Aaron Rodgers may have set the mark for the most excruciating wait at an NFL draft. Until Brady Quinn got there a few years later, it was Rodgers who may have stood alone as a guy who many thought could have gone within the top 5 but went much, much later. The Packers were so surprised Rodgers was still sitting there at No. 24, they grabbed him, even knowing their QB situation wasn't in need of an overnight fix.
Imagine Rodgers with the Niners? It could have been a perfect marriage. But we'll also never know if the incubation period Rodgers experienced as he waited behind Brett Favre was a big part of his current success. Regardless, with hindsight available, here's a look at how the draft could have played out if current results were all that mattered. Obviously, undrafted Robbie Gould going in a 2005 re-draft doesn't mean I'll ever peg a kicker to go in Round 1. It's just a fun excercise in results and, in many cases, what's still to come for a player.
1. San Francisco 49ers: Aaron Rodgers, QB
He was right nearby in Berkeley, and he likely changes everything for the 49ers.
2. Miami Dolphins: DeMarcus Ware, LB
The premier defensive player in the class even drew a few puzzled looks when he went to Dallas at No. 11.
3. Cleveland Browns: Roddy White, WR
Cleveland went with Braylon Edwards, but White has had a good career and is on fire now.
4. Chicago Bears: Trent Cole, DE
With 57 sacks since he arrived in Philly with the 146th pick, Cole has been an absolute steal.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Justin Tuck, DE
Tuck didn't go until the 74th pick but is an All-Pro now, no longer behind Michael Strahan.