Tag: 2013 NFL Draft

Redrafting the 2013 NFL Draft 10 years later, which includes Geno Smith in the top 3

How would the 2013 NFL Draft shake out 10 years later? We have some ideas.

As hard as it is to believe, it’s been 10 years since the 2013 NFL Draft.

That draft, much like last year’s, wasn’t a big one for quarterbacks as offensive tackle Eric Fisher went first overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Only Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel went in the first round to the Buffalo Bills, which wasn’t a successful decision for the Bills.

If we look back on this draft class, how might the dominoes fall a decade later?

We’ve still only got one quarterback going in the first round, but it’s not Manuel. We’ve also got a new first-overall pick and some really intriguing alternate histories to consider.

Let’s dive into our 2013 NFL Draft do-over and see how it shakes out.

Manti Te’o thought Giants might select him in Round 1 of 2013 NFL draft

Amid a public catfishing hoax, Manti Te’o believed the New York Giants might take a shot on him in the 2013 NFL draft. They didn’t.

Linebacker Manti Te’o had a historic senior season in 2012, leading Notre Dame to the National Championship Game and falling just short of winning a Heisman Trophy. But that’s not what anyone remembers.

What happened in the immediate aftermath of that season is what lingers in the minds of most.

Te’o was the victim of a catfishing scam long before that term became common use. He was tricked into believing he was dating someone long-distance and later tricked into believing she had died.

That’s the simplified version of the story. Unfortunately, there’s much more to it as outlined in the recent Netflix documentary, Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist.

The gut-wrenching story details Te’o’s life at the time and how the hoax impacted him as both a person and a player. It also breaks down his experience at the 2013 NFL Combine and his slide in the 2013 NFL draft.

As Te’o slipped down the board in Round 1, the New York Giants came up to pick at No. 19 overall. In that moment, he thought that’s where his fall might end.

“I remember going through the draft and I knew that the Giants really liked me but I just wasn’t sure,” Te’o recalled. “They didn’t pick me up and I was like, ‘uh man, I’m not going to get picked.'”

Te’o had reason to believe the Giants might select him. They had held pre-draft visits with him and although they did ask him about the hoax, the interviews primarily focused on football.

Giants great Justin Tuck, also from Notre Dame, visited with Te’o at the time and also publicly signed off on him.

But it wasn’t meant to be. The Giants selected Syracuse offensive lineman Justin Pugh at No. 19. Te’o eventually went to the San Diego Chargers at No. 38 overall (Round 2).

While with the Chargers, Te’o played alongside offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger, who had a brief cup of coffee with the Giants in 2012.

Te’o would spend eight-plus seasons in the NFL but admits for the first three, he was a shell of his former self. He eventually found his stride with the New Orleans Saints but was never able to dominate at the same level he had in college.

Te’o last played in 2020-2021 as a member of the Chicago Bears.

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Giants select Zach Ertz in 2013 NFL re-draft

The New York Giants select TE Zach Ertz as opposed to OL Justin Pugh in Bleacher Report’s 2013 NFL re-draft.

In the 2013 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected offensive lineman Justin Pugh with pick No. 19, and envisioned him being a mainstay at tackle for quite some time.

That, of course, did not happen as Pugh was bounced around from position to position before developing injury issues that persist to this day — currently with the Arizona Cardinals.

Pugh was a very likable, talented player, but things simply didn’t work out. As a result, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report has the Giants passing on Pugh in favor of tight end Zach Ertz in his 2013 NFL re-draft.

It’s nowhere close to fair to call Justin Pugh a bust as a professional. He has battled some injury issues and hasn’t made a Pro Bowl, but he has made 86 career starts at guard and tackle over seven seasons—including all 16 games in 2019 for the Arizona Cardinals.

But while Pugh has been good, Zach Ertz has been great.

In each of the last five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Ertz has topped 70 receptions and 800 receiving yards. That includes a 2018 season in which Ertz set a new high-water mark in NFL history for receptions in a season by a tight end with 116.

In 2013, the depth chart at tight end for the Giants featured Larry Donnell, Brandon Myers, Bear Pascoe and Adrien Robinson.

It’s not a stretch to say Ertz would be a massive improvement over that motley crew.

Ironically, Ertz has been a Giants killer throughout his career, so it would have been nice to have that production on the other side — especially since Big Blue’s tight end unit had been a bit lacking prior to the arrival of Evan Engram.

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Report: Jags add former draft pick Denard Robinson to coaching staff

A former draft pick from Dave Caldwell’s first draft class has found himself back on the team as an assistant coach.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ coaching staff got bigger this week as the team added a familiar face. Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the organization hired former running back/offensive weapon, Denard Robinson, as an offensive quality control coach.

As pointed out by Yates, the Jags drafted Robinson in the fifth-round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Michigan, which was Dave Caldwell’s first as the team’s general manager. After that, the Florida native from Deerfield Beach stuck around for four seasons, accumulating 263 carries for 1,058 yards and five touchdowns.

After his time with the Jags, Robinson tried out for the Chicago Bears and New York Jets during the summer of 2017, but unfortunately, he couldn’t land a spot on their preseason rosters. That turned him to the Alliance of American Football where he played for the Atlanta Legends before the company unfortunately went bankrupt.

Afterward, in 2019, Robinson joined the Jacksonville University Dolphins’ football staff as an offensive analyst /special teams assistant, but the program was disbanded once the season ended.

The Jags’ decision to add Robinson comes after he was spotted marching with them last Friday during their protest against racial inequality. That would seem to indicate that he remained a native of Jacksonville and never lost his contacts with the team. Now, after a little networking, he’s found himself back in the NFL with a great opportunity ahead of him.

Ravens agree to terms with former Seahawks G D.J. Fluker

The Baltimore Ravens are beefing up their offensive line after the 2020 NFL Draft, adding experience at guard in D.J. Fluker

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The Baltimore Ravens are trying to fill the spot left by guard Marshal Yanda’s retirement this offseason. They already have Ben Powers and added Ben Bredeson as well as Tyre Phillips in the 2020 NFL Draft. But that apparently wasn’t enough.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Ravens are set to sign former Seattle Seahawks guard D.J. Fluker, pending a physical.

Fluker was a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft to the then-San Diego Chargers before moving on to the Seahawks for the last two years. He’s started 88 total games, including 23 over the last two seasons and earned a 60.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last year.

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The Ravens are bringing in some experience to their competition for the starting right guard job. While Powers is likely penciled into the starting role right now, neither he or Phillips and Bredeson have any NFL starts under their belt. As we saw last year at training camp, Baltimore likes having a competition for open offensive line jobs, and they want to bring in as many different angles as possible to get the best results.

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From Texas Longhorn To Super Bowl Champion

Former Texas Longhorn defensive end Alex Okafor can now say he reached the pinnacle of the sport as a world champion.

The story of Alex Okafor started in Pflugerville, Texas where he was a top rated defensive end prospect. He was named USA Today High School All-American and signed with the Texas Longhorns in 2009 as the number one rated strong side defensive end and four-star recruit.

During his time at Texas, Okafor was a problem for opposing offenses. He registered 150 total tackles, 34 tackles for loss and 23 career sacks. His senior year was especially big as he was first in the conference with 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. Okafor also finished seventh in the conference for career sacks.

Okafor’s final two seasons earned him All-Big 12 first team honors and first team All-American in 2011. His play earned him the opportunity to chase his dream in the NFL. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Following his four-year run in Arizona it was off to New Orleans.

After a solid start to the 2017 season, Okafor was put on the injured reserve list in week 11 when he tore his achilles tendon. He would return to the Saints in 2018 but after a four-sack season where he started all 16 games Okafor was a free agent again. That is when the Kansas City Chiefs came calling.

The Chiefs knew they needed to beef up their defense after losing the AFC Championship game due to not being able to stop the Patriots offense. In that game, New England got the ball to start overtime and scored a touchdown never allowing the Chiefs an opportunity.

Okafor was having a good season in Kansas City as they chased the opportunity to win the AFC, something that had eluded them for 50 years. Okafor recorded his second-best sack totals as a pro with five before tearing his pectoral muscle. It ended his season but even though he did not participate, the 2012 Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP can now say that he is a World Champion.