The 2009 NFL Draft had a lot of talent come out of it, but there are plenty of teams that wish they could have had their top selection be different. Looking back in hindsight can be risky, but it is fun to think about what some teams could have accomplished if they would have selected someone different.
Let's redraft the top 10 picks of the 2009 NFL Draft.
1. Detroit Lions
Original Pick: Matthew Stafford
Re-draft Pick: Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford was the first-overall pick in the 2009 draft, taken by the Detroit Lions. Even though the team hasn't had a whole lot of success with him under center, that has been more of an issue of the players the Lions have chosen to surround him. He is a solid quarterback, and one the Lions would take again in a heartbeat. The Lions haven't done a lot right since selecting him, but taking him first-overall was the right decision.
2. St. Louis Rams
Original Pick: Jason Smith
Re-draft Pick: Mike Wallace
Heading into the 2009 draft it was thought offensive line was one of the stronger positions in the class, but that did not end up being the case. Jason Smith was supposed to be a franchise left tackle, but he never ended up meeting those expectations. It was only a few years later that Smith was out of the league. Mike Wallace's time in the league also came to a quick end, but there is no taking away from what the receiver did early in his career. In his second season with the Steelers, Wallace had 1,257 yards and 10 touchdowns.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Original Pick: Tyson Jackson
Re-draft Pick: Brian Orakpo
Tyson Jackson wasn't a bust for the Chiefs, but he wasn't a standout worth the third-overall pick, either. Brian Orakpo wasn't originally selected until 13th overall, but in this re-draft, he would have moved all the way up to third. During his time in the NFL he was a problem for offensive lines.
4. Seattle Seahawks
Original Pick: Aaron Curry
Re-draft Pick: Clay Matthews
The Seattle Seahawks knew they needed to get a linebacker with their first-round pick, but they selected the wrong one. During his first couple of years in the league, here could be an argument made that Clay Matthews actually was the best player to come out of this draft class. For the Green Bay Packers, Matthews was a standout, one of the best players on defense in the league. Aaron Curry, meanwhile, was out of the league after 2012 and recorded only 5.5 sacks in his career.
5. New York Jets
Original Pick: Mark Sanchez
Re-draft Pick: Jairus Byrd
Mark Sanchez wasn't actually a terrible pick, but he didn't last long enough as the starting quarterback in the NFL so the Jets should have gone in a different direction. Safety Jairus Byrd was one of the best defensive players to come out of the 2009 draft. As a rookie with the Buffalo Bills in 2009, Byrd had nine interceptions.
6. Cincinnati Bengals
Original Pick: Andre Smith
Re-draft Pick: Alex Mack
Andre Smith has had a nice NFL career, but he didn't deserve to be the sixth-overall pick. The Bengals needed offensive line help in a big way, so center Alex Mack would have been a solid pick. Smith has been named to six Pro Bowl's and three times was on the second team All-pro. He was also named to the NFL 2010's All-Decade team.
7. Oakland Raiders
Original Pick: Darius Heyward-Bey
Re-draft Pick: Michael Bennett
It wasn't shocking when the Oakland Raiders selected wide receiver Darius Heyward-Bey because of their love to select speedy wideouts early, but it didn't work out for the long term, with Heyward-Bey lasting only four seasons with the Raiders before heading to the Colts and later, the Steelers. Michael Bennett's last few years haven't been great, but that doesn't take away from his accomplishments earlier in his career. During the 2015 season, Bennett racked up 10 sacks.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars
Original Pick: Eugene Monroe
Re-draft Pick: T.J. Lang
The Jacksonville Jaguars needed offensive line help heading into the 2009 draft. And while Eugene Monroe was a serviceable player, they could have used an upgrade over him by selecting T.J. Lang. He was originally selected in the fourth round by the Packers, a team that had a very good draft that year.
Lang wouldn't have been the sexiest pick, but he could have changed the outlook of an offensive line that still hasn't found a way to dominate.
9. Green Bay Packers
Original Pick: B.J. Raji
Re-draft Pick: LeSean McCoy
Arian Foster also could be an option with this selection, but LeSean McCoy would have been a game-changer for the Packers offense. B.J. Raji never lived up to expectations with the Packers, but McCoy certainly could have.
Aaron Rodgers, McCoy and all the playmakers they once had at receiver might have been the difference in the team winning more than one Super Bowl with Rodgers under center.
10. San Francisco 49ers
Original Pick: Michael Crabtree
Re-draft Pick: Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree never became an elite receiver, but with what the team needed at the time, and what he provided, he still is a strong pick over a decade later.
Crabtree's best season for the 49ers came in 2012 when he had 85 receptions for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns.
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