While the NFL world continues preparations for the 2012 NFL Draft, Mel Kiper took a few minutes to look back at the 2006 NFL Draft. Six years after that draft class began their NFL careers, Kiper re-drafted the first round. He did not account for specific team needs, but rather re-drafted based entirely on their performance to date and potential performance still to come.
Potentially much to the chagrin of Oakland Raiders fans, Kiper has the Raiders selecting quarterback Jay Cutler with their seventh overall pick. Back in 2006, the Raiders used the pick on Michael Huff. While Huff has shown solid play at times and improved in recent years, he has not really lived up to the seventh overall pick used on him. In the re-draft, Huff drops out of the first round entirely.
Although Kiper did not consider team need at the time, there is plenty of room for discussion about Jay Cutler and the Raiders quarterback position at the time. Kerry Collins was the Raiders quarterback in 2004 and 2005 before departing for Tennessee. In 2005, the Raiders drafted Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter in the third round. He did not set foot on the field his rookie year, but then split starts with Aaron Brooks in 2006.
The Raiders would go on to select Jamarcus Russell with the number one overall pick in 2007. He made one start his rookie year and then took over the starting role in 2008 before eventually flaming out. Although Raiders fans have plenty of disdain for a former Broncos QB like Jay Cutler, had he started with Oakland, who knows what might have been.