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What actually happened: Traded up, drafted WR Justin Blackmon fifth overall
Where he was actually picked: 29th overall by the Vikings
The Blackmon pick turned into a nightmare for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who in a re-draft scenario would probably take the player who would give them the best chance to get over the top when they fell just short of a Super Bowl appearance in 2017.
According to Pro Football Reference, the most valuable still-available members of this draft class that season were offensive linemen Mitchell Schwartz and David DeCastro, front-seven defenders Kuechly, Fletcher Cox and Melvin Ingram, cornerback Casey Hayward Jr. and safety Harrison Smith.
Schwartz may not have been enough of an upgrade over Jermey Parnell, and DeCastro certainly wouldn’t have been enough of an upgrade over A.J. Cann. While Kuechly, Cox, Ingram and Hayward all could have helped, let’s remember that team already had Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, Malik Jackson, Telvin Smith and Myles Jack up front and Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye at corner.
Smith, though, was a first-team All-Pro safety and much more of an impact player than Barry Church or Tashaun Gipson. It’s easy to imagine he makes a game-changing play in that close AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots. Plus, he continues to be a star today.
