Re-drafting the 2017 NFL draft: Jaguars land Kupp, Jets tab Watson and five running backs selected
25. Houston Texans
Original selection: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
Re-draft pick: Larry Ogunjobi, DL, Charlotte
Houston made a big move up to land Watson on draft day. We've already detailed how that all went down. Obviously, that is not an option this time around. Instead, the Texans can turn to Ogunjobi. He, coincidentally, landed with the Browns, whom the Texans traded up with to take Watson in the first place. He took a year to get going, but has been a quality starter in the six seasons since.
He is a decent pass rusher, with 26 sacks in his career. He has some positional versatility as well, lining up inside at defensive tackle or at defensive end. For years, Houston struggled to find players to contribute up front next to J.J. Watt. Ogunjobi is far from a star, but he would have been a productive player.
26. Seattle Seahawks
Original selection: Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State
Re-draft pick: Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma
Seattle actually had a couple of interesting running backs on their roster heading into the 2017 draft. J.D. McKissic, Thomas Rawls, Eddie Lacy and Mike Davis were all under contract. However, none of those guys were really starting backs at that point in their career. Seattle got a bit lucky and hit on Chris Carson in the seventh round of this draft. This time, they won't wait that long. Mixon is a great blend of speed and power. Only four running backs have had more yards from scrimmage since 2018, when Mixon took the starting job. They are Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara and Ezekiel Elliott.
Pretty much no matter what the Seahawks do with this pick, it would be an improvement. They traded back a few times in 2017 and took McDowell early in the second round. McDowell never played a snap for Seattle. He suffered major injuries due to an ATV injury and then wound up in prison for 11 months in 2019. He played one season for the Browns in 2021, but that was the extent of his NFL career.
27. Kansas City Chiefs
Original selection: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
Re-draft pick: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
No matter what the Chiefs did in this draft, it was going to be a major step in the wrong direction compared to what actually happened. Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL and well on his way to challenging for the title of the best ever. Kansas City definitely does not have four Lombardi trophies in their facility if not for the trade up to select Mahomes.
In this scenario, the Chiefs turn to a player that helped them win their second Super Bowl with Mahomes. Smith-Schuster was a steal for the Steelers on draft day. He had more than 2,300 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first two seasons. He then started to decline in Pittsburgh. His off-the-field antics also rubbed a lot of teammates the wrong way. He bounced back with a strong 2020 campaign, but injuries cost him most of 2021 and his time in Pittsburgh was up. He filled an important role in Kansas City in 2022, but his move to New England for 2023 proved to be a rough one. If he can get healthy, he should be in store for a better 2024.
28. Dallas Cowboys
Original selection: Taco Charlton, EDGE, Michigan
Re-draft pick: Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia
Replacing Charlton should be a no-brainer. He lasted just two years with the Cowboys before he was released prior to the 2019 season. He bounced around the league, spending seasons with Miami, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Chicago. He has only played 60 games in seven years and has just 11.5 sacks to show for it.
Douglas is far from a sexy pick. He has been a rotational or slot-only corner his whole career, but he is really good at taking the ball away. He was decent in Philly, but really flourished after joining the Packers in 2021. Only Trevon Diggs has more interceptions over the past three seasons. However, Diggs was still at Alabama during the 2017 draft. The Cowboys were relying on Orlando Scandrick and Anthony Brown at outside corner. Even with a young Chidobe Awuzie on the roster, Dallas needed help at corner and Douglas would raise the floor of the secondary.