From Day 2 gem to generational great: Travis Kelce is the No. 1 pick in this 2013 redraft after redefining the tight end position with a record-setting career and postseason dominance.
Late-rounders steal the spotlight: Undrafted free agent Adam Thielen, seventh-rounder Jordan Poyer and fifth-rounder Micah Hyde soar into Round 1 of this redraft.
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Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes
The NFL draft is a crapshoot.
While NFL teams do their best to forecast which prospects will translate best to the next level, the reality is that franchises rarely get a pick exactly right.
But what would a draft look like if teams had the benefit of hindsight? PFF has world-class data for every player on every play in every NFL game, dating back to the 2006 season. Knowing what we know now, here is how the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft could have looked.
Any trades made during the original draft were reversed, while trades made before the draft were kept in place.
Looking for more NFL redrafts? Click for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
1. Kansas City Chiefs: TE Travis Kelce, Cincinnati (Round 3, Pick 63)
Across 12 NFL seasons, Kelce has established himself as one of the best tight ends of all time. His career 94.2 PFF receiving grade is the PFF record at the position and trails only Antonio Brown and Julio Jones if wide receivers are included.
Perhaps most impressive is Kelce's work in the playoffs, where his 90.8 PFF receiving grade ranks behind only Jones among players with at least 35 postseason targets.
Travis Kelce's Career PFF Grades
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2. Jacksonville Jaguars: T Lane Johnson, Oklahoma (Round 1, Pick 4)
Johnson’s production and consistency continue to impress into his mid-to-late 30s. He has earned at least an 80.0 PFF overall grade in nine of his 12 NFL seasons. He set a career record at the age of 34 with an 88.9 mark in 2024 en route to a second Super Bowl victory with the Eagles.
Johnson has also amazingly allowed just six sacks over the past six seasons, spanning nearly 3,000 pass-blocking snaps.
3. Oakland Raiders: WR DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson (Round 1, Pick 27)
Hopkins has done everything that could’ve been asked of him as a former first-round pick. Postseason included, he has racked up more than 13,000 receiving yards in his career. His 93.5 PFF receiving grade since 2013 ties him for fifth among all wide receivers — behind Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Tyreek Hill and Justin Jefferson. The only thing missing from Hopkins' resumé is a Super Bowl ring, which he'll look to claim this year in Baltimore.
4. Philadelphia Eagles: T David Bakhtiari, Colorado (Round 4, Pick 109)
If Bakhtiari doesn’t end up a Hall of Famer, injuries will be the only reason. He is one of the greatest pass protectors of his generation. His 94.7 career PFF pass-blocking grade trails only Joe Thomas for the best mark among all offensive tackles since 2013. He also led all tackles in PFF pass-blocking grade in each season from 2016 to 2018.
5. Detroit Lions: WR Keenan Allen, California (Round 3, Pick 76)
Allen was one of the NFL’s most consistent performers during his 11 seasons with the Chargers. His 92.8 PFF receiving grade from 2013 to 2023 ranked seventh among all wide receivers. Over that span, only DeAndre Hopkins and Davante Adams hauled in more receptions (postseason included).
Allen has certainly made the most of his time in the NFL as a former third-round pick.
6. Cleveland Browns: S Tyrann Mathieu, LSU (Round 3, Pick 69)
Mathieu displayed special ability during his time at LSU, and he has done the same in the NFL. Initially a slot cornerback, Mathieu transitioned to safety and has been consistently effective. His career accomplishments include an elite 91.8 PFF coverage grade, 37 interceptions and a Super Bowl 54 victory with Kansas City. Mathieu will continue his stellar work with New Orleans in 2025.
7. Arizona Cardinals: T Terron Armstead, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Round 3, Pick 75)
Armstead rode a historic NFL Combine performance into a third-round selection and an outstanding career that included five Pro Bowl selections. His 91.4 PFF pass-blocking grade since 2013 ranks sixth among all offensive tackles.
The long-time New Orleans Saint earned at least a 75.0 PFF overall grade in every season of his career, including in 2024 with the Dolphins, when he posted a terrific 89.4 mark — the third-best PFF overall of his outstanding career.
8. Buffalo Bills: WR Adam Thielen, Minnesota State (Undrafted)
Thielen was the ultimate underdog as a little-known player from Minnesota State who made his name with his hometown Vikings. He has racked up more than 8,600 receiving yards, including postseason play, with two Pro Bowl selections. His 90.2 career PFF receiving grade trails only Doug Baldwin and Wes Welker for the highest figure by an undrafted wide receiver in the PFF era.
9. New York Jets: CB Darius Slay, Mississippi State (Round 2, Pick 36)
Slay has put together a spectacular NFL career with the Lions and Eagles. He’s earned at least a 70.0 PFF coverage grade in eight of his 12 seasons. He earned a 75.5 PFF coverage grade for the Super Bowl champion Eagles while ranking second in the NFL with 16 pass breakups in 2024.
Slay's production and durability should continue to be an asset as he heads to Pittsburgh for the 2025 season.
Darius Slay's Career PFF Grades
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10. Tennessee Titans: C Travis Frederick, Wisconsin (Round 1, Pick 31)
Frederick’s career was short but stellar, as he was arguably the league’s best center during his time in Dallas. His 92.4 PFF overall grade ranks fifth in the PFF era, behind Nick Mangold (the No. 6 pick in PFF's 2006 redraft), Creed Humphrey, Chris Myers and Jason Kelce.
Frederick earned at least an 82.8 PFF overall grade in each of his first five seasons. He played in the NFL for only seven years, sitting out one due to Guillain-Barré syndrome, and was on a Hall-of-Fame trajectory before the condition contributed to his retirement decision.
11. San Diego Chargers: DI Sheldon Richardson, Missouri (Round 1, Pick 13)
The 2013 Defensive Rookie of the Year is redrafted at No. 11 after a solid nine-year career. He established himself during his four seasons with the New York Jets, particularly when it came to stopping the run. Richardson’s 90.5 PFF run-defense grade from 2013 to 2016 ranked ninth among qualified defensive tackles in that span.
12. Miami Dolphins: RB Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State (Round 2, Pick 48)
Bell didn’t age into his second contract as well as he would’ve liked, but his five years in Pittsburgh were quite memorable. His 90.6 PFF overall grade from 2013 to 2017 ranked third among all running backs. He was also one of just two running backs, along with LeSean McCoy, to play at least 1,000 snaps during that span and record PFF rushing and receiving grades above 80.0.
13. New York Jets: TE Zach Ertz, Stanford (Round 2, Pick 35)
Ertz was one of the NFL’s best tight ends during his time in Philadelphia. He sported an 86.0 PFF overall grade from 2013 to 2019, placing sixth among qualified tight ends. He was also spectacular during the Eagles' Super Bowl run in 2017, hauling in 18 catches for 192 yards in three postseason games that year while earning a terrific 88.8 PFF receiving grade.
Ertz enjoyed a career renaissance last season at 34 years old in Washington, posting his highest PFF receiving grade since 2019 (72.5).
14. Carolina Panthers: DI Brandon Williams, Missouri Southern State (Round 3, Pick 94)
Williams didn’t have much pass-rush production in his career, but he was one of the NFL’s best run stoppers over the first eight seasons of his career. He recorded a 91.0 PFF run-defense grade from 2013 to 2020, ranking ninth among qualified interior defenders.
The long-time Baltimore Raven earned a positive grade on 25.2% of his run-defense snaps over that eight-year stretch, which was the second-highest rate at the position.
15. New Orleans Saints: S Micah Hyde, Iowa (Round 5, Pick 159)
Hyde began his career with four decent seasons as a slot cornerback in Green Bay before heading to Buffalo. Once there, he moved to safety and turned in a fantastic stretch of play. From 2017 to 2021, he compiled a 91.2 PFF overall grade that ranked sixth among all safeties. His 95.0 PFF coverage grade over that span placed third, behind Harrison Smith and Adrian Amos.
16. St. Louis Rams: G Larry Warford, Kentucky (Round 3, Pick 65)
Warford made the most out of his third-round selection with an excellent seven-year career that included three Pro Bowl selections. He was a consistent pass protector who never allowed more than three sacks in a season.
Warford earned an 82.3 PFF overall grade from 2013 to 2019 that ranked 17th among qualified guards. He was also an incredibly durable player who played the fifth-most snaps of any guard in that span.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: DI Kawann Short, Purdue (Round 2, Pick 44)
Short was the second defensive tackle selected by the Carolina Panthers in the 2013 NFL Draft but ended up being better than first-rounder Star Lotulelei. Short was a two-time All-Pro during his eight-year career and put together a dominant stretch from 2015 to 2017, earning 90.5, 86.7 and 91.9 PFF overall grades.
18. Dallas Cowboys: QB Geno Smith, West Virginia (Round 2, Pick 39)
It was a slow burn for Smith to become one of the better starting quarterbacks in the NFL, which makes his position in a redraft a bit tricky. But now knowing what he is capable of, perhaps a different draft spot gets us to his best years quicker. He did not earn a single-season PFF passing grade above 75.0 as a starter until 2022 but has since recorded marks of 75.4, 82.1 and 81.9.
Geno Smith's Career PFF Grades
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19. New York Giants: LB Jamie Collins Sr., Southern Miss (Round 2, Pick 52)
As a hybrid linebacker and defensive end, Collins was perfect for the New England Patriots. They moved him all around the formation, and he earned PFF pass-rush grades of 93.2 and 87.2 in his second and third NFL seasons, respectively. He never got back to those types of single-season scores, but he was a disruptive pass-rush presence through most of his career.
20. Chicago Bears: T Eric Fisher, Central Michigan (Round 1, Pick 1)
Fisher didn’t live up to his billing as the No. 1 overall pick from this draft, but he was a solid player. Though he had only one season-long PFF overall grade above 80.0 (80.1 in 2020), he recorded a PFF pass-blocking grade above 70.0 in six of his nine seasons of play. He also played more than 900 snaps in six of his campaigns.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: C J.C. Tretter, Cornell (Round 4, Pick 144)
Tretter well outplayed his fourth-round draft slot. His rookie season featured the lone sub-80.0 PFF pass-blocking grade of his eight-year career. He played more than 1,000 snaps in each of his final five seasons, all as a starter in Cleveland.
22. St. Louis Rams: WR Robert Woods, USC (Round 2, Pick 41)
Woods was never a flashy receiver — even at USC, he seemed to be second-fiddle to Marqise Lee — but he has put together a long, successful NFL career as a reliable receiver for a handful of teams.
He earned a 70.0-plus PFF receiving grade in each season from 2016 to 2021. Even more impressive is that he has almost double the number of single-season PFF pass- and run-blocking grades above 70.0 than he does below that mark.
23. Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Ezekiel Ansah, BYU (Round 1, Pick 5)
Ansah didn't quite live up to his draft status as a No. 5 overall pick, but he was still a disruptive pass rusher at times. He earned a PFF pass-rush grade above 70.0 in four of his eight seasons in the league. He recorded 294 quarterback pressures in his career, with 44 sacks through his first five seasons.
24. Indianapolis Colts: S Jordan Poyer, Oregon State (Round 7, Pick 218)
Poyer earned just one All-Pro nod and one Pro Bowl honor in his career, but his consistency and PFF grades were those of a player worth way more than his seventh-round draft status. He played more than 1,000 snaps in five straight years in Buffalo and recorded a career-high 90.9 PFF coverage grade in 2017.
25. Minnesota Vikings: CB Desmond Trufant, Washington (Round 1, Pick 22)
Trufant made his lone Pro Bowl in 2015 shortly after being drafted by Atlanta in the first round. From 2013 to 2019, he racked up 60 passes defensed. He was also one of the better run-defending cornerbacks in the league, notching four straight 80.0-plus PFF run-defense grades from 2014 to 2017. He would have been an upgrade over Rhodes, who was originally picked here.
26. Green Bay Packers: S Logan Ryan, Rutgers (Round 3, Pick 83)
Ryan's 11-year NFL career didn't feature top-tier PFF coverage grades — just three seasons with a 70.0-plus mark — but he was an incredibly versatile player who switched between cornerback and safety and played more than 1,000 defensive snaps in seven of eight seasons between 2015 and 2021 for the Patriots, Titans and Giants.
27. Houston Texans: G Kyle Long, Oregon (Round 1, Pick 20)
Injuries cut Kyle Long’s career short. He recorded PFF overall grades above 70.0 in each of his first five seasons, including three with 80.0-plus PFF pass-blocking grades. That's enough to still land him in the first round of this redraft.
Kyle Long's Career PFF Grades
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28. Denver Broncos: S Eric Reid, LSU (Round 1, Pick 18)
Reid was a consensus All-American in his final season at LSU, which propelled him to being the 18th overall pick in 2013. He earned one Pro Bowl honor in his career, his rookie season, where he recorded his second-best single-season PFF overall grade (69.4). He played just seven years in the league and logged single-season PFF overall grades between 60.0-75.0 for most of his career.
29. New England Patriots: DI Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State (Round 2, Pick 49)
Hankins’ early years featured four instances of 78.0-plus PFF overall grades and 82.0 PFF run-defense grades. He was never able to rediscover the high-level play of that stretch, but he has played for 12 seasons and is still going.
30. Atlanta Falcons: G Justin Pugh, Syracuse (Round 1, Pick 19)
Pugh notched 70.0-plus PFF overall grades in each of his first four NFL seasons, all with the Giants. His career also included a three-year stretch in Arizona (2019 to 2021) during which he earned strong 70.0-plus PFF pass-blocking grades.
31. San Francisco 49ers: T Rick Wagner, Wisconsin (Round 5, Pick 168)
Wagner well outplayed the value of his fifth-round draft slot in 2013. He was a starter for three franchises across an eight-year career and notched a 70.0-plus PFF overall grade in six of those eight seasons. His best work came as a pass protector, where he racked up five 75.0-plus PFF grades.
32. Baltimore Ravens: S Duron Harmon, Rutgers (Round 3, Pick 91)
Harmon was quite the find for the Patriots, who drafted him in the third round in 2013. He recorded PFF coverage grades of 69.0 or better in eight of his 11 seasons, headlined by a career-best 85.1 mark in 2015. In all, he recorded 28 interceptions with 17 passes defensed, which would have been quite the upgrade over Elam, who played just three seasons in the NFL.