2, Browns, DT), Steve Hutchinson (#17, Seahawks, OG), and Adam Archuleta (#20, Rams, S). For every Drew Brees, there was a Jesse Palmer. For every LT, there was a A-Train (Anthony Thomas). Nevertheless, without the means to produce 1.21 gigawatts we are all left to be yet another Monday morning quarterback 10 years after the fact.
