So I have over the years have played DK Sports' Action PC Football for my football projects and simulations. One of the projects involves my 1995 NFL No-Expansion project in which the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers don't exist and don't enter the fray for the 1995 Season. Players that would have been expansion picks were still with their previous teams. I just wrapped up the 1996 NFL Season, but first we should give you a brief history in the project.
Due to no expansion teams, the 1995 NFL Draft also endured an alternate reality. Some players were still taken by the same teams that drafted them in real life, and some are getting career starts at different places altogether.
The 1995 NFL Draft - First Round
Houston still drafts QB Steve McNair (at 1st overall), Washington still drafts WR Michael Westbrook (2nd overall), and Seattle still drafts WR Joey Galloway (6th overall). The Cincinnati Bengals make a wiser choice this time, by drafting DE Kevin Carter, leaving the Rams (who actually drafted him) to draft OT Tony Boselli (originally drafted by Jacksonville).
Three Penn State boys would be drafted inside the first 14 picks, with QB Kerry Collins (pictured above, N.Y. Jets) and RB Ki-Jana Carter (San Francisco) going back-to-back at #7 and #8. TE Kyle Brady would join Collins in New York.
The Minnesota Vikings would draft DE Hugh Douglas at #9, while it's still fate that Tampa Bay selects DT Warren Sapp (they would also still draft Derrick Brooks at #26 later in the round) at 10th overall.
The Colts would select a WR option in J.J. Stokes (#13), while a pair of running backs in Tyrone Wheatley (#15, Giants) and Napolean Kaufman (#16, Raiders) are drafted by their original teams. It would be Kansas City (instead of Minnesota) that would draft OT Korey Stringer (17th overall), while RB Rashaan Salaam still ends up in Chicago. The Packers would beat the Patriots to the punch in taking CB Ty Law (#20), while the Pats take CB Tyrone Poole (#21). Pittsburgh still drafts TE Mark Breuner at #25.
Other Interesting Picks
Curtis Martin, the running back out of Pittsburgh, would still be a steal... this time as a 2nd Round Pick (verses 3rd Round Pick) and drafted by a different team, the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals now have young QB Jeff Blake, his WR weapons in Carl Pickens and Darnay Scott, and now Martin in the backfield.
DB Craig Newsome would be drafted by Atlanta (35th overall) to help the secondary. Due to the Lions selecting DT Ellis Johnson in the 1st Rd, Luther Ellis would fall down to Chicago in the 2nd round at 46th overall.
Many players in the 2nd round would be selected with their original teams, such as WR Frank Sanders (Arizona), CB Bobby Taylor (Phila), QB Todd Collins (Buffalo), QB Kordell Stewart (Pittsburgh), DB Orlando Thomas (Minnesota) and TE Ken Dilger (Indy).
Dallas would draft an interesting WR option in Chris Sanders (at 53rd overall) to help Michael Irvin and the receiving core. Houston takes WR/RET Tamarick Vanover in the early 3rd round. Philadelphia drafts DT Darius Holland (70th overall), Kansas City drafts WR Antonio Freeman (73rd), Washington takes 4th rounder TE Pete Mitchell (91st overall), and the Dallas Cowboys try to fill the void of Jay Novacek, by (once again) drafting TE Eric Bjornson at 98th overall.
Interesting Preseason Deals
- Detroit traded DT Kelvin Pritchett (who would have been drafted by Jacksonville in the expansion draft in real life) to Indianapolis in exchange for a 1996 3rd Round & 1996 6th Round pick.
- The N.Y. Giants acquire QB Mark Brunell from Green Bay in exchange for the Giants' 2nd & 3rd round picks in 1996.
- Due to the regressing John Taylor, the San Francisco 49'ers go out and acquire WR Mark Carrier from Cleveland, in exchange for the Niners' 1996 2nd Round pick.
- Houston acquires RB Eric Bienemy from Cincinnati in exchange for the Oilers' 3rd round pick in 1996.
- Arizona acquires TE Pete Metzelaars from Buffalo in exchange for the Cardinals' 1996 5th round pick.
- Miami signs WR Art Monk (released by Philadelphia), while Cincinnati signs RB Marion Butts (released by Houston).
