The 2010 NFL Draft Class was known for a very disappointing group of quarterbacks and impressive defensive depth. We re-drafted the top 10 picks of that draft class, and found that there were some accuracies, but we saw some movement, with one player moving up from the fourth round and into the top ten.
These picks were made assuming the team would generally still want to address the same position – hence why sixth-rounder Antonio Brown doesn’t make the list, as there were no receivers taken until pick #22 in 2010. If there was not a suitable first round draft pick within a certain position, the pick was made taking into account the best available players and/or their next biggest need. Did your team make a mistake, or did they correctly identify the pick?
1. St. Louis Rams – Earl Thomas (Original Pick: Sam Bradford)
Bradford did end up being the best quarterback of the 2010 draft, but that wasn’t saying much, as the class was filled with busts at the position. Tim Tebow lit things up for a season, but he quickly fizzled. Bradford won 18 games over parts of five seasons for the Rams and then bounced around to three other teams, but he hasn’t played since 2018. So despite the Rams desperately needing a quarterback, there simply wasn’t one worth taking with the first overall pick. So they’ll address their next biggest need in the secondary with Texas defensive back Earl Thomas (don’t mind the recent headlines). Earl Thomas has been a staple of the Seattle secondary, which is unfortunate for the division rival Rams, who now face him twice a year rather than having them as their defensive cornerstone.
2. Detroit Lions – Ndamukong Suh (Original Pick: Suh)
The Lions made the right choice in talent by picking Suh, who to this point has been the best defensive tackle of this very solid draft class. Character wise is a different question, but if we’re looking at on field production, taking the Nebraska star here was the right pick.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Geno Atkins (Original Pick: Gerald McCoy)
McCoy was a great pick, but Atkins competes for Suh for being the best defensive tackle of this class. He was an absolute steal in the fourth round for the Bengals, so he jumps up to third overall in this redraft. McCoy is good – Atkins is better.
4. Washington Redskins – Trent Williams (Original Pick: Williams)
Best tackle in the draft class, and he’s played 120 games with the ‘Skins. Solid franchise tackle picked up at #4 here.
5. Kansas City Chiefs – Devin McCourty (Original Pick: Eric Berry)
This isn’t much against Berry, who was a spectacular asset for Kansas City, but McCourty is still playing, and has been a franchise player for the New England Patriots. Obviously due to factors outside his control, Berry was unable to play consistently after 2016, and this was a deep class of defensive backs, so the Cheifs go with McCourty here at 5th overall.
6. Seattle Seahawks – Russell Okung (Original Pick: Okung)
By overall value, Okung was the right pick for the Seahawks in this situation – the tough pill to swallow for Seattle fans is that Okung developed consistency after leaving the Legion of Boom. His best three-year stretch was from 2016-2018 with the Broncos and Chargers, but the Seahwaks needed a tackle and picking up the Oklahoma State product was a great move, even if didn’t work out perfectly.
7. Cleveland Browns – Joe Haden (Original Pick: Haden)
A lot of the teams in first round did get their pick right, as Haden was a great selection – unfortunately for the Browns, he has had a career resurgence with division rival Pittsburgh. However, Haden gave the Browns probably the two best seasons of his career in 2013-2014, and with a lot of teams seeking secondary help, he’s solid value at seventh overall, with McCourty and Thomas off the board.
8. Oakland Raiders – Sean Lee (Original Pick: Rolando McClain)
Sean Lee has become a franchise linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys, but at the time, the Penn State product was not considered one of the top five at his position in his class. Instead, the Raiders went with McClain, whose career was over in four years. Outside of some injury problems, Sean Lee has been a huge asset for Dallas, and Oakland would love to get this one back.
9. Buffalo Bills – C.J. Spiller (Original Pick: Spiller)
Running backs don’t have a long shelf life in the NFL, so Spiller’s seven-year career, mostly spent with Buffalo, is very solid, and he was the best back in a pretty shaky group in this 2010 draft. The Bills wanted help in the backfield, and Spiller, drafted out of Clemson before they became Goliaths in college football, gave the Bills his three best seasons from 2011-2013, including a Pro-Bowl effort in 2012.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Gerald McCoy (Original Pick: Tyson Alualu)
Alualu was a solid, if unspectacular, defensive tackle for the Jaguars, and he is still playing today, but as mentioned previously, this was a ridiculously deep class of defensive tackles. McCoy was originally taken third overall, but with the true value of Geno Atkins revealed, he’s here for the taking with the tenth pick. A six-time Pro-Bowler and one time All-Pro, McCoy has been a defensive stalwart for the Buccaneers, and he is simply the superior pick to Alualu, who has never had a Pro-Bowl season despite his impressive longevity.
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