Different teams have different needs in the NFL Draft. Many say they take the best player on their board. It is hard to imagine how so many teams missed the boat on Ohio State’s Michael Thomas. The New Orleans Saints struck it rich when they grabbed the Buckeye WR in 2016. A look at all the players taken before the Saints, who face the Falcons Thanksgiving night, reached in with the 47th pick and grabbed a generational wideout.
1. Jared Goff
Jared Goff took all sorts of heat on and off the field as a rookie. He then became the QB the Rams had hoped they would get when Sean McVay arrived. This year has been more of a downer as the team and quarterback have not found the magic that landed them in the Super Bowl last season.
2. Carson Wentz
The Philadelphia Eagles grabbed Carson Wentz after Goff went to the Rams. He’s done fairly well as the team’s QB. He has a Super Bowl ring, courtesy of Nick Foles, and completes better than 60% of his passes. Big question is can he stay healthy? He’s played a full season once.
3. Joey Bosa
The Chargers went defense and came up with a stud DE in Joey Bosa. He didn’t seem thrilled to be chosen by the Bolts, but eventually came to terms. Bosa had double-digit sack seasons in his first two years and is on his way to another one in 2019.
4. Ezekiel Elliott
Another player from Ohio State went fourth and the Dallas Cowboys struck it rich with Ezekiel Elliott. The running back gains yardage in chunks and already has two rushing titles. An NFL-mandated suspension could have cost him another.
5. Jalen Ramsey
Controversial and colorful Jalen Ramsey is a stellar DB. However, with his ability comes a lot of attitude and the Jacksonville Jaguars finally had enough in 2019 and sent him to the Los Angeles Rams.
6. Ronnie Stanley
The Baltimore Ravens sought a stud offensive tackle in the 2016 draft. They reached into the pool and came away with Ronnie Stanley of Notre Dame. The 6-6, 315-pounder has started every game he has played for Baltimore.
7. DeForest Buckner
The 49ers were struggling and needed a lot of help. They stayed in the West and plucked a duck, 6-7, 300-pound DeForest Buckner from Oregon. The defensive lineman is one of a number of top draft picks on a fierce and youthful defensive front.
8. Jack Conklin
The Titans grabbed Michigan State OT Jack Conklin. The former Spartan has been a consistent starter on the Titans’ offensive line. He was on the All-Rookie and All-Pro team in 2016. Since, no honors. Conklin has been derailed at times by injuries and Tennessee has already declined his fifth-year option.
9. Leonard Floyd
The Bears chose Leonard Floyd out of Georgia to help their defense. Last year was the first time he played 16 games in a season. He is good for a handful of sacks each year and is good for many tackles and TFLs.
10. Eli Apple
If only Eli Apple’s game with the Giants was as good as his mouth. The DB from Ohio State wore out his welcome with Big Blue and was shipped to New Orleans. He starts in the Saints’ secondary and often is the DB other QBs target.
11. Vernon Hargreaves
Vernon Hargreaves came to the Bucs from in-state Florida. It never quite panned out and he moved to Houston recently via waivers. Hargreaves only had a pair of picks as a Buc. The Texans are hoping he finds the form that made him a first-rounder.
12. Sheldon Rankins
New Orleans’ turn saw them grab Sheldon Rankins, not Michael Thomas with their first-round pick. Sheldon Rankins from Louisville did not start any games as a rookie and is not starting this season on what has become one of the better DLs in the league. That said, he started every game in the seasons sandwiched between. He has rehabbed a torn Achilles suffered in the playoff win over the Eagles. He has one sack in his first seven games back.
13. Laremy Tunsil
The story of how Laremy Tunsil fell to 13 has been well-documented. It turned out to behoove the Dolphins, who got a stellar OL from Mississippi. He started in all 44 games he appeared in for the Fish. There was allegedly almost a mutiny when the thought of Tunsil being traded was mentioned before the season. He was dealt to Houston and has been a starter for the Texans.
14. Karl Joseph
Jon Gruden and the Raiders are resurgent and Karl Joseph and the young defense are part of the reason. Joseph was chosen out of West Virginia. He’s earned a spot as a fulltime starter in 2019 after some spot starts his first and third season.
15. Corey Coleman
The Browns have to wonder how they missed so badly on Michael Thomas and took Baylor’s Corey Coleman. The Bear was a catching machine in college and all he caught in the NFL was grief. He’s now a Giant and is on IR. Oof.
16. Taylor Decker
If Taylor Decker is healthy, he starts for the Detroit Lions. the Ohio State OL actually has a catch in the NFL and it went for a TD last season. He’s been a steady presence on the Lions’ line.
17. Keanu Neal
Keanu Neal has been excellent when he is healthy. Unfortunately, the DB from Florida has played in a total of four games in the past two seasons. First an ACL last season and an Achilles this year. It’s one of the reasons the Falcons have had so much trouble on defense.
18. Ryan Kelly
Ryan Kelly is the man in the middle for the Indianapolis Colts. Kelly started 16 games as a rookie and played in 19 games the last two seasons. The Colts need his presence on the OL and he has started their games in 2019.
19. Shaq Lawson
Shaq Lawson came to the Bills from Clemson. He has not been a major starter for Buffalo. Lawson has made 17 stats, including none in 2019. He has never had more than four sacks in a season.
20. Darron Lee
Somehow, it is hard to believe all these Buckeyes went for Michael Thomas, let alone all these players. Darron Lee stuck around the Jets’ defense for four seasons before landing in Kansas City, where he has made a couple starts.
21. Will Fuller
Will Fuller is a great complement to DeAndre Hopkins at wideout. Like so many players on the list, health has been an issue. He has yet to play an entire season. He is tracking toward a career-best in grabs. That said, all he has to do is top 47, which he made in his rookie season.
22. Josh Doctson
Another team that has to rue the time it didn’t draft Michael Thomas. Josh Doctson simply did pan out in Washington. In three seasons with Washington he totaled 81 catches, which is what Michael Thomas does … in one.
23. Laquon Treadwell
Another wideout mistake. The Vikings gave Laquon Treadwell every chance imaginable before cutting him. They brought him back again and he has not been a receiving force for the Purple People in 2019.
24. William Jackson
William Jackson has been a consistent starter in the Steelers’ secondary since being chosen out of Houston. Not sure if that is a good thing or survival on a team that has flopped in 2019.
25. Artie Burns
Artie Burns was a charming story when the Steelers selected him out of Miami. However, he’s been picked on succesfully in the NFL and is not one of the stronger DBs in the Pittsburgh secondary.
26. Paxton Lynch
A flat-out bust after being chosen out of Memphis.
27. Kenny Clark
The Green Bay defense is enjoying a renaissance and Kenny Clark is one of the better players on the line. The former UCLA star doesn’t always get to the quarterback but he is involved heavily in the schemes and is a menace to other offenses.
28. Joshua Garnett
Joshua Garnett was in no way part of the Niners’ turnaround. He played in 22 games, starting 11 The former Stanford OL missed the entire 2017 season and was cut by the Niners late in training camp in 2019.
29. Robert Nkemdiche
So much was expected, so little delivered. Robert Nkemdiche had a huge rep at Ole Miss that seemed to dissolve year by year. The Cardinals still took a chance on him and were rewarded with little. He’s currently playing for the Dolphins. He was recently suspended two weeks by the league.
30. Vernon Butler
Vernon Butler is a defensive tackle the Carolina Panthers drafted out of Louisiana Tech. He did not make a start in the first three seasons of his NFL career, finally seeing a quartet of starts in 2019.
31. Germain Ifedi
Germain Ifedi has started every game he has played for Seattle after being selected out of Texas A&M. He has played every offensive snap for the Seahawks in 2019.
32. Emmanuel Ogbah
The Cleveland Browns drafted Emmanuel Ogbah out of Oklahoma State. The defensive end was placed on IR in 2017 with Cleveland. He’s out for the 2019 season with Kansas City after suffering a torn pec in Week 10.
33. Kevin Dodd
Kevin Dodd wound up on IR after playing nine games in 2016. He played the same amount of games in 2017 and had seven tackles and no sacks. Tennessee waived him in 2018 after he failed to report to training camp.
34. Jaylon Smith
Jaylon Smith is one of the best stories of this draft. The LB from Notre Dame suffered an awful injury in college that had many fearing for his career prospects. He rehabbed and worked and battled his way back and has become a key part of the Dallas defense.
35. Hunter Henry
Speaking of injuries, it is a big question of how much of a force Hunter Hentry would be if he were able to stay healthy. The tight end from Arkansas has yet to play a full, 16-game season. When he is on the field, he’s a great target for Philip Rivers.
36. Myles Jack
Myles Jack was a huge star at UCLA in college. He was a two-way player for the Bruins. There were knee issues that scared off a lot of teams before Jacksonville picked Jack. He’s been able to avoid injury in the NFL and has been a solid performer for the Jags.
37. Chris Jones
The Chiefs struck gold when they picked Chris Jones from Mississippi State. The defensive tackle has become a sack star. In 2018, he had 15.5 and coud be on his way to another double-digit season with a handful already. When he doesn’t get to the QB, he disrupts the other team big time.
38. Xavien Howard
The Miami Dolphins have been miserable in 2019. However, they did good work in the 2016 draft, selecting Laremy Tunsil in the first round and picking Baylor’s Xavien Howard in the second. Howard had a Pro Bowl season in 2018 and is one of the better DBs in the NFL.
39. Noah Spence
Linebacker Noah Spence was not a prolific starter in Tampa Bay or with Washington. The former Eastern Kentucky LB via Ohio State was the Defensive Rookie of the Month in November 2016. Since, not so much. He’s started a total of six games in his NFL career. He was waived by Washington on Nov. 19.
40. Sterling Shepard
The Giants grabbed Sterling Shepard from Oklahoma and they have had success with the Sooner. In his first three seasons, Shepard grabbed 190 passes. He has been slowed by concussion issues in 2019.
41. Reggie Ragland
The Buffalo Bills drafted Reggie Ragland from Alabama. The LB never played a down for them, injuring himself and missing 2016 and being traded to Kansas City before the 2017 season. As a Chief, has seen a varying amount of snaps, some games about half but most far less.
42. Kamalei Correa
Drafted out of Boise State by the Baltimore Ravens, linebacker Kamalei Correa spent two seasons with the team. He played in 25 games and made only four starts. He was traded to the Titans in 2018 for a draft pick. He’s been marginal there, starting six games over two seasons.
43. Austin Johnson
Defensive tackle Austin Johnson has spent four seasons with the Titans since they chose him out of Penn State. Johnson had his 12 shots sandwich in his middle two seasons while not starting any games as a rookie or this season to date.
44. Jihad Ward
The Raiders decided to select Jihad Ward, a DE, from Illinois at 44. He lasted two seasons in Oakland, starting 13 games as a rookie. He’s bounced around after being dealt from Oakland to Dallas. Ward recently landed with the Ravens.
45. Derrick Henry
Derrick Henry won the Heisman Trophy at Alabama. That didn’t sell many teams on his talents until Tennessee grabbed him. He already has more than 3,000 yards rushing and is on his way to a second straight 1,000-yard season. Henry had a 99-yard run for a TD in 2018 against the Jags.
46.A’Shawn Robinson
Another Alabama player to be chosen high in the NFL Draft is A’Shawn Robinson. The 6-4, 330-pound defensive tackle has started better than half the games in his NFL career. Robinson’s best sack total came as a rookie when he notched a pair.
47. … and, finally, Michael Thomas
And after all these names were called, the New Orleans Saints selected Ohio State’s Michael Thomas. In one of those “redrafts,” Thomas likely would be a top two or three pick. All he has done since 2016 is had four 1,000-plus yard seasons. He’s approaching the 30-TD mark and has more than 400 catches. Thomas had 125 catches last season and is on a pace to break that in 2019. How could he have slipped? Okay, every team didn’t need a receiver. But what about the teams that did need one and opted for others. Talk about a big whiff.
