FRISCO, Texas – We didn't need to see the All-Decade team to know 2011 was special, but it didn't hurt.
The NFL announced its best-of team from the past decade, and it was hard not to notice that a whopping eight members of the 2010s All-Decade squad came from one place – the legendary 2011 NFL Draft.
We've known for a long time that 2011 produced a staggering amount of talent. And to add another layer to it, with the Cowboys' recent decision to sign Aldon Smith, they have now employed four of the very best members of this draft class.
So with nothing but time on our hands, it prompted an interesting question – what would the 2011 NFL Draft look like if it were to undergo a re-do?
Here's what we came up with.
So with nothing but time on our hands, it prompted an interesting question – what would the 2011 NFL Draft look like if it were to undergo a re-do?
32. Green Bay Packers: Mark Ingram – Total luxury pick, but you can do fun stuff like that when you're the defending world champs. Ingram played through two contracts in New Orleans, and he's still churning out yards in Baltimore a decade later. He would've made life a bit easier for the middle stage of Aaron Rodgers' career.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers: Pernell McPhee – The Steelers would have preferred to land a solid cornerback, but McPhee is arguably the best defender left in this class. With 34 career sacks, he would have anchored the Pittsburgh D-Line really nicely and helped the likes of James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley make plays.
30. New York Jets: Jimmy Smith – Is it a coincidence that the Jets' fortunes dropped off soon after Darrelle Revis left town? Probably not. Nobody is going to confuse Smith with a future Hall of Famer, but the guy has been steadily manning one of the toughest positions in the sport for the last decade.
29. Chicago Bears: Brandon Fusco – The Bears had the right idea drafting an offensive lineman in the first round, but they got the wrong guy. Minnesota found Fusco way down at pick No. 172, and all he's done since is start 87 games at guard over the last eight years.
28. New England Patriots: Aldon Smith – This would be such a Patriots move. Smith was prolific in his first three years in the league, but off-field issues caught up with him and he hasn't played since 2015. Still, at pick No. 28, why not take a chance on an absurd talent that racked up 42 sacks in just three seasons.
27. Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Rudolph – Poor Atlanta. With no trade up, they have no Julio Jones, and then Randall Cobb goes off the board right before them. Tony Gonzalez was nearing the end of his career by 2011, so adding a Pro Bowl tight end in Rudolph allows them to develop a replacement.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Randall Cobb – Jimmy Smith was not a bad pick by any stretch, but Cobb represents a chance for the Ravens to surround Joe Flacco with more firepower, which is something Baltimore has consistently lacked over the last 10 years.
25. Seattle Seahawks: Muhammad Wilkerson – With Russell Wilson on his way in 2012, we'll just wait to address the Seahawks' offensive needs. They also needed pass rush help in 2011. Wilkerson fell off in recent years, but he showed flashes of dominance in his first five seasons with the Jets.
24. New Orleans Saints: K.J. Wright – Cam Jordan is off the table, but the Saints needed help all over their defense at the time. Wright has played at a Pro Bowl level for Seattle, and he's a vital piece of the locker room culture. This isn't a bad consolation prize.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Jason Kelce – Philly drafted Kelce in 2011, but they did it all the way back in the sixth round. We can fix that mistake, as the three-time All-Pro was the only good pick the Eagles made that year.
22. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Castonzo – There's no great reason to change this. Costanzo has been a solid starter in Indy for a decade. This late in the first round, it's a perfectly defensible decision to keep him right where he is.
21. Kansas City Chiefs: Doug Baldwin – This is a really easy switch. The Chiefs originally drafted a wide receiver named Baldwin – they just got the wrong guy. Instead of Jonathan Baldwin, who played just two seasons in Kansas City and caught just 41 passes, they get Doug – who was one of the league's most underrated receivers for a decade.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcell Dareus – The Bucs needed pass rush at the time, but all the best options are long gone. Dareus never achieved his fullest potential, but with 37.5 sacks from the defensive tackle spot, he's more than good enough to build a defensive line around.
19. New York Giants: Nate Solder – Ironically, in this scenario the Giants draft a guy they'd wind up signing as a free agent years later. Solder has never been to a Pro Bowl, but he's had a strong career at a position the Giants have sorely needed.
18. San Diego Chargers: Cam Heyward – It's kind of hard to imagine a blue collar player like Heyward in SoCal, but he fits the bill of what they were looking for – and he has clearly had quite a productive decade.
17. New England Patriots: Rodney Hudson – The Patriots originally drafted Nate Solder to help protect Tom Brady. It was a solid pick, but in a re-do perhaps they would've gone with a three-time Pro Bowl center to help keep pressure out of Brady's face.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mike Pouncey – Ironically, Pouncey only slides one spot. The Jags obviously needed a quarterback, but there isn't one worth drafting this high. They did have a large need at center at the time, and Pouncey fits the bill.
15. Miami Dolphins: Chris Harris Jr. – Mike Pouncey made three Pro Bowls for Miami. He was a solid pick. But there's not as much bang for your buck at the center position. Instead, the Dolphins draft an All-Pro corner.
14. St. Louis Rams: Jurrell Casey – To this day, Casey remains one of the NFL's most underrated players. The guy made five Pro Bowls for Tennessee as an interior havoc wreaker. In this scenario, he'd wind up playing next to Aaron Donald a few years later.
13. Detroit Lions: A.J. Green – This would be fun. The Lions originally tried to pair Nick Fairley with Ndamukong Suh, but it didn't work out. Instead, why not draft a seven-time Pro Bowler in A.J. Green to pair with Calvin Johnson? Matt Stafford would've been thrilled.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Andy Dalton – This might seem strange, but it speaks to the power of the quarterback position. The Vikings were a disaster at the position back in 2011, which is why they reached for Christian Ponder. Dalton made it to three Pro Bowls and helped the Bengals make four playoff appearances. That's worth taking a gamble on.
11. Houston Texans: Robert Quinn – It speaks to the amount of good edge rushers in this class that there's such a long run of them. There's no way J.J. Watt falls to No. 11 in a re-draft, but Quinn reached an All-Pro level and is still producing a decade later.
10. Washington Redskins: Justin Houston – Washington originally traded out of this pick because Jacksonville wanted a quarterback. But nobody is jumping up for Blaine Gabber in this scenario. Ryan Kerrigan is off the board, but they can still address their pass rush with a future All-Pro.
9. Dallas Cowboys: Richard Sherman – How crazy would this be? Cornerback was clearly a need for Dallas at this point, as they'd spend big resources on Brandon Carr and Mo Claiborne just one year later. Imagine the NFL's biggest personality playing for the NFL's biggest team. Oh and the fact that Sherman is a future Hall of Famer doesn't hurt, either.
8. Tennessee Titans: Ryan Kerrigan – The Titans originally went quarterback, but this is far too early to grab Andy Dalton. Instead, they bolster their pass rush with an underrated Pro Bowler with 90 career sacks.
7. San Francisco 49ers: Cameron Jordan – Aldon Smith looked like a Hall of Famer early on, but he didn't play for the second half of the decade. On the flip side, Jordan has been remarkably productive without missing a single NFL game.
6. Cleveland Browns: Patrick Peterson – The Browns were looking for defensive line help in this draft, but it's hard to argue against a Hall of Fame cornerback.
5. Arizona Cardinals: Tyron Smith – Patrick Peterson has been a wonderful player, but he hasn't been able to turn around the Cardinals' fortunes on his own. In a re-draft, why not select a Hall of Fame left tackle who can help protect your shaky quarterback situation?
4. Cincinnati Bengals: Julio Jones – The Bengals had the right idea drafting a receiver, and A.J. Green is a great player – but there's no doubt who they'd choose in a do-over. Atlanta gave up a lot to trade up for Julio Jones, and he has more than repaid the decision as arguably the best receiver in football for the past decade.
3. Buffalo Bills: J.J. Watt – The first big change. Marcell Dareus has had moments of dominance, but it doesn't compare to a likely Hall of Famer – a guy with five All-Pro selections and three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards.
2. Denver Broncos: Von Miller – Another pick that doesn't seem to be worth changing. You could make an argument for J.J. Watt, but Miller has been slightly more productive. Even more important, he's been healthier.
1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton – Some might scoff that Cam would go before so many All-Pro talents. Don't. In eight full seasons, he took the Panthers to the playoffs four times, reached a Super Bowl and won an NFL MVP. In a league were quarterback play is everything, that's still deserving of the top spot.
