The 2004 NFL Draft was not without intrigue. Eli Manning was coming out of Ole Miss. The son of Archie and brother of Peyton wanted no part of San Diego. It set in motion a trade with the New York Giants that could wind up tripping up some people on trivia quizzes.
32. Patriots: Benjamin Watson
Benjamin Watson retired following 2018 after a career that saw him catch 530 passes and 44 touchdowns. Watson is one of the most respected players to wear a uniform for any NFL team.
31. 49ers: Rashaun Woods
Rashaun Woods entered the NFL from Oklahoma State. His time was short and not plentiful. He caught seven passes for 160 yards … in his career.
30. Lions: Kevin Jones
Kevin Jones accounted for 4,200 yards rushing and receiving in a career that saw him play for the Lions and Bears. His last team was the Hartford Colonials of the defunct UFL in 2010.
29. Falcons: Michael Jenkins
Michael Jenkins was selected out of Ohio State. He played from 2004-10 for the Falcons and then moved on to the Vikings for 2011-12. Overall, Jenkins made 354 catches for 4,827 yards.
28. Panthers: Chris Gamble
Chris Gamble played his entire career with the Panthers, He retired in 2013 after making 27 interceptions for Carolina.
27. Texans: Jason Babin
Talk about a journeyman’s odyssey, Jason Babin played for 10 teams in a long career. He was a two-time Pro Bowler.
26. Bengals: Chris Perry
Chris Perry did not pan out for the Bengals out of Michigan. In four seasons, he made nine starts and rushed for a total of 606 yards.
25. Packers: Ahmad Carroll
Ahmad Carroll played in many leagues, the NFL, Arena League, CFL and UFL. He was a member of Grey Cup champion in 2012.
24. Rams: Steven Jackson
Steven Jackson rushed for better than 11,000 yards and 69 TDs in a career that saw him play for the Rams, Falcons and Patriots. He was a three-time Pro Bowler.
23. Seahawks: Marcus Tubbs
Injuried sidetracked the career of Marcus Tubbs. He had seven sacks in four seasons.
22. Bills: J.P. Losman
J.P. Losman played college ball at UCLA and Tulane. The Bills were hoping for a franchise quarterback when they drafted him. However, he was 10-23 in his starts in Buffalo in an uneventful career.
21. Patriots: Vince Wilfork
A superb pick out of Miami, Vince Wolfork was a two-time Super Bowl champ and a five-time Pro Bowler. He spent much of his career with the Patriots before winding it down with the Texans.
20. Vikings: Kenechi Udeze
Kenechi Udeze’s career was derailed when he was diagnosed with a form of leukemia.
19. Dolphins: Vernon Carey
Venon Carey played his entire career with the Miami Dolphins after being drafted out of Miami. He played in 121 games, starting 107 of them.
18. Saints: Will Smith
Will Smith came to the Saints from Ohio State. He was a Super Bowl champ and one-time Pro Bowler. Smith was tragically murdered in 2016 in New Orleans.
17. Broncos: D.J. Williams
D.J. Williams played for the Broncos until 2012. He then signed with the Chicago Bears. He had 22 1/2 sacks and forced 14 fumbles in a solid career.
16. Eagles: Shawn Andrews
Shawn Andrews made the Pro Bowl twice as a Philadelphia Eagle. He was with them from 2004-9. He then signed with the rival Giants but that was cut short by back pain and injury after a season.
15. Buccaneers: Michael Clayton
Michael Clayton went from LSU to becoming a Super Bowl champion in XLVI. He had 223 career receptions. After washing out of the league, Clayton went to the UFL and then returned to the NFL for a short term with the Giants.
14. Bears: Tommie Harris
A three-time Pro Bowler, Tommie Harris played with the Bears through 2010. He signed with the Colts but did not stick and eventually wound up with the Chargers for a final NFL season.
13. Bills: Lee Evans
Lee Evans played seven of his eight seasons with the Bills. He concluded his career with the Ravens. Evans turned 43 of his 381 receptions into touchdowns.
12. Jets: Jonathan Vilma
Jonathan Vilma played 10 seasons in the league, the first four with the Jets. He then moved on to the Saints. Vilma was extremely durable, starting in 121 of the 125 games he played.
11. Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger is one of the three quarterbacks drafted in the first round in 2004, seemingly headed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His career mark is 144-69-1, by far the best of the trio.
10. Texans: Dunta Robinson
Dunta Robinson played with the Texans and Falcons from 2004-12. He signed with the Chiefs for 2013 but did not stick.
9. Jaguars: Reggie Williams
Reggie Williams’ football journey took him from Washington to the Jaguars to the UFL’s Sacramento Mountain Lions to the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. His NFL career saw 189 catches for 2,322 yards.
8. Falcons: DeAngelo Hall
DeAngelo Hall was a three-time Pro Bowler, including game MVP in 2010. He is tied for the league record with four picks in one game. That happened against the Chicago Bears in 2010.
7. Lions: Roy Williams
Roy Williams had 393 career receptions for 5,715 yards. He is likely best remembered, though, for signing a big-time contract with the Dallas Cowboys and failing to live up to their expectations.
6. Browns: Kellen Winslow II
Kellen Winslow II is the son of the great former Chargers tight end. His football career has been completely forgotten due to a series of off-field indiscretions that have led to multiple arrests.
5. Redskins: Sean Taylor
One of the all-time tragedies in sports. Sean Taylor was one of the league’s top DBs from 2004-2007. In the final year, he was senselessly murdered by intruders at his home in Florida. About as sad a story as it gets.
4. Giants: Philip Rivers
Yes, the Giants drafted Philip Rivers out of North Carolina State. He did not play a down for them, being traded in a deal that facilitated Eli Manning’s exit out of San Diego. Rivers is an eight-time Pro Bowler. The only line missing from his resume is Super Bowl champ.
3. Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald
One of the absolute elite receivers and class acts in NFL history. Larry Fitzgerald has spent his entire career with the Cardinals. How about 1,303 catches for 16,279 yards and 116 touchdowns.
2. Raiders: Robert Gallery
Robert Gallery came to the Raiders from Iowa. They hoped for a franchise tackle. He did start 91 of the 92 games he played for Oakland before starting and appearing in another 12 games in his final season as a Seahawk.
1. Chargers: Eli Manning
Eli Manning didn’t want any part of San Diego and made it abundantly clear. That led to a trade, which sent him to the Giants for Philip Rivers and three picks. The 2004 third-round pick turned into kicker Nate Kaeding, the 2005 first-rounder became Shawne Merriman and the 2005 fifth-round pick was traded to TB for Roman Oben, by San Diego.
