Bengals still take Carson Palmer in 2003 NFL Draft Do-Over

As we approach the 2014 NFL Draft, NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah took a look back at the 2003 draft and did a re-draft for all 32 picks in the first round. The biggest riser was Eastern Illinois quarterback Tony Romo, who went fifth-overall to the Dallas Cowboys after really going undrafted that year.

While some would argue he was the best QB to come out of that draft, Jeremiah still had USC's Carson Palmer going to the Cincinnati Bengals with the No. 1 overall pick:

Some might question this, but Palmer helped revitalize the franchise. It was the right move.

While the Bengals are certainly disappointed with how Palmer's tenure in Cincinnati ended, you can't ignore the fact that he was a key part of a big culture change. He helped a franchise that had been perennial losers for over a decade get back to respectability.

That helped the Bengals eventually become the perennial playoff team they've now become. Say what you will about Palmer quitting on the Bengals, but he's part of the reason they've become a respectable franchise again.

And it could have been a lot worse: Byron Leftwhich, who the Bengals were also considering with the top pick, wasn't even in the first round of Jeremiah's re-draft.