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Just to change the topic from how much Grier and Tua do or don’t suck, here’s PFFs article on rebuilding the 2008 draft, wonder what it would have looked like if we had Matt Ryan at qb…think Parcells sticks around longer and we have more success, but would we have won a Super Bowl with Matty Ice?
Also, injuries really took away what should’ve been a HOF career for Long…he was such a beast his 4 years.
www.pff.com
1. MIAMI DOLPHINS: QB MATT RYAN, BOSTON COLLEGE (ROUND 1, PICK 3)
Original Pick: T Jake Long, Michigan
Jake Long looked like a worthy No. 1 overall pick during his first four NFL seasons, earning a 91.6 PFF overall grade while making the Pro Bowl every year. However, injuries took their toll after that, and he never quite returned to form in his final few years.
Miami’s quarterback, Chad Pennington, started only four games following the 2008 season after a series of injuries. So, the Dolphins draft Matt Ryan first here. The longtime Atlanta Falcons signal-caller won MVP in 2016 and posted an elite 93.4 PFF passing grade across 15 NFL seasons.
2. ST. LOUIS RAMS: DI CALAIS CAMPBELL, MIAMI (FL) (ROUND 2, PICK 50)
Original Pick: EDGE Chris Long, Virginia
Drafted in 2008 but still playing extremely well heading into 2025, Calais Campbell is the best non-quarterback in this class. Campbell’s career got off to a solid start before he exploded into his prime in his late 20s.
From 2014 to 2019, Campbell recorded a 93.1 PFF overall grade and a 94.2 PFF run-defense grade. His ability to defend the run has yet to wane, as he also led all interior defenders in PFF run-defense grade in 2024 (85.9).
3. ATLANTA FALCONS: T DUANE BROWN, VIRGINIA TECH (ROUND 1, PICK 26)
Original Pick: QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
The Falcons originally selected Matt Ryan here, but he is the clear No. 1 pick in this redraft. There are still a handful of great players to choose from, but Brown is the choice for two reasons. The first is that the Falcons utilized three different left tackles from 2007-2009. The second is that Brown played 16 seasons and was once a first-team All-Pro, twice a second-team All-Pro and five times a Pro Bowler while earning a PFF pass-blocking grade above 80.0 for eight consecutive seasons (2010-2018).
4. OAKLAND RAIDERS: QB JOE FLACCO, DELAWARE (ROUND 1, PICK 18)
Original Pick: RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
Even though the Raiders just drafted JaMarcus Russell first overall the year before, hindsight allows us to know that he failed to live up to lofty expectations.
So, Oakland immediately moves on with Super Bowl 47 MVP Joe Flacco. The now-40-year-old is entering his 18th NFL season and owns a very solid 79.1 career PFF passing grade.
5. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: G JOSH SITTON, UCF (ROUND 4, PICK 135)
Original Pick: DI Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Sitton played significant snaps at left guard and right guard with Green Bay, Chicago and Miami during his NFL career. The former fourth-round pick earned at least a 76.7 PFF overall grade in every season from 2009 to 2017. That included a run of four straight years in which he earned a PFF pass-blocking grade above 90.0.
Sitton was also a crucial piece of the Packers’ Super Bowl run during the 2010 season. He did not allow a sack all year and was Green Bay’s highest-graded player in the Super Bowl aside from Aaron Rodgers.
6. NEW YORK JETS: WR JORDY NELSON, KANSAS STATE (ROUND 2, PICK 36)
Original Pick: DI Vernon Gholston, Ohio State
Nelson was a second-round pick in the 2008 draft, but he goes much earlier in this redraft. From 2009-2016, Nelson received 70.0-plus PFF overall grades three times and 80.0-plus marks four times.
Though he garnered only one second-team All-Pro nod and one Pro Bowl invite, his PFF grades reflect that of a player whose impact was much greater than his limited accolades.
7. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: CB AQIB TALIB, KANSAS (ROUND 1, PICK 20)
Original Pick: DI Sedrick Ellis, USC
The Patriots originally moved three spots back on draft night so that the New Orleans Saints could draft defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. With that trade reversed, New England instead selects cornerback Aqib Talib to make up for the loss of Asante Samuel.
Talib made five Pro Bowls in his career, and his 10 pick-sixes are the fourth most in NFL history. He also earned an elite 91.3 PFF coverage grade across his 12 years.
8. BALTIMORE RAVENS: T JAKE LONG, MICHIGAN (ROUND 1, PICK 1)
Original Pick: EDGE Derrick Harvey, Florida
The original first-overall pick in this class, Jake Long doesn’t fall too far down the board in this redraft. Before injuries foiled his chance to be a potential Hall of Famer, Long was one of the best tackles in the NFL.
From 2008 to 2013, he earned a 91.7 PFF overall grade, ranking seventh among all offensive tackles in that span. He was one of just four tackles during that time to post at least an 85.0 PFF grade as a run blocker and a pass protector.
9. CINCINNATI BENGALS: RB JAMAAL CHARLES, TEXAS (ROUND 3, PICK 73)
Original Pick: LB Keith Rivers, USC
Rudi Johnson fell off in the 2007 season, and the Bengals then signed Cedric Benson to a one-year deal during the summer after the 2008 NFL Draft. The team could have instead drafted Charles, who, from 2009-2014, rushed for more than 1,000 yards in five of six seasons with a PFF rushing grade above 77.0 each year. He also forced 40 and 41 missed tackles in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
10. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: WR DESEAN JACKSON, CALIFORNIA (ROUND 2, PICK 49)
Original Pick: LB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
The Saints moved up a few spots on draft night, so the Patriots made the original selection here, drafting a franchise great and their future head coach in Jerod Mayo.
New Orleans surrounds Drew Brees with even more weapons by drafting DeSean Jackson. The speedster from California was very productive throughout his 15-year career, making three Pro Bowls while crossing 1,000 receiving yards five times.
11. BUFFALO BILLS: T RYAN CLADY, BOISE STATE (ROUND 1, PICK 12)
Original Pick: CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy
Clady was one of the most consistent pass protectors in the NFL during his nine-year career. He earned a solid 79.4 PFF pass-blocking grade during his tenure, and only in his final season with the Jets did he record a sub-70.0 PFF pass-blocking grade.
Unfortunately, injuries curtailed Clady’s career and prevented him from playing in either of the Broncos‘ Super Bowls with Peyton Manning as the quarterback.
12. DENVER BRONCOS: T BRANDEN ALBERT, VIRGINIA (ROUND 1, PICK 15)
Original Pick: T Ryan Clady, Boise State
The Broncos initially selected offensive tackle Ryan Clady, who was a great pass protector in his short career, never ranking outside the top 25 in PFF pass-blocking for a season. But with him off the board, Denver drafts Albert, who played nine seasons in the league with all but one 70.0-plus PFF pass-blocking mark. He even earned an elite 91.5 PFF pass-blocking grade in his first season with the Dolphins in 2013.
13. CAROLINA PANTHERS: RB MATT FORTE, TULANE (ROUND 2, PICK 44)
Original Pick: RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
Despite already having star running back DeAngelo Williams, the Panthers decided to bolster their unit even more by selecting Stewart. Carolina does so again in this redraft, except with Forte.
The two-time Pro Bowler was one of the most versatile running backs in the league during his decade-long career, running for 9,976 yards and racking up 4,672 receiving yards (12th most all time among running backs).
14. CHICAGO BEARS: RB CHRIS JOHNSON, EAST CAROLINA (ROUND 1, PICK 24)
Original Pick: G Chris Williams, Vanderbilt
Fresh off a season in which they ranked dead last in PFF rushing grade, the Bears needed an explosive playmaker in their backfield. Chris Johnson certainly fits the bill.
His blazing speed allowed him to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons, including an incredible 2,037 in 2009. His PFF rushing grade peaked at 83.4 in 2010, and he never quite found that level of efficiency again.
15. DETROIT LIONS: EDGE CLIFF AVRIL, PURDUE (ROUND 3, PICK 92
Original Pick: T Branden Albert, Virginia
Avril reached double-digit sacks only twice in his career (2011 and 2016), but he was a consistent pass rusher who notched 74 total sacks. Those weren’t even his most efficient seasons, as he earned 87.4 and 90.1 PFF pass-rush grades in 2010 and 2013, respectively.
16. ARIZONA CARDINALS: CB DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE, TENNESSEE STATE (ROUND 1, PICK 16)
Original Pick: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State
The Cardinals stick with their original pick, as Rodgers-Cromartie was a very solid player throughout his 12 years. The two-time Pro Bowler posted an elite 91.8 career PFF coverage grade and picked off 30 passes.
The only issue is that the team traded him and a second-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Kevin Kolb in 2011, a move the Cardinals certainly regretted.
17. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: CB BRANDON FLOWERS, VIRGINIA TECH (ROUND 2, PICK 35)
Original Pick: T Gosder Cherilus, Boston College
The Chiefs end up with a player they eventually took in the second round of this draft. Among cornerbacks with at least 1,000 coverage snaps from 2008 to 2012, Flowers ranked fifth in PFF coverage grade (91.3). He broke up 44 passes and picked off 16 more during that span.
Flowers couldn’t quite reach those heights again after signing with the Chargers in 2014, but Kansas City certainly got nice value out of him.
18. HOUSTON TEXANS: G CARL NICKS, NEBRASKA (ROUND 5, PICK 164)
Original Pick: QB Joe Flacco, Delaware
The Ravens drafted quarterback Joe Flacco here, but with Flacco well off the board, and with this pick back in the hands of the Texans, Houston gets some help along the offensive line.
Nicks was forced to retire after just six seasons due to a MRSA infection. He was named a first-team All-Pro once, a second-team All-Pro once and a Pro Bowler twice. He earned an 83.0-plus PFF overall grade in each of his four seasons with New Orleans, and even recorded 77.0-plus PFF overall grades in each of his seasons with the Buccaneers before retiring. He is one of the best value picks in this draft.
19. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: WR PIERRE GARCON, MOUNT UNION (ROUND 6, PICK 205)
Original Pick: T Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh
The Eagles traded this pick on draft night to the Panthers, acquiring Carolina’s second-round pick, fourth-round pick and 2009 first-rounder. With that trade reversed, Philadelphia instead needs to bolster its receiving corps.
Since DeSean Jackson is already off the board, the Eagles settle for a nice consolation prize in Garcon. He led the league with 113 catches in 2013 and finished his career with an 84.4 PFF overall grade.
Also, injuries really took away what should’ve been a HOF career for Long…he was such a beast his 4 years.
2008 NFL Redraft: Rebuilding the first round based on PFF grades and data
PFF's database allows us to go back in time and analyze previous NFL drafts at a high level. Here is how the 2008 NFL Draft could have played out with hindsight.
www.pff.com
1. MIAMI DOLPHINS: QB MATT RYAN, BOSTON COLLEGE (ROUND 1, PICK 3)
Original Pick: T Jake Long, Michigan
Jake Long looked like a worthy No. 1 overall pick during his first four NFL seasons, earning a 91.6 PFF overall grade while making the Pro Bowl every year. However, injuries took their toll after that, and he never quite returned to form in his final few years.
Miami’s quarterback, Chad Pennington, started only four games following the 2008 season after a series of injuries. So, the Dolphins draft Matt Ryan first here. The longtime Atlanta Falcons signal-caller won MVP in 2016 and posted an elite 93.4 PFF passing grade across 15 NFL seasons.
2. ST. LOUIS RAMS: DI CALAIS CAMPBELL, MIAMI (FL) (ROUND 2, PICK 50)
Original Pick: EDGE Chris Long, Virginia
Drafted in 2008 but still playing extremely well heading into 2025, Calais Campbell is the best non-quarterback in this class. Campbell’s career got off to a solid start before he exploded into his prime in his late 20s.
From 2014 to 2019, Campbell recorded a 93.1 PFF overall grade and a 94.2 PFF run-defense grade. His ability to defend the run has yet to wane, as he also led all interior defenders in PFF run-defense grade in 2024 (85.9).
3. ATLANTA FALCONS: T DUANE BROWN, VIRGINIA TECH (ROUND 1, PICK 26)
Original Pick: QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
The Falcons originally selected Matt Ryan here, but he is the clear No. 1 pick in this redraft. There are still a handful of great players to choose from, but Brown is the choice for two reasons. The first is that the Falcons utilized three different left tackles from 2007-2009. The second is that Brown played 16 seasons and was once a first-team All-Pro, twice a second-team All-Pro and five times a Pro Bowler while earning a PFF pass-blocking grade above 80.0 for eight consecutive seasons (2010-2018).
4. OAKLAND RAIDERS: QB JOE FLACCO, DELAWARE (ROUND 1, PICK 18)
Original Pick: RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
Even though the Raiders just drafted JaMarcus Russell first overall the year before, hindsight allows us to know that he failed to live up to lofty expectations.
So, Oakland immediately moves on with Super Bowl 47 MVP Joe Flacco. The now-40-year-old is entering his 18th NFL season and owns a very solid 79.1 career PFF passing grade.
5. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: G JOSH SITTON, UCF (ROUND 4, PICK 135)
Original Pick: DI Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Sitton played significant snaps at left guard and right guard with Green Bay, Chicago and Miami during his NFL career. The former fourth-round pick earned at least a 76.7 PFF overall grade in every season from 2009 to 2017. That included a run of four straight years in which he earned a PFF pass-blocking grade above 90.0.
Sitton was also a crucial piece of the Packers’ Super Bowl run during the 2010 season. He did not allow a sack all year and was Green Bay’s highest-graded player in the Super Bowl aside from Aaron Rodgers.
6. NEW YORK JETS: WR JORDY NELSON, KANSAS STATE (ROUND 2, PICK 36)
Original Pick: DI Vernon Gholston, Ohio State
Nelson was a second-round pick in the 2008 draft, but he goes much earlier in this redraft. From 2009-2016, Nelson received 70.0-plus PFF overall grades three times and 80.0-plus marks four times.
Though he garnered only one second-team All-Pro nod and one Pro Bowl invite, his PFF grades reflect that of a player whose impact was much greater than his limited accolades.
7. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: CB AQIB TALIB, KANSAS (ROUND 1, PICK 20)
Original Pick: DI Sedrick Ellis, USC
The Patriots originally moved three spots back on draft night so that the New Orleans Saints could draft defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. With that trade reversed, New England instead selects cornerback Aqib Talib to make up for the loss of Asante Samuel.
Talib made five Pro Bowls in his career, and his 10 pick-sixes are the fourth most in NFL history. He also earned an elite 91.3 PFF coverage grade across his 12 years.
8. BALTIMORE RAVENS: T JAKE LONG, MICHIGAN (ROUND 1, PICK 1)
Original Pick: EDGE Derrick Harvey, Florida
The original first-overall pick in this class, Jake Long doesn’t fall too far down the board in this redraft. Before injuries foiled his chance to be a potential Hall of Famer, Long was one of the best tackles in the NFL.
From 2008 to 2013, he earned a 91.7 PFF overall grade, ranking seventh among all offensive tackles in that span. He was one of just four tackles during that time to post at least an 85.0 PFF grade as a run blocker and a pass protector.
9. CINCINNATI BENGALS: RB JAMAAL CHARLES, TEXAS (ROUND 3, PICK 73)
Original Pick: LB Keith Rivers, USC
Rudi Johnson fell off in the 2007 season, and the Bengals then signed Cedric Benson to a one-year deal during the summer after the 2008 NFL Draft. The team could have instead drafted Charles, who, from 2009-2014, rushed for more than 1,000 yards in five of six seasons with a PFF rushing grade above 77.0 each year. He also forced 40 and 41 missed tackles in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
10. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: WR DESEAN JACKSON, CALIFORNIA (ROUND 2, PICK 49)
Original Pick: LB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
The Saints moved up a few spots on draft night, so the Patriots made the original selection here, drafting a franchise great and their future head coach in Jerod Mayo.
New Orleans surrounds Drew Brees with even more weapons by drafting DeSean Jackson. The speedster from California was very productive throughout his 15-year career, making three Pro Bowls while crossing 1,000 receiving yards five times.
11. BUFFALO BILLS: T RYAN CLADY, BOISE STATE (ROUND 1, PICK 12)
Original Pick: CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy
Clady was one of the most consistent pass protectors in the NFL during his nine-year career. He earned a solid 79.4 PFF pass-blocking grade during his tenure, and only in his final season with the Jets did he record a sub-70.0 PFF pass-blocking grade.
Unfortunately, injuries curtailed Clady’s career and prevented him from playing in either of the Broncos‘ Super Bowls with Peyton Manning as the quarterback.
12. DENVER BRONCOS: T BRANDEN ALBERT, VIRGINIA (ROUND 1, PICK 15)
Original Pick: T Ryan Clady, Boise State
The Broncos initially selected offensive tackle Ryan Clady, who was a great pass protector in his short career, never ranking outside the top 25 in PFF pass-blocking for a season. But with him off the board, Denver drafts Albert, who played nine seasons in the league with all but one 70.0-plus PFF pass-blocking mark. He even earned an elite 91.5 PFF pass-blocking grade in his first season with the Dolphins in 2013.
13. CAROLINA PANTHERS: RB MATT FORTE, TULANE (ROUND 2, PICK 44)
Original Pick: RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
Despite already having star running back DeAngelo Williams, the Panthers decided to bolster their unit even more by selecting Stewart. Carolina does so again in this redraft, except with Forte.
The two-time Pro Bowler was one of the most versatile running backs in the league during his decade-long career, running for 9,976 yards and racking up 4,672 receiving yards (12th most all time among running backs).
14. CHICAGO BEARS: RB CHRIS JOHNSON, EAST CAROLINA (ROUND 1, PICK 24)
Original Pick: G Chris Williams, Vanderbilt
Fresh off a season in which they ranked dead last in PFF rushing grade, the Bears needed an explosive playmaker in their backfield. Chris Johnson certainly fits the bill.
His blazing speed allowed him to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons, including an incredible 2,037 in 2009. His PFF rushing grade peaked at 83.4 in 2010, and he never quite found that level of efficiency again.
15. DETROIT LIONS: EDGE CLIFF AVRIL, PURDUE (ROUND 3, PICK 92
Original Pick: T Branden Albert, Virginia
Avril reached double-digit sacks only twice in his career (2011 and 2016), but he was a consistent pass rusher who notched 74 total sacks. Those weren’t even his most efficient seasons, as he earned 87.4 and 90.1 PFF pass-rush grades in 2010 and 2013, respectively.
16. ARIZONA CARDINALS: CB DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE, TENNESSEE STATE (ROUND 1, PICK 16)
Original Pick: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State
The Cardinals stick with their original pick, as Rodgers-Cromartie was a very solid player throughout his 12 years. The two-time Pro Bowler posted an elite 91.8 career PFF coverage grade and picked off 30 passes.
The only issue is that the team traded him and a second-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Kevin Kolb in 2011, a move the Cardinals certainly regretted.
17. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: CB BRANDON FLOWERS, VIRGINIA TECH (ROUND 2, PICK 35)
Original Pick: T Gosder Cherilus, Boston College
The Chiefs end up with a player they eventually took in the second round of this draft. Among cornerbacks with at least 1,000 coverage snaps from 2008 to 2012, Flowers ranked fifth in PFF coverage grade (91.3). He broke up 44 passes and picked off 16 more during that span.
Flowers couldn’t quite reach those heights again after signing with the Chargers in 2014, but Kansas City certainly got nice value out of him.
18. HOUSTON TEXANS: G CARL NICKS, NEBRASKA (ROUND 5, PICK 164)
Original Pick: QB Joe Flacco, Delaware
The Ravens drafted quarterback Joe Flacco here, but with Flacco well off the board, and with this pick back in the hands of the Texans, Houston gets some help along the offensive line.
Nicks was forced to retire after just six seasons due to a MRSA infection. He was named a first-team All-Pro once, a second-team All-Pro once and a Pro Bowler twice. He earned an 83.0-plus PFF overall grade in each of his four seasons with New Orleans, and even recorded 77.0-plus PFF overall grades in each of his seasons with the Buccaneers before retiring. He is one of the best value picks in this draft.
19. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: WR PIERRE GARCON, MOUNT UNION (ROUND 6, PICK 205)
Original Pick: T Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh
The Eagles traded this pick on draft night to the Panthers, acquiring Carolina’s second-round pick, fourth-round pick and 2009 first-rounder. With that trade reversed, Philadelphia instead needs to bolster its receiving corps.
Since DeSean Jackson is already off the board, the Eagles settle for a nice consolation prize in Garcon. He led the league with 113 catches in 2013 and finished his career with an 84.4 PFF overall grade.
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