The 2004 National Football League Draft allowed the teams of the NFC North to fill gaps in their current rosters as well as address the problems that they faced last season. Here is a look at the Packers' draft class and how it stacks up against the rest of the teams in their division:
With the possibility of starting cornerback Mike McKenzie not returning next year, the Pack used its first pick on cornerback Ahmad Carroll of Arkansas.?? Coach Mike Sherman opted for speed rather than size as Carroll stands 5'10', but was a three-year sprinter for the outdoor track and field national champion Razorbacks.??To add further depth to the secondary, they selected cornerback Joey Thomas from Montana State in the third round. A two-time Division I-AA All-American, he started 39 of 42 games at MSU. However, Sherman's draft may be defined on the gamble of selecting Ohio State punter B.J. Sander with the 87th pick overall. The heart of the Packers' draft was sacrificed when Sherman traded his only remaining picks in the fourth and fifth rounds to Miami for the right to pick Sander.??
On day two, they stayed focused on defense and added strength to their front line by selecting Clemson defensive tackle Donnell Washington in round three and Arkansas State defensive tackle Corey Williams in the sixth before selecting Tennessee center Scott Wells with their final pick.
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The Lions gave young quarterback Joey Harrington two huge weapons in the first round by selecting Texas wide receiver Roy Williams with the sixth pick and Virginia Tech running back Kevin Jones with the 30th pick.??Williams is a physical receiver that will join Charles Rogers in creating one of the best and youngest tandems in the league.??Jones figures to step into the starting role immediately and??provide for the Lions the potential for a solid running game, something they have lacked since Barry Sanders retired in 1999.??
Detroit used its fifth round pick to select Wisconsin linebacker Alex Lewis in hopes that he can bring speed to its linebacking corps. Oklahoma linebacker Teddy Lehman and McNeese State cornerback Kevin Smith were steals in the second and third rounds, respectively, and add depth to an already strong Lions draft pool. '?
The Vikings took a different approach in this year's draft and elected to turn in their picks on time rather than wait for them to slip away.??The strategy apparently worked and they could not have been happier when they were able to land defensive end Kenechi Udeze from USC.??The 6'3', 280-pound Udeze was projected to go as high as ninth, but slipped due to the possibility of shoulder surgery in the future.??
They continued to address their needs on defense in the second round, drafting linebacker Dontarrious Thomas from Auburn, a name Badger fans should remember, and defensive end Darrin Scott from Ohio State. Both players solidify positions that were exploited by Vikings opponents last year. After going undrafted, the Vikings later signed former Wisconsin linebacker Jeff Mack to a free-agent contract.
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With the 14th pick in the first round, the Bears selected Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris, a move that will have an immediate impact on the defense, allowing linebacker Brian Urlacher to roam more freely in stopping the run.??Harris looks to fill the gap left by Ted Washington, who was a main contributor to the success of Urlacher a few years ago.
They drafted another defensive tackle in the second round in Washington's Terry Johnson before giving young quarterback Rex Grossman another weapon in wide receiver Bernard Berrian from Fresno State in the third.
In the later rounds, former National Championship opponents were added to the roster in Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel and Miami cornerback Alphonso Marshall.??Both figure to add needed depth to their respective positions. A player to keep an eye on in the Bears draft pool is cornerback Nathan Vasher from Texas, who comes battle-tested from the Big 12, and could turn out to be an absolute steal for Chicago in the fourth round.
