With the 2004 National Football League draft this weekend, members of The Daily Cardinal sports staff decided to give their impressions on how the first round will breakdown, barring any court decisions allowing wide receiver Mike Williams to enter.
1.??San Diego Chargers: Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss:??
The Chargers have been looking to move out of the first slot, but if they are unable to make a deal, Manning is the logical choice. The potential for him to become one of the league's elite quarterbacks in just a few years is too much to pass up. ??Remember, the Chargers took a pass on drafting Michael Vick a few years back, and they will not make the same mistake. ??An explosive arm and tremendous pocket awareness make Manning the top QB in the draft, and with Drew Brees struggling in his starting role, Manning will step in and compete for playing time immediately. ??
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2. Oakland Raiders: Robert Gallery, OT, Iowa:
Gallery is the best tackle to come out since Orlando Pace in 1997. He has a long frame which allows him to deliver a strong blow to defensive ends. He's very flexible, allowing him to bend his knees and drop his hips, giving his 6'7' frame extra leverage. He could still use some work in the running game, but is as dominant as they come against the pass, not allowing a sack in his last 36 college games.?? He's a perfect fit to protect the blind side of aging Raiders QB Rich Gannon and is the closest thing to a sure-fire Pro-Bowler in the draft.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Pittsburgh:
It might seem ludicrous for a franchise to draft another wide receiver after last year's choices of Anquan Boldin and Bryant Johnson. But new Head Coach Dennis Green uses three-receiver sets often in his offense, often without the need for a big-name quarterback. With Fitzgerald, he gets a receiver who, quite simply, catches everything thrown to him (think Randy Moss without the attitude). It seems Green will benefit from the tutelage that he, Moss and Cris Carter gave to the lanky ballboy who is now considered one of the best receivers to come out in a long time.
4. New York Giants: Sean Taylor,??S, Miami:
The Giants are rumored to be looking to trade up in hopes of??landing Manning, but no one in the organization will be complaining when they acquire Taylor with the fourth pick. An explosive hitter, with a 4.45 40 time, he will make an immediate impact in??the??weak Giants??secondary. Scouts view him as the best defensive player??in the draft, comparing him to??second-year Cowboy Pro-Bowler Roy Williams. He has great agility with the skills of a cover corner while possessing the strength and intelligence to shut down the run. Taylor is a??\can't??miss"" in the draft, and will soon develop into one of the top safeties in the league.''
5. Washington Redskins: Kellen Winslow Jr., TE, Miami:
The junior out of Miami is the most gifted TE in the draft and will fall no further than No. 5 because Washington does not have a proven tight end currently on the roster. Winslow could easily exceed the label of simply ""proven,"" however, because he is too strong and physical for defensive backs and far too fast and agile for linebackers in coverage. The new head coach, legend Joe Gibbs, coached his father, Hall-of-Famer Kellen Winslow Sr., as an assistant with the San Diego Chargers in the early 1980s and has no reason to believe that Junior will not follow in his father's footsteps and be inducted in the Hall or better yet, capture a ring.
6. Detroit Lions: Steven Jackson, RB, Oregon St.:
The Lions are pretty much dead set on selecting a running back in the first round considering Olandis Gary was a disappointment last year and James Stewart cannot seem to stay healthy, and Jackson is easily the best running back available. However, the sixth pick seems awfully early to take Jackson, so the Lions will, in all likelihood, trade down to get him and earn some extra picks in the process.
7. Cleveland Browns: DeAngelo Hall, DB, Va. Tech:
Hall has solidified himself as the number one corner in the draft.?? Hall possesses the blazing speed that NFL teams covet, running a 4.3 40 in a personal workout, and reportedly getting clocked at 4.15 on a faster track last year.?? The Browns covet Gallery, Winslow and Taylor, but Hall would be a nice consolation prize if none of those three drops to them. The defensive backfield is a position of need for the Browns and along with playing corner, Hall can also return punts, an area of need for Cleveland with the imminent departure of Dennis Northcutt.?? Butch Davis might miss out on the players he wants, but Hall will make the Browns a better team.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Roy Williams, WR, Texas:
Williams will make the short trip from Texas to Georgia when he lands in the talons of the Falcons in this year's draft. Williams, 6'2 ??' and 211 lbs., will be a great complement to Peerless Price who measures up at 5'11', 190 lbs. Williams, who runs a 4.45 40-yard dash, is the prototypical ""big receiver.""?? He has soft hands, great strength, and has shown that he can gather yards after the catch and make big plays out of short passes.?? It also won't hurt that he'll be catching balls from the greatest athlete in the league, Michael Vick.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Kenechi Udeze, DE, USC:
It is harder to keep this Southern California junior out of the backfield than it is to pronounce his name, which is certainly saying something. He led the nation in sacks this past year-his third year as a starter-with 16.5. He also recorded 26 tackles for a loss and 56 tackles total to his credit in 2003. Udeze is a natural pass-rusher who never stops hustling. After parting ways with Tony Brackens, the former anchor to their defensive line, the Jaguars know they cannot pass on Division 1-A's sack leader. Last year's sack leader, Arizona State's Terrell Suggs, was taken at No. 10 by the Ravens and he had a tremendous first season winning AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
10. Houston Texans: Tommie Harris, DT, Oklahoma:
Defense has been a consistent problem for the Texans ever since they entered the league and started working toward being a competitive team, specifically on the defensive line and the secondary. With Taylor, Hall and Udeze off the board already, Harris, last year's Lombardi Award-winner (nation's best offensive or defensive lineman) and a three-time All Big XII first team selection is the next best option.
-compiled by Matt Carroll, Arvind Gopalratnam, Ben Hubner, Michael Jones, Connor McKnight, Jon McNamara, Adam Raeder, Josh Salm
