this is not meant to imply that the rosters/needs of the 2 teams were the same (obviously QB is in a very different place) but rather the scale of what's achievable in terms of improving the depth chart right away in 1 draft. 2007 had 2 extra picks but was also lower in draft, so cross off the 2 seventh rounders if you'd like.
aaron ross (pick #20) joins banks/flott/mccloud to form a solid group of young corners.
steve smith (pick #51) adds a reliable contributor on offense who can work the middle of field and move chains with slayton/hyatt threatening deep and wandale doing his thing.
alford (pick #81) adds an athletic rotational DL while Deossie (pick #116) helps specials.
boss (pick #153) becomes 2nd or 3rd te behind bellinger depending on waller's decision. koets (pick #189) becomes a back up OL. michael johnson (pick #224 probably gets in the safety rotation w/ belton and pinnock. bradshaw (pick #250) would obviously be the real home run pick, maybe even starting over singletary.
that draft class has always been interesting in the sense that it was both heroic in the rookie season but then kind of tragic with smith's injury, ross regressing, boss injuries, and bradshaw being really the only one who made it to a second contract.
it does go to show how much can be achieved in 1 draft class right away if you choose well and coach well though, and how many plays you can get out of players whose careers dont end up relatively jag-y.
Thomas, Dex, Okereke, Banks…? Pinnock instead of James Butler? Burns is worthy but happens to play DE which was obviously loaded on the 07 team.
Thomas, Dex, Okereke, Banks…? Pinnock instead of James Butler? Burns is worthy but happens to play DE which was obviously loaded on the 07 team.
a lot of the 2007 roster was first time starters themselves.
jacobs and tuck were first time starters.
webster wasnt just a non-starter but a bust on the bench until injury pushed him in.
diehl first time at LT, kiwanuka first time at LB.
seubert first year as full time starter since 2002.
james butler was another first time starter.
here's the starting lineup from SB, out of 22 players i count 3 rookies and 5 other first year starters at their positions. 6 if you count kawika mitchell but he'd obviously played LB before.
Rd 2 - Chris Snee steps in as an all-pro left guard shifting Runyon Jr back as a versatile depth piece. If Neal falters there are options to move Elemuenor to RT and fill RG with Snee or Runyon Jr.
Rd 4 - Reggie Torbor comes in as a Swiss Army knife LB on D and maven on specials. New DC will use Torbor and Simmons in various gadget and pressure package roles to complement Thiboduex and Burns.
Rd 5 - Gibril Wilson adds explosion at S to the secondary and is likely starting next to Pinnock and moving Belton to third safety
Rd 6 - Jamaar Taylor gives Eli another deep threat at WR to pair with Hyatt and Slayton's craftiness, while Wandale runs wild underneath
Rd 7 - Drew Strojny comes in as a flier and depth piece on the OL
Rd 2 - Chris Snee steps in as an all-pro left guard shifting Runyon Jr back as a versatile depth piece. If Neal falters there are options to move Elemuenor to RT and fill RG with Snee or Runyon Jr.
Rd 4 - Reggie Torbor comes in as a Swiss Army knife LB on D and maven on specials. New DC will use Torbor and Simmons in various gadget and pressure package roles to complement Thiboduex and Burns.
Rd 5 - Gibril Wilson adds explosion at S to the secondary and is likely starting next to Pinnock and moving Belton to third safety
Rd 6 - Jamaar Taylor gives Eli another deep threat at WR to pair with Hyatt and Slayton's craftiness, while Wandale runs wild underneath
Rd 7 - Drew Strojny comes in as a flier and depth piece on the OL
that's a good one, i was staying away from QBs because the variance is so broad if you get the next stroud or herbert. but eli as a rookie obviously had typical rookie struggles and the trade up reduced their picks, so that's a pretty good comparison. i'd sign for a draft with a rookie qb, plus starter on the OL, plus starter on defense, and a couple other contributors.
Adding Wilson as a starter to Banks/Flott/Pinnock would solidify what is probably the last remaining big hole on the roster.
they actually also added Derrick Ward at cutdown from jets so if he counts that's another extra role player/special teamer. curtis deloach was a UDFA CB who looked promising for a minute (started 13 games in 2005).
And since that draft included a QB trade that reduced the number of selections, it's the most apples to apples.
the draft has always been my favorite part of the nfl calendar because it is truly a meritocracy - a good season is always a good draft away.