2009 NFL Redraft | Picks 17-32
Who comes off the board in the back half of our 2009 NFL Redraft?
17) New York Jets: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
Without the trade up for Mark Sanchez in this 2009 NFL Redraft, the NFL world is deprived of the “butt fumble” — and for that, I’m truly sorry. Instead, the Jets allow Kellen Clemens to take the reigns under center and draft Jeremy Maclin to be a counterfoil to Jerricho Cotchery. Maclin tallied 6,835 receiving yards and 49 touchdowns during his NFL career.
18) Denver Broncos: Connor Barwin, EDGE, Cincinnati
The Denver Broncos have established a reputation for defensive success. Unfortunately, that doesn’t include Robert Ayers, who was the second of their first-round picks in 2009. They replace him in this 2009 NFL Redraft with Cincinnati’s Connor Barwin, who would tally 56.5 sacks during his career. Barwin also earned second-team All-Pro honors with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Louis Vasquez, G, Texas Tech
The less said about the trade up to grab Josh Freeman the better I guess. Instead, the Buccaneers select Texas Tech guard Louis Vasquez to upgrade the interior of the offensive line. Vasquez made over 100 starts for the Chargers and Broncos and was a first-team All-Pro as Denver won Super Bowl 50.
20) Detroit Lions: Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina
Original selection Brandon Pettigrew earned PFWA All-Rookie honors in 2009. During his career, he tallied 17 touchdowns, while coming up just shy of 3,000 yards after averaging 9.9 yards per catch. However, Jared Cook has had a far more productive career and is still playing the game some years after Pettigrew’s retirement.
21) Philadelphia Eagles: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
With Jeremy Maclin already off the board, the Philadelphia Eagles turn to Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin to fulfill their pass-catching needs. Harvin was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2009. A versatile weapon, he tallied over 9,000 all-purpose yards for the Minnesota Vikings.
22) Minnesota Vikings: Sebastian Vollmer, OT, Houston
Alongside wide receiver, offensive tackle was considered a significant position of need for the Vikings ahead of the 2009 NFL Draft. As a result, Minnesota snags Sebastian Vollmer out of Houston in this redraft. An 80-game starter for the New England Patriots and a second-team All-Pro in 2010, the giant German was a cornerstone of the Patriots’ offensive line. Whether he’d have won two Super Bowls in Minnesota is another matter.
23) New England Patriots: Patrick Chung, S, Oregon
The Patriots traded out of the first round in 2009. The 23rd pick eventually ended up with a selection of Darius Butler at No. 41 overall. In this 2009 NFL Redraft, they simply bring forward their selection of Patrick Chung in order to prevent him from being snagged elsewhere. The playmaking safety spent all but one season of his career in New England and was named to the Patriots 2010s All-Decade Team.
24) Atlanta Falcons: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
Perhaps the Atlanta Falcons’ seemingly never-ending quest for a pass rusher would be over if they’d made this pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. While he was highly regarded, original selection Peria Jerry was out of the NFL by the end of 2013. Meanwhile, Michael Johnson tallied 44.5 sacks and forced 8 fumbles during a 10-year career for the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
25) Miami Dolphins: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
The Miami Dolphins’ biggest need going into the draft was at cornerback, and in this 2009 NFL Redraft, they stick with the selection of Vontae Davis. While he’s become more famous for retiring mid-game, Davis tallied almost 100 pass deflections during his career.
26) Baltimore Ravens: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
Another team sticking with their original selection, the Baltimore Ravens traded up from 26th to 23rd to take Ole Miss offensive tackle Michael Oher in 2009. A starter of 110 games, including every game of his rookie season, Oher helped the Ravens to Super Bowl success following the 2012 season.
27) Indianapolis Colts: Julian Edelman, WR, Kent State
Who would have guessed that a seventh-round quarterback from Kent State would become one of the most productive wide receivers of the 2009 class? While there’s no guarantee that Julian Edelman would have had the same level of success outside of Foxborough, the Indianapolis Colts are willing to bet on him in this 2009 NFL Redraft. Meanwhile, Edelman swaps Tom Brady for Peyton Manning as a result of this do-over.
28) Buffalo Bills: Eric Wood, C, Louisville
Eric Wood spent his entire career with the Bills. He was a pivotal part of the offensive line but was loved as much for the man as for the player. While injury impacted his career, Woods made 120 starts and represented the franchise in the 2015 Pro Bowl.
29) New York Giants: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
Wide receiver was the biggest need for the New York Giants heading into the 2009 NFL Draft. In the predraft process, Hakeem Nicks earned comparisons to Michael Irvin. While his career never lived up to that billing, he still snagged over 5,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. Nicks also helped the Giants to a win in Super Bowl 46.
30) Tennessee Titans: Terrance Knighton, DT, Temple
The selection of Temple defensive tackle Terrance Knighton in this 2009 NFL Redraft adds some serious size to the Tennessee Titans defensive line. “Pot Roast” had an impressive rookie campaign for the Jaguars, and was a disruptive force for the Broncos on their run to an appearance in Super Bowl 48.
31) Arizona Cardinals: Andy Levitre, G, Oregon State
Although Beanie Wells had a successful start to his career, earning a spot on the NFL All-Rookie Team, it was short-lived. In this 2009 NFL Redraft, the Cardinals instead strengthen their offensive line with the selection of Andy Levitre. Himself an All-Rookie honoree, Levitre’s performances for Buffalo earned him a big-money deal with the Titans before he helped the Atlanta Falcons reach Super Bowl 51.
32) Pittsburgh Steelers: Lardarius Webb, CB, Nicholls State
Former Missouri defensive end Ziggy Hood failed to make an impact in Pittsburgh, and only played out his rookie deal with the Steelers before moving on. Meanwhile, Nicholls State cornerback Lardarius Webb was a productive playmaker for the Baltimore Ravens with 15 interceptions and a Super Bowl to his name. There’s something poetic about using hindsight in this 2009 NFL Redraft to take away a division rival’s starting cornerback.