Re-Drafting the 2017 NFL Draft | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Jessica Hardy
Published Mar 23, 2026
The Pick Then: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
The Pick Now: Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
The Carolina Panthers went the running back route in 2017, grabbing Stanford's Christian McCaffrey at No. 8.
McCaffrey isn't an option in this redraft, but given how much the Panthers leaned on the run game at the time, sticking to the backfield isn't a bad idea.
And as it just so happens, there's a back available whom the Panthers are quite familiar with.
In 2017, Alvin Kamara didn't come off the board until the opening stages of Round 3. Since then he has been one of the steals of his class.
A Pro Bowler following each of his first five seasons, Kamara made an impact from the get-go with the New Orleans Saints, averaging over six yards per carry and topping 1,500 total yards on the way to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
The 5'10", 215-pounder has topped 1,300 total yards five times, caught 80 passes four times, scored a whopping 67 total touchdowns and tied an NFL record with six rushing scores in a game against the Vikings in 2020.
