Re-Drafting the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Xavien Howard, CB

Original Pick: CB Vernon Hargreaves

Vernon Hargreaves has not been much of a cornerback asset for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I like the idea of the Bucs attacking cornerback here, but Xavien Howard would have been a much better pick.

Howard was a second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2016 and has grown into a true lockdown cornerback on the outside. The Tampa Bay pass defense has been an absolute disaster in recent years. Howard would not have solved all of their problems, but adding him to the mix would have certainly been a step in the right direction.

12. New Orleans Saints: Deion Jones, LB

Original Pick: DT Sheldon Rankins

Still a lot of interesting talent on the board for the New Orleans Saints at number 12. Their actual pick, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins would be worthy, but he is not the best choice. Instead, the Saints snag Deion Jones, a second-round pick who became a Pro Bowl linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons.

Jones is an elite athlete at the linebacker position. He can defend the run game from sideline-to-sideline, has some upside in the blitz game and is fantastic in coverage. The Saints ended up taking the next step after their incredible 2017 NFL Draft class. Adding Jones to the mix makes their already great teams in 2017 and beyond even better.