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The 2007 NFL Draft featured one of the biggest busts in league history at No. 1, but that doesn't mean there weren't star players to come out of it after that.
So what players would have moved up and moved down with hindsight being 20/20? Let's re-draft the top 10 of the 2007 NFL draft.
1. Oakland Raiders
Original Pick: JaMarcus Russell
New Pick: Calvin Johnson
The Oakland Raiders needed a quarterback during the 2007 draft, but there wasn't one from the draft class that deserved to go No. 1 overall. Calvin Johnson was a franchise-changer for the Detroit Lions, something he could have been for the Oakland Raiders.
Quarterback would have still been an issue for the Raiders, but the following year was a much better draft class. Someone like Joe Flacco would have looked good for the then-Oakland squad in 2008.
2. Detroit Lions
Original Pick: Calvin Johnson
New Pick: Adrian Peterson
If the Detroit Lions were on the clock again in 2007, they would likely still take Johnson. But in this exercise, he's already gone, so they would have turned their attention to Adrain Peterson, a quality consolation prize.
Peterson was an impact-player running back from his first game in the NFL. Johnson worked out well for the Lions, but who knows how much the franchise would have changed with an elite running back, something the Lions haven't had since Barry Sanders.
3. Cleveland Browns
Original Pick: Joe Thomas
New Pick: Joe Thomas
There might have been a sexier pick for the Cleveland Browns to take at No. 3, but elite left tackles are very hard to find in the NFL. Joe Thomas played all 167 of his games with the Browns before hanging up his cleats in 2017. Who knows if someone else, like Darrelle Revis, could have helped the Browns win more games, but it's hard to not be happy with the future Hall of Famer.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Original Pick: Gaines Adams
New Pick: Darrelle Revis
Gaines Adams was a good player during his short stint in the NFL, but he tragically passed away in 2010 from an undetected heart condition. There could be a strong argument made that Darrelle Revis was the third-best player in the 2007 draft. Revis had the nickname “Revis Island” for a reason. Quarterbacks wouldn't even look his way because they knew Revis wasn't going to allow any receptions on his watch.
5. Arizona Cardinals
Original Pick: Levi Brown
New Pick: Marshawn Lynch
Levi Brown never lived up to the expectations that came with being the fifth-overall pick. The Cardinals had Edgerrin James at running back, so they weren't even looking at the position, but now that we've seen what he's contributed during his NFL career, Marshawn Lynch would have been the perfect pick.
Just looking at the 2007 season, Kurt Warner, James, Lynch, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin would have been a who's-who offense. Lynch also could have continued to be a game-changer for the offense for many years.
6. Washington Redskins
Original Pick: LaRon Landry
New Pick: Patrick Willis
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The Washington Redskins brought in LaRon Landy to be a difference-maker on the defense, something he did well, but Patrick Willis would have been the right pick looking back. Willis was one of the most versatile players in the NFL and a leader on and off the field. The Redskins had some other big problems to solve in order to take the next step, but Willis would have set them in the right direction.
7. Minnesota Vikings
Original Pick: Adrian Peterson
New Pick: LaRon Landry
If the Vikings could redo the draft there was nothing they would have loved more to take Peterson again. He was a cornerstone for the franchise and one of the best players in their history.
Landry was originally selected by the Redskins, but with their selection of Willis, Landry would have made a whole lot of sense for the Vikings' No. 7 pick.
8. Atlanta Falcons
Original Pick: Jamaal Anderson
New Pick: Eric Weddle
Jamaal Anderson was a big bust for the Atlanta Falcons, but in the re-draft, there would have been no bust with this pick. Eric Weddle was originally selected in the second round by the San Diego Chargers.
He quickly became one of the best safeties in the league, something the Falcons could have really used at that time.
9. Miami Dolphins
Original Pick: Ted Ginn Jr.
New Pick: Ted Ginn Jr.
There were a few options for the Miami Dolphins with the ninth-overall selection, but it's hard to imagine the team would have changed their pick. Ted Ginn Jr. never had an elite quarterback to pass him the ball, something the team probably wishes they would have had for him. If the Dolphins would have had a different quarterback, maybe Ginn would have become that elite receiver many had expected.
10. Houston Texans
Original Pick: Amobi Okoye
New Pick: Paul Posluszny
The Houston Texans drafted Amobi Okoye in hopes that he would be a star next to Mario Williams on the defensive line, but that never happened. Meanwhile, Paul Posluszny never got the attention he should have because he spent his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars. Brian Cushing was a stud for the Texans and pairing him next to Posluszny would have been one of the best defensive combinations in the NFL.
The Texans defense has had some good players, and Posluszny would have only added to their ranks.
