Redrafting 2015's 1st round following 5th-year option decisions
The deadline for NFL teams to provide written notice of whether their 2015 first-round picks' fifth-year contract options would be picked up has passed.
In total, 20 players had their option exercised, while the other 12 will become free agents at the end of the 2018 season if they aren't released or extended beforehand.
Here's an imagining of how that same first round would go three years later if teams had another shot at it.
(Players are listed at the position they played when they were drafted)
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - QB Jameis Winston
Actual pick: Winston (exercised)
Teams (well, other than the Cleveland Browns) rarely land the No. 1 pick in the draft. When they do, it's usually because they desperately need a franchise quarterback. The Buccaneers had their choice between Winston and Marcus Mariota in 2015; three years later, it remains a toss-up.
2. Tennessee Titans - QB Marcus Mariota
Actual pick: Mariota (exercised)
Mariota has enjoyed a little more team success than Winston thus far, leading the Titans to the playoffs and a wild-card victory in 2017.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Vic Beasley
Actual pick: DE Dante Fowler Jr. (not exercised)
It was Beasley vs. Fowler for who'd be the top pass-rusher entering the 2015 draft. While the Jaguars' vaunted defense hasn't suffered from Fowler's underwhelming displays, Beasley's recorded nearly twice as many sacks over the past two years and provides the Atlanta Falcons with positional versatility. Starting Beasley opposite Calais Campbell on the defensive line and occasionally using him at linebacker would have been an upgrade.
4. Oakland Raiders - RB Todd Gurley
Actual pick: WR Amari Cooper (exercised)
The Raiders have received solid production from Cooper as the team's No. 1 wide receiver, but running back has been a glaring hole in recent years that led them to recruit Marshawn Lynch out of retirement prior to last season. Taking running backs with a top-10 pick is frowned upon by many in NFL circles, but Gurley has proven to be capable of transforming an offense and emerged as an MVP candidate in just his third year.
He would've been an immediate upgrade over 2015 starter Latavius Murray.
5. Washington Redskins - OT Brandon Scherff
Actual pick: Scherff (exercised)
Drafted as a tackle, Scherff was converted to right guard early in his career and has made the Pro Bowl in each of the past two seasons. After missing the first two games of his career in 2017, he's been a stabilizing, reliable piece of Washington's O-line and should allow the mobile Alex Smith to thrive in 2018 and beyond.
The league has begun putting more emphasis on the guard position, whether it be through the draft or in free agency. Scherff's value has helped lead that trend.
6. New York Jets - S Landon Collins
Actual pick: DE Leonard Williams (exercised)
Collins has proven he can be the leader of a defense, being crowned an All-Pro in 2016 and making the Pro Bowl in each of the past two seasons.
The Jets already had Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson at the time, making Williams a little redundant. While neither player is still on the team, Collins would have provided more value to the defensive unit as a whole.
7. Chicago Bears - WR Stefon Diggs
Actual pick: WR Kevin White (not exercised)
Injuries have limited White to just five appearances for the Bears, in which he's totaled 193 yards and no touchdowns. Chicago was active in free agency this offseason, adding receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel and tight end Trey Burton, and drafting receiver Anthony Miller to fortify its biggest weakness.
The versatile Diggs would have really helped rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky and veteran Mike Glennon last season.
8. Atlanta Falcons - DE Danielle Hunter
Actual pick: Beasley (exercised)
The Falcons had a bargain in Beasley. Hunter, used as depth off the bench through his first two years, emerged to start all 16 regular-season games and both playoff contests in 2017. He has one more career sack than Beasley.
9. New York Giants - RB David Johnson
Actual pick: OT Ereck Flowers (not exercised)
Despite starting all 46 games he played in his first three years, Flowers has fallen well short of the expectations placed on a top-10 pick. The Giants have spent the offseason trying to find trade interest, but appear stuck with Flowers for the final year of his rookie deal.
Johnson, originally a third-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals, was named an All-Pro in just his sophomore season, before losing his third year to injury. Like Gurley, he's proven he can be the focal point of an offense, excelling as both a rusher and a receiver.
10. Los Angeles Rams - WR Amari Cooper
Actual pick: Gurley (exercised)
The Rams identified running back as their top need for the 2015 draft and correctly used a high pick on Gurley.
But here, with both of the draft's elite running backs off the board, they'd settle on Cooper to address a wide receiver corps that has been a focal point of Sean McVay's current regime, with the Rams adding Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and Brandin Cooks in the last two years. Cooper would've helped them get a head start on that process.
11. Minnesota Vikings - CB Marcus Peters
Actual pick: CB Trae Waynes (exercised)
The Vikings have gotten what they wanted from Waynes, but Peters - an All-Pro in 2016 and a two-time Pro Bowler - would be a slight upgrade in the secondary alongside safeties Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo and fellow corner Xavier Rhodes.
12. Cleveland Browns - OT Andrus Peat
Actual pick: DT Danny Shelton (not exercised)
Peat has shown the versatility to play both guard and tackle for the New Orleans Saints. He likely would have been moved around the line in Cleveland, too, but he'd now be the logical replacement for the retired Joe Thomas at left tackle.
13. New Orleans Saints - DT Grady Jarrett
Actual pick: Peat (exercised)
The Saints were rumored to be in the hunt for defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh earlier this offseason as they sought help for Cameron Jordan. Jarrett would have eliminated that need and may have been able to save them from trading two first-round picks for Marcus Davenport this year.
14. Miami Dolphins - RB Melvin Gordon
Actual pick: WR DeVante Parker (exercised)
The Dolphins used a fifth-round pick on Jay Ajayi in the same draft, illustrating they viewed running back as a position of need. Gordon was infamously held out of the end zone as a rookie, but scored a total of 12 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons, and crossed the 1,000-yard threshold as a rusher for the first time in 2017.
15. Los Angeles Chargers - DT David Irving
Actual pick: Gordon (exercised)
The Chargers were still getting good use out of Corey Liuget - a first-round pick in 2011 - at the time, but Irving would have given them one of the top defensive fronts in the league.
Originally an undrafted free agent, Irving became a starter for eight healthy games in 2017 and has recorded a total of 11.5 sacks across his three years with the Dallas Cowboys.
16. Houston Texans - CB Trae Waynes
Actual pick: CB Kevin Johnson (exercised)
Johnson started 10 of 16 games as a rookie, but he's made just seven starts while being limited to 18 games over the past two years. Waynes would have provided some security in the secondary, as he's missed just two games in his career.
17. San Francisco 49ers - LB Eric Kendricks
Actual pick: DE Arik Armstead (exercised)
The 49ers seem to be banking on Armstead's remaining potential, but he's been limited to just 30 games and 11 starts through his first three years. Kendricks, chosen by the Vikings with the 45th overall pick in 2015, has started 41 of 45 games played as the leader of the linebacker corps.
18. Kansas City Chiefs - CB Byron Jones
Actual pick: Peters (exercised)
The Chiefs reset their secondary group this offseason, trading Peters to the Rams, acquiring Kendall Fuller from Washington, and signing David Amerson. Jones might have prevented that from being necessary, as he's able to play both corner and safety and has started all 32 games over the past two years.
19. Browns (via the Buffalo Bills) - LB Kwon Alexander
Actual pick: C Cameron Erving (not exercised)
With the offensive line already addressed with their first pick, the Browns would have been able to choose Alexander as their defensive anchor. The Buccaneers' fourth-round selection has started all 40 games he's played and was chosen for the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2017.
20. Philadelphia Eagles - WR Nelson Agholor
Actual pick: Agholor (exercised)
The Eagles had to wait for Agholor's breakout, but their patience was rewarded with eight regular-season touchdowns in 2017. He emerged as a top No. 2 receiver opposite Alshon Jeffery while playing all 16 games for the first time in his career.
21. Cincinnati Bengals - OT D.J. Humphries
Actual pick: OT Cedric Ogbuehi (not exercised)
Ogbuehi started 13 games last season, but the Bengals decided he wasn't in their long-term plans and passed on his fifth-year option. Humphries had his own option exercised by the Cardinals despite playing only five games last season. That's probably because when healthy, he's a very reliable player who specializes in run blocking.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers - DE Leonard Williams
Actual pick: DE Bud Dupree (exercised)
Williams doesn't have Dupree's versatility, but he hasn't missed a game in his career, recording a total of 12 sacks. He's now the focal point of the Jets' defensive front after the team moved on from both Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson in the past two offseasons.
23. Denver Broncos - LB Benardrick McKinney
Actual pick: DE Shane Ray (not exercised)
The Broncos passing on Ray's option year was somewhat surprising, but injuries have held the 23rd overall pick to just 38 games and 15 starts. He recorded eight sacks in a full 2016 season, but managed just one last year.
McKinney has started all 32 games over the past seasons. While he's benefited from playing alongside J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, he would have received similar support from Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware in his first two seasons in Denver.
24. Arizona Cardinals - WR DeVante Parker
Actual pick: Humphries (exercised)
The Cardinals allowed both John and Jaron Brown to leave via free agency this offseason, replacing them with Brice Butler and Christian Kirk. Parker would have helped the team transition through Larry Fitzgerald's twilight.
25. Carolina Panthers - LB Shaq Thompson
Actual pick: Thompson (exercised)
Thompson's been a solid addition alongside Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis in the Panthers' linebacker group. He started 14 games in 2017, making a career-best 61 combined tackles with two forced fumbles and two sacks.
26. Baltimore Ravens - WR Devin Funchess
Actual pick: WR Breshad Perriman (not exercised)
There's no telling what Perriman could have been if he'd stayed healthy.
The 2015 Ravens had Mike Wallace on the outside and Steve Smith in the slot, needing a second outside receiver to put opposite Wallace. Funchess' 6-foot-4 frame would've fit the bill, and he would have benefited greatly from softer matchups with his teammates drawing tight coverage.
27. Dallas Cowboys - CB Ronald Darby
Actual pick: Jones (exercised)
With Jones already off the board in this alternate version, the Cowboys would have stuck with a cornerback and taken Darby, originally a second-round Bills selection. He battled through injury in his first year with the Eagles, but returned in time to start all three playoff games, recording 16 tackles and six passes defensed.
28. Detroit Lions - RB Jay Ajayi
Actual pick: G Laken Tomlinson (not exercised)
The Lions didn't get what they wanted from Tomlinson and shipped him to the 49ers before last season. He became a serviceable player in packages for head coach Kyle Shanahan, but San Francisco still opted to pass on his fifth-year option. While the running game relies heavily on a steady offensive line, Ajayi would have been the Lions' most talented running back in years, and could have made up for some of the weaknesses in front of him.
29. Indianapolis Colts - DE Dante Fowler Jr.
Actual pick: WR Phillip Dorsett (not exercised)
Fowler was arguably the biggest surprise among the 12 players who had their fifth-year options declined. While he lost his rookie season to injury, he's found a role as a depth pass-rusher, recording eight sacks without starting a game in 2017.
30. Green Bay Packers - DE Trey Flowers
Actual pick: DB Damarious Randall (exercised)
The New England Patriots have slowly expanded Flowers' role since taking him in the fourth round, as he started a career-high 14 games in 2017 and recorded 6.5 sacks.
He would've been an added luxury for a Packers pass rush that ranked inside the top 10 in sacks in both 2015 and 2016.
31. Saints (via Seattle Seahawks) - LB Denzel Perryman
Actual pick: LB Stephone Anthony (not exercised)
Anthony lasted just two seasons in New Orleans, starting 19 of 26 games played. Meanwhile, Perryman has struggled to stay healthy, and his performance has dipped since his rookie year as a result, but he's still effective when on the field.
32. New England Patriots - DE Frank Clark
Actual pick: DT Malcom Brown (not exercised)
Clark's strength as a pass-rusher would have made him a good fit as a package player for the Patriots, as he is for the Seahawks. He's recorded 19 sacks over the past two years, after getting to the quarterback just three times as a rookie.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)