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NFLBy Brad Gagnon on

Last year, we looked back at the abysmal 2009 NFL draft with seven years’ worth of hindsight, and it was ugly. The 2009 class was one of the worst in league history, yielding only five All-Pro players — one of whom was a punter (Pat McAfee, who recently retired).

Now that the 2017 NFL free agency period has opened, the list of available players sheds some light on the progress (or lack thereof) made by those with four years of NFL service under their belts. Those players were drafted in 2013, which gives us an opportunity to look at how bad the 2013 NFL Draft may have been.

Here are some facts we wrote about the 2009 draft, seven years later, and how those same numbers line up with the 2013 draft class four years after those players were selected.

2009: Zero of the top 25 selections have become All-Pros.
2013: Zero of the top 28 selections have become All-Pros.

2009: Only two of the top 10 selections have become Pro Bowlers.
2013: Only one top-10 selection (Ezekiel Ansah, 5th) has become a Pro Bowler.

2009: Brian Orakpo (13th) is the only top-20 pick with multiple Pro Bowl nods (3).
2013: Kyle Long (20th) is the only top-25 pick with multiple Pro Bowl nods (2).

2009: Five players drafted in the top 12 — Jason Smith (2nd), Aaron Curry (4th), B.J. Raji (9th), Aaron Maybin (11th) and Knowshon Moreno (12th) — are out of football, and only one — top pick Matthew Stafford — remains on the team that drafted him.

2013: Eight players drafted in the top 12 — Luke Joeckel (2nd), Dion Jordan (3rd), Barkevious Mingo (6th), Jonathan Cooper (7th), Dee Milliner (8th),  Chance Warmack (10th), D.J. Fluker (11th) and D.J. Hayden (12th) — are no longer on the teams that drafted them.

(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Only four position players from the 2013 draft — Travis Frederick, Le’Veon Bell, Travis Kelce and Tyrann Mathieu — have been named first-team All-Pros (once each). Only Frederick was a first-round pick. (No. 29 overall Cordarrelle Patterson has been an All-Pro twice as a return man.)

The draft itself has produced only 10 Pro Bowlers.

By comparison, the 2012 draft has already produced eight All-Pros and 15 Pro Bowlers, and the 2014 draft has already produced three All-Pros and 10 Pro Bowlers.

Here’s the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, with a quick blurb on how each player has worked out for the team which selected him. Those who have left their original clubs during this offseason are italicized below.

2013 NFL draft, four years later

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

1. Chiefs: OT Eric Fisher — Four ho-hum seasons with a Pro Bowl nod.
2. Jaguars: OT Luke Joeckel — Now fighting for a starting job in Seattle.
3. Dolphins: DE Dion Jordan —  Out of football indefinitely.
4. Eagles: OT Lane Johnson — A solid player when he’s healthy and not suspended.
5. Lions: DE Ezekiel Ansah — A Pro Bowler in 2015, but it’s been an up-and-down career.

(Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images/Getty Images)

6. Browns: OLB Barkevious Mingo — Now a backup in Cleveland.
7. Cardinals: G Jonathan Cooper — Now a backup in Dallas.
8. Rams: WR Tavon Austin — Zero 1,000-yard seasons.
9. Jets: CB Dee Milliner — A free agent after being released; 14 career starts.
10. Titans: G Chance Warmack — Now fighting for a job in Philadelphia.
11. Chargers: G D.J. Fluker — Now with the Giants after four miserable years in San Diego.

12. Raiders: CB D.J. Hayden — Now a Lion after four bad years in Oakland.
13. Jets: DL Sheldon Richardson — Pro Bowler has had a successful start to his career.
14. Panthers: DT Star Lotulelei — Hasn’t been bad but also hasn’t stood out in Carolina.
15. Saints: S Kenny Vaccaro — A good-not-great starter.

16. Bills: QB EJ Manuel — Has become a career backup at best.
17. Steelers: OLB Jarvis Jones — Has moved on after four “meh” seasons in Pittsburgh.
18. 49ers: S Eric Reid — Has become a solid starter in San Francisco.
19. Giants: OT Justin Pugh — He’s become solid after moving inside.
20. Bears: OT Kyle Long — He’s also moved inside and he’s also been solid.
21. Bengals: TE Tyler Eifert — One good year out of four in Cincinnati.

22. Falcons: CB Desmond Trufant — A good starter in Atlanta.
23. Vikings: DT Sharrif Floyd — An up-and-down career thus far.
24. Colts: DE Bjoern Werner — Out of football.
25. Vikings: CB Xavier Rhodes — Became a Pro Bowler in 2016.
26. Packers: DE Datone Jones — Has moved on after four “meh” seasons in Green Bay.

27. Texans: WR DeAndre Hopkins — One of the best young receivers in the game.
28. Broncos: DT Sylvester Williams — Has moved on after four disappointing years there.
29. Vikings: WR Cordarrelle Patterson — Good as a returner, bad as a receiver. Gone now.
30. Rams: LB Alec Ogletree — A half-decent starter.
31. Cowboys: C Travis Frederick — One of the best young centers in the game.
32. Ravens: S Matt Elam — Hasn’t been good; now he’s dealing with a drug-related arrest.

About Brad Gagnon

Brad Gagnon has been passionate about both sports and mass media since he was in diapers -- a passion that won't die until he's in them again. Based in Toronto, he's worked as a national NFL blog editor at theScore.com, a producer and writer at theScore Television Network and a host, reporter and play-by-play voice at Rogers TV. His work has also appeared at CBSSports.com, Deadspin, FoxSports.com, The Guardian, The Hockey News and elsewhere at Comeback Media, but his day gig has him covering the NFL nationally for Bleacher Report.

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