The only WR worth drafting in the first half of the 1st round is Rogers. WRs are such a crapshoot to draft. VERY RARELY do they pan out until 3-4 years later. I would rather draft more of a surefire position, and then sign WRs as FAs. Perhaps David Boston? I know his knees are iffy, but he's no more of a crapshoot than WRs in the draft. But that damn franchise player tag might get in the way...
Your logic is flawed. What if Cincinati traded with us thinking they could still get Palmer and then Detroit trades down with another team that wants him. They would be suck with the choice of drafting Leftwich (who has publicly stated he does not want to play there) or drafting someone else. If they really believe Palmer is a franchise QB and they want him they will not take that chance.
Ryan Leaf was chosen number 1. Kurt Warner was never drafted. There are steals and there are busts. It is not a good idea to make your decisions on how past players did from the same position.
Look guys every player is a crapshot when you get down to it. Even if they play up to their potential the first year, they could have a career ending injury like Yatil Green, go insane like Rae Carruth and Ryan Leaf, or just suck like Curtis Enis you see my point. Watching last years draft I saw only two players that I would have bet my life would be stone cold can't miss future pro bowlers. Guys who in a few years would be one if not the best at their positions. Jeremy Shockey and Roy Williams. I mean think about it, we all knew they'd be good but no one was willing to take them #1 or#2 overall. Instead teams reach for players at positions of more value, namely WR, DT, OT, and QB. I love Kennedy and Andre Johnson, but are they sure things? I don't really see any Shockeys or Williams in this draft. This draft is full of questions, McGahee and Washington, can they come back? All the RBs are hard to grade. I watched a ton of Larry Johnson, but I still don't know if he'd be a franchise back. This draft will probably have more DT's taken in the first round than ever. How many will pan out and not do a Gerard Warren? Whatever the Texans do I'll be happy, we're sure to make a splash in free agency, and I myself would not be surprised if we make the playoffs in our second year. Good luck Casserly.
Seems kind of pointless to pick a receiver with a #3 pick when your QB is usually on the ground and not able to throw to him...
I like Lloyd from Illinois more than Johnson of Miami. Just my thoughts on who's the #2 WR in this draft.
Good point. If Leftwich hates the bengals then you are right. Tragically flawed logic. tho' it's unlikely that Detroit trades the #2 pick anyway.
I love the idea of trading up for Rogers, and I firmly believe it's a possibility. Remember: The Bengals aren't dead-set on Palmer. They do have a decent QB in Kitna, who performed pretty well down the stretch. In fact, their offense was putting up respectable points the last 10 weeks, averaging 22.8 points per game. During that same stretch, however, the defense gave up an average 27.5 points per game. It's evident that their defense is atrocious and could use some major attention during the draft. It's entirely possible that Marvin Lewis, a defensive-minded coach, might want to trade down, gather more picks, and scoop up a Jimmy Kennedy/Terrell Suggs-type player. Sure, he's essentially powerless in that organization, but his opinion must count for something. I'm still holding out hope that the Texans can swing a deal with Cincy. Remember something else: Detroit isn't dead-set on Rogers, either. Their defense was miserable as well. They could also trade down, get some picks, and grab some much-needed cornerback help (Terrence Newman, anyone?). So, the Texans could stand pat and still get Rogers, whom I think is the cream of the crop.
New rumor has Carolina trading picks with Detroit or Cincinnati for 1st rounder, 3rd rounder, 2004 2nd rounder and Muhsin Muhammad.
I don't think the Bengals are solid on Carson Palmer either. They need more than a QB (they had 3 potential starters on their roster last year) and another mnor point is Palmer is a warm weatehr QB (much like Akili Smith). Cincy also has a lot of needs greater than QB (O-line, D-line, secondary) so I would suspect they would be willing to drop down for the right offer (3rd or 4th round pick or two). Who knows I'm sure Cincy will find some way to screw up the draft, so we'll see how they do it!
Seems like a good trade for Detroit. Carolina is desperate, but it's going to help them too if they do it.
If I were the Lions, I'd probably take that deal. Well, I might wait for a even more desperate offer first, but that rumored deal sounds pretty good to me. The Lions would drop to #9 and pick up Terrence Newman. If he's not there, they could try to trade down again and grab Marcus Trufant. Or, they could grab stud WR Andre Johnson. Lots of possibilities there. I happen to like Muhammad, so I think the Lions would get a pretty good WR, also. Personally, Carolina trading up with Detroit would be awesome for the Texans. The Bengals would pick Carson Palmer, and the Panthers would grab Byron Leftwich. Charles Rogers would then fall right into our lap...
Another paysite mock for ya from the Sporting News: Mock Draft By the football scouts of The War Room View round: 1 MOCK DRAFT: ROUND 1 PICK TEAM PLAYER POS SCHOOL 1 (1) Bengals Carson Palmer QB USC Of course, the Bengals might trade the pick. Palmer improved his draft value more than any other senior in 2002. He always had the physical skills of a first-round quarterback, but he finally showed the mental capacity of one. 2 (2) Lions Charles Rogers WR Michigan St. The Lions desperately need to bolster their wide receiver corps and should be in position to get the best of a strong class. Rogers, a junior, is the complete package -- size, speed, quickness, leaping ability, hands and elusiveness. 3 (3) Texans Andre Johnson WR Miami (FL) The Texans have plenty of needs -- offensive tackle, wide receiver and defensive line. We hear they are looking for suitors to trade down, but if they pick here, Johnson would be a great fit. He is the second best receiver available and would provide David Carr a legitimate No. 1 receiver for years to come. 4 (4) Bears Byron Leftwich QB Marshall Bears officials would be elated if Leftwich fell to them. He lacks great mobility, but that's the only negative in his game. He has terrific size, rare arm strength and has the best passing skills of all quarterbacks in this class. 5 (5) Cowboys Jordan Gross T Utah The Cowboys could be in the market for a running back, but there isn't a top-five back in this draft. Coach Bill Parcells must rebuild his offensive line and is also looking to beef up his defensive line. If Gross is available it seems like the most likely pick. Gross is the draft's top tackle and should help speed up the rebuilding process as a starter at either left or right tackle. (Pick subject to coin flip with Arizona) 6 (6) Cardinals Terrell Suggs DE Arizona St. Cardinals officials plan on drafting defense in the first round and have needs at tackle, end, outside linebacker and cornerback. Suggs is undersized, but he is the best pass rusher in this class and will immediately impact a unit that finished near the bottom in sacks last season. (Pick subject to coin flip with Dallas) 7 (7) Vikings Jimmy Kennedy DT Penn State The Vikings desperately need help at defensive tackle and cornerback. They could certainly draft Kansas State cornerback Terrence Newman, but they are more likely to take Kennedy if available, because he would perfectly complement Chris Hovan. 8 (8) Jaguars Terence Newman CB Kansas St. The Jaguars could lose end Tony Brackens and cornerback Fernando Bryant this offseason, so both positions will require attention in the draft. Newman might be the guy; he has the size, speed and playmaking skills to become a shutdown corner. 9 (9) Panthers Kyle Boller QB Cal. Boller is one of the fastest rising players in this class and with as many as five teams looking to draft a quarterback in the first round, the Panthers might not be able to wait for the second round to address their need at the position. 10 (10) Seahawks William Joseph DT Miami (FL) Joseph's draft status has slipped a bit because he had some trouble holding his ground against the run at times as a senior, but he is still worth a top-10 pick. He is explosively quick and if he gets to play the 3-technique such as John Randle plays in Seattle, Joseph can become an impact player because of his penetration skills. (Pick subject to coin flip with Baltimore) 11 (11) Ravens Kwame Harris T Stanford Right tackle and wide receiver are the Ravens' biggest needs heading into the draft. Harris would be a good value. He is big and physical with the strength to dominate ends at the point of attack as a run blocker. He still has room to improve -- footwork and pass protection -- but he would certainly be an upgrade over Ethan Brooks. (Pick subject to coin flip with Seattle) 12 (12) Rams George Foster T Georgia It's risky to draft Foster this highly because he missed more than half of his senior season with a wrist injury from an August automobile accident. But Foster still has great upside and is one of the top prospects at his position. He has terrific size and impressive mobility. 13 (13) Redskins Taylor Jacobs WR Florida There is always concern about Gators receivers translating their production from the college to the NFL, but Jacobs may have silenced many critics with a strong week of practice at the Senior Bowl. He is also obviously a good fit in coach Steve Spurrier's system. 14 (14) Patriots Rien Long DT Wash. St. (from Buffalo) Long was a late addition to the underclassmen list, but he made the right decision, because he will be one of as many as six defensive tackles drafted in the first round. The Patriots are looking to add bulk at tackle and Long would nicely complement Richard Seymour. 15 (15) Chargers Eric Steinbach G Iowa The Chargers are looking to bolster their offensive line and Steinbach not only is the draft's best guard, but he proved at the Senior Bowl that he is also versatile enough to play tackle. 16 (16) Chiefs Marcus Trufant CB Wash. St. Trufant was sensational at the Senior Bowl and as a result he may have earned a mid-first-round selection. He has adequate size and great speed. The Chiefs have not given up on William Bartee, but Trufant could immediately push Eric Warfield for the starting job opposite Bartee. 17 (17) Saints Andre Woolfolk CB Oklahoma Saints officials will likely take the best cornerback on the board and Woolfolk would be the best value here. He has limited experience at the position and still needs more coaching and time, but his upside is tremendous because of his speed and ball skills. 18 (18) Saints Johnathan Sullivan DT Georgia (from Miami) Sullivan is a mid-first-round defensive tackle prospect with plenty of upside. He has good size, is a fine athlete and never stops hustling. He would be an especially good fit if Norman Hand does not return. 19 (19) Patriots E.J. Henderson ILB Maryland Drafting a middle linebacker would allow the Patriots to move Tedy Bruschi back to the outside, where he is a better fit. Henderson, who missed spring practice following April back surgery, struggled early in his senior season but played well in November and December. Henderson is this draft's best middle linebacker. 20 (20) Broncos Rex Grossman QB Florida With Brian Griese expected to be cut on or after June 1, the Broncos are in the market for a quarterback. Grossman might be a better fit in the second round, but he is the third or fourth-rated quarterback behind Leftwich, Palmer, and possibly Boller so it wouldn't be much of a reach to select him late-middle of the first round. 21 (21) Browns Vince Manuwai G Hawaii The Browns' running game has improved, but upgrading their offensive line remains the top priority. Manuwai's stock has fluctuated, but he remains one of two first-round guard prospects. He has solid size and athleticism with explosive power. 22 (22) Jets Boss Bailey OLB Georgia The Jets have many hard decisions to make at linebacker, and it's likely that they will upgrade the speed on the outside. Bailey's stock has dropped a bit, but he still fits in the first round. He will wow scouts and coaches with his athleticism at the Combine. 23 (23) Falcons Kelley Washington WR Tennessee Michael Vick needs more reliable receivers, and Washington could be the steal of the draft if he can stay healthy and out of trouble. 24 (24) Colts Kevin Williams DT Oklahoma St. Williams was the most impressive defensive tackle at the Senior Bowl. At 301 pounds, he was clearly the quickest and most athletic of the group. An explosive one-gap tackle, he would fit well in Tony Dungy's unit. 25 (25) Giants Dewayne Robertson DT Kentucky Robertson, a junior, is a two-gap tackle who would upgrade the Giants' run defense because he has the size and strength to hold his ground at the point of attack. The Giants are looking to make many changes on their line. Drafting Robertson would be a good start. 26 (26) 49ers Jerome McDougle DE Miami (FL) McDougle finished the season strong after struggling through some early injuries. He needs to add some bulk and play with better technique against the run. He also showed up nearly two inches smaller than advertised at the Senior Bowl, which is why he may drop out of the first 15 picks, but you can't teach his type of speed and explosiveness as a pass rusher. 27 (27) Steelers Mike Doss S Ohio St. The Steelers are looking to make many changes to their secondary. If a cornerback of value was left on the board, they would likely draft him, but Doss is the best available defensive back on our board. Doss is the best safety because of his versatility, playmaking skills and toughness in run support. 28 (28) Packers Gerald Hayes ILB Pitt Hayes improved his draft status as much or more than any other linebacker in this class. Hayes had 100-plus tackles for a third consecutive season, but it was his improved quickness, instincts and change-of-direction skills that caught the scouts' eyes. The Packers are looking for a replacement to veteran Hardy Nickerson, and Hayes could be it. 29 (29) Titans Lee Suggs RB Va. Tech The Titans will be looking to add skill players to their offense, specifically a No. 2 receiver and a running back to challenge Eddie George for his starting position. Suggs, with 238 carries for 1,255 yards as a senior, proved he has recovered from a 2001 knee injury. Suggs has more quickness and is a better receiver than George. 30 (30) Eagles Michael Haynes DE Penn State The Eagles could reach with this pick because they have so few needs, but they must address defensive end. Haynes may be overvalued at this point, but because there is such a premium put on pass-rushing ends, don't be surprised if a team takes a chance on him this high. 31 (31) Raiders Kenny Peterson DE Ohio St. One of the Raiders' few needs is at defensive end, where they have injury and age problems. Peterson had a strong senior season and continued to impress scouts at the Senior Bowl. It wouldn't be surprising if was drafted late in the first round. 32 (32) Raiders Bryant Johnson WR Penn State (from Tampa Bay) With two picks in the first round, the Raiders have the luxury of drafting the best available athlete. Johnson doesn't have great speed and he may never be more than an NFL No. 2, but Tim Brown and Jerry Rice can't play forever and Johnson might make a fine complement to Jerry Porter.
