What if the 2017 NFL Draft was held today?

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Nov 21, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs as Washington Football Team free safety Kamren Curl (31) defends in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

17. Washington Commanders: Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama (Original Pick: Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama)

Another instance of the original pick not changing. Jonathan Allen is one of the more underrated defensive linemen in the NFL. His run-stuffing leaves a lot to be desired but his pass-rushing ability is not far behind that of Chris Jones.

18. Tennessee Titans: Trey Hendrickson, EDGE, Florida Atlantic (Original Pick: Adoree’ Jackson, CB, USC)

Adoree’ Jackson is a good player but he’s not quite as impactful as you would have liked out of a Top 20 pick. He now plays for the Giants where he enjoyed a solid season in coverage.

Double-dip at pass rusher? Why not? The Jets picked two safeties in the Top 40 of this draft in real life. Trey Hendrickson took a little while to develop. He didn’t break out with the Saints until year 4 and many thought that he was fool’s gold in the 2021 free agent class. He was not and he was one of the main reasons the Bengals’ defense carried them to the super bowl this past season.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford (Original Pick: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama)

O.J. Howard was viewed by many analysts as one of the safest offensive players in this draft but that hasn’t been the case. He’s never been able to hit 600 receiving yards in a season and has struggled with staying on the field for his entire career.

Christian McCaffrey is viewed as one of the best three-down running backs in the league. In 2019, he had 2,392 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns over the course of the 2019 season. The Bucs had a need for a long-term running back in 2017 and CMC would have been a great fit.

20. Denver Broncos: Garett Bolles, OT, Utah (Original Pick: Garett Bolles, OT, Utah)

Yet another case of the original pick staying the same here. Garett Bolles got a lot of flack early in his career for taking a lot of penalties (he committed 45 penalties in the first three seasons of his career, according to Pro Football Focus ($)). He’s also been one of the most consistent left tackles in the NFL throughout his career. Per PFF, he’s earned PFF overall grades of 72.9, 72.8, 76.1, 90.6, and 76.6 from 2017 through 2021, respectively. Bolles isn’t one of the five best tackles in the NFL but he was a very good pick for the Denver Broncos.

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