|
|
|
|
ESPN.com
- Mock Draft
By The War Room
Mar. 30, 2000
1. Cleveland Browns -- WR Peter
Warrick, Florida State.
The Browns earned the No. 1 pick
this year with the worst record in the NFL, and Warrick still appears to
be the perfect fit, despite the exuberant amount of press coverage and
rumors. The trio of QB Tim Couch, WR Kevin Johnson, and Warrick would quickly
give the Browns legitimate explosiveness on offense and Warrick could also
give them a huge boost in the kicking game. Cleveland has drawn an awful
lot of attention to the first pick, a ploy that seems to be an awful big
smoke screen. OLB LaVar Arrington and DE Courtney Brown are tremendous
talents who warrant consideration at No. 1, but it is unlikely that another
team will trade into the No. 1 spot and Warrick is the closest thing to
a franchise player in this draft.
2. Washington Redskins (from
New Orleans) -- LB *LaVar Arrington, Penn State.
This is the first of two-consecutive
picks for the Redskins, and it is almost a guarantee that it will be either
Arrington, rather than Brown because of Washington's desperate need to
bulk up at the linebacker position. The Redskins underachieved on defense
in 1999 and they desperately need more speed and athleticism off the edge,
especially in the form of a bigger linebacker who can help to plug the
gaps against the tackle-to-tackle run game. Arrington is a complete OLB
with great range who can rush the quarterback or drop in coverage. This
is a need pick with the value to match.
3. Washington Redskins (from
San Francisco) -- OT Chris Samuels, Alabama.
There have been many rumors concerning
the Redskins taking OT Chris Samuels with this acquired pick, and even
though the thought of Penn State bookends on the defensive side next season
is inviting, the 'Skins seem determined to add Samuels to the roster. Their
obvious need is on defense heading into the 2000 season, but a player like
Samuels would shore up an offensive line unit that is already solid from
start to finish.
4. Cincinnati Bengals -- DE Courtney
Brown, Penn State.
Despite some glaring needs at the
skill positions, the Bengals would be hard pressed to look past Brown with
the No.4 pick. Brown is the second or third best overall player in this
years' class, but will slip because of Washington's love affair with OT
Chris Samuels. Brown will be an instant upgrade to the Bengals defensive
front that will be moving from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme this season.
5. Baltimore Ravens (from Atlanta)
-- RB Thomas Jones, Virginia.
The departure of Errict Rhett for
Cleveland makes this decision clear. The Ravens have upgraded their offense
significantly with the addition of TE Shannon Sharpe, and with QB Tony
Banks singing a long-term deal it's evident that Brian Billick is satisfied
at the quarterback position. Now, the challenge is to surround Sharpe and
Banks with a solid supporting cast. With the depth of this year's wide
receiver class, the Ravens are confident choosing a running back now, waiting
for their second pick of this round (14) to address the wide receiver position.
Jones has emerged as the top running back of this draft and behind one
of the more underrated offensive lines in the league, his transition into
a premier runner at the NFL level should be a smooth one.
6. Philadelphia Eagles -- DT
Corey Simon, Florida State.
This is a classic fit of need and
value. Simon is the next best player on the board, while the Eagles are
in desperate need for an inside pass rusher. Simon is the most disruptive
inside player in this class, giving the Eagles young, talented defense
a chance to make some noise in 2000.
7. Arizona Cardinals -- RB Shaun
Alexander, Alabama.
The Cardinals desperately need a
big-time back to take pressure off QB Jake Plummer. Veteran Adrian Murrell
faded badly in 1999 and Alexander would give them a legitimate 25-carry,
100-yards per game rusher on a weekly basis, something they have been missing
for years. He also adds an exciting dimension to the passing game out of
the backfield because of his reliable hands and ability to get vertical.
If Alexander is there, this would seem to be a no-brainer pick.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers -- WR
*Plaxico Burress, Michigan State.
Bill Cower's decision to enter the
season with Kordell Stewart as his starter makes the wide receiver position
that much more important. Despite some questions of character and attitude,
Burress is the type of talent who could step in and make a huge impact
as a rookie. He is a big target that will take a lot of pressure off of
Stewart, especially in the vertical passing game where the Steelers have
failed miserably over the course of the last two seasons. If Burress is
still around, this is a perfect fit.
9. Chicago Bears -- OLB Brian
Urlacher, New Mexico.
Urlacher may be one of the most
versatile athletes in this years' draft. He has the range of a safety and
the size of a linebacker and he would dramatically upgrade a defense for
the Bears that is full of overachievers. He could start at OLB but would
be an every down player, as he also fits the bill as a nickel linebacker
in passing situations.
10. Denver Broncos -- TE *Bubba
Franks, Miami (Fla.).
The Broncos are comfortable with
Dwayne Carswell and Byron Chamberlain at the tight end position after losing
Shannon Sharpe in free agency, but the addition of a player like Franks
would instantly upgrade this unit that is not too far away from being a
contender again. The Broncos have not had the opportunity to pick this
high in the draft in quite some time, so its hard to say how they will
handle the pick, but on a team that has few glaring needs, do not be surprised
if they take the best available athlete, which happens to be Franks.
11. New York Giants -- RB Ron
Dayne, Wisconsin.
The Giants had a running back-by-committee
approach in 1999, and even though they have a lot of candidates, they still
need that 25-30 carry back who can move the chains and give them a ball
control offense. Dayne seems to be the perfect fit for an offense that
is in desperate need of a guy who can pound the ball out to loosen up opposing
defenses for the passing game. The concern with Dayne is that he has taken
a lot of shots at the college level and that he also lacks the breakaway
speed get to the second level. However, he is a proven load-carrier that
will give this offense an instant upgrade in its running game, which is
a critical component for a cold-weather team during the stretch run into
the playoffs.
12. San Francisco 49ers (from
Washington) -- QB Chad Pennington, Marshall.
The 49ers traded down from its No.
3 pick in order to acquire Washington's No. 12 and No. 24 picks in the
first round. The thinking behind the move is to gain an extra pick in the
first round, which will enable the team to not only draft a quarterback
at a more reasonable slot, but to also inherit a pick later in the first
round to address another need. The Forty Niners are obviously in dire need
of a young quarterback develop within the system, and with Pennington still
on the board, San Francisco will use their 12th pick to address the situation.
Pennington will need at least a year to make the adjustment to the NFL
level, but on a team that is now in a long-term transition situation, Pennington
is the intelligent choice because of his upside. He shows enough arm strength,
leadership and ball-handling skills to develop into a solid starter in
the league as long as he is not forced into a situation where he is depended
upon to lead a team in his rookie season.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from
San Diego) -- OT Stockar McDougle, Oklahoma.
McDougle may be the fastest rising
offensive lineman in this draft. He has size, feet, and instincts and with
Bucs' LOT Paul Gruber near the end of the line he would be an excellent
guy to work into the Tampa Bay lineup. It may take him a year to adjust,
but he will be an excellent pro player.
14. Green Bay Packers -- LB Keith
Bulluck, Syracuse.
Bulluck is one of the fastest rising
players in this years' draft. He was trapped inside last year on Syracuse's
smaller defensive unit, which prohibited him from displaying a lot of his
playmaking abilities. The Packers are in need of a playmaker from the outside
and are confident that Bulluck will contribute right away because of his
astonishing size/speed/athleticism combination.
15. Baltimore Ravens -- WR *Travis
Taylor, Florida.
By taking Thomas Jones with the
first pick of the round, the Ravens will look to boost its passing game
by adding a top receiver to the corps. Taylor is a guy that is rising on
many NFL draft boards because of his exceptional body control, hands and
size. He would be a perfect fit on a Baltimore team that is just a few
offensive playmakers away from being a serious contender.
16. New York Jets (from New England)
-- DE *Shaun Ellis, Tennessee.
The Jets have one of the worst pass
rush groups in the NFL and they could use not only a speed rusher, but
a guy who can hold up versus the run, which fits Ellis' skills. He has
great speed and quickness and can be a double-digit sack artist in the
right system. Ellis is a clear playmaker coming from one of the top programs
at the college level and should be able to contribute right away as an
every down player.
17. Oakland Raiders -- WR Laveranues
Coles, Florida State.
This would be an eyebrow-raiser,
but do not put it past Al Davis. The Raiders love speed and raw talent,
two qualities that Coles oozes with. Coles has had some off-the-field troubles
and his character is certainly questioned, but this veteran Raider team
could be a place where the speedster from Florida State could get a fresh
start.
18. New York Jets -- S *Deon
Grant, Tennessee.
The Jets are determined to upgrade
their aging defensive unit and safety is a definite concern. Grant seems
to be a likely choice here, not only because of his tremendous value at
this spot in the draft, but also because the Jets are in need of a big
play safety to shore up a secondary that showed a lot of deficiencies in
the deep third a year ago. Grant is ball-hawking, centerfielder-type player
who will add a lot of speed and range to a Jets' secondary that gave up
too many big plays versus the vertical passing game.
19. Seattle Seahawks (from Dallas)
-- WR *Dez White, Georgia Tech.
With the trade of WR Joey Galloway
to Dallas, Seattle picks up an additional first-round pick, but also has
a big hole at the wide receiver position. Dez White is a guy that has climbed
up most NFL teams' draft boards because of his excellent size/speed combination.
He seems to be a great fit for the Seahawks' West Coast system and would
be a big boost to their mediocre receiving corps. However, Head Coach Mike
Holmgren values his draft picks, and with a team that does not have a lot
of glaring needs, the Seahawks will likely take the highest player graded
on their board at both #19 and #22.
20. Detroit Lions -- OL Chris
McIntosh, Wisconsin.
The Lions addressed their need of
a running back in free agency by signing ex-Jaguar James Stewart, which
allows the organization to improve upfront on the offensive side of the
ball. Ideally, Detroit would like to move last year's first round pick
Aaron Gibson from offensive tackle to offensive guard, and by taking McIntosh
at the 20th spot the team would be able to do so. McIntosh is a right tackle
prospect who lacks the feet to move to the left side, which means the team
would have a powerful, run-blocking "Badger Connection" on the right side
of the line.
21. Kansas City Chiefs -- CB
Ahmed Plummer, Ohio State.
The Chiefs are really starting to
fade at corner and they also have a lot of age within their group. They
need a cover corner who can take away the opponent's best wide receiver
and Plummer may fit the bill. He has great man-to-man cover skills and
should be able to run with the talented wide receivers in the AFC West.
There has also been a lot of talk concerning Rashard Anderson as the No.
1 corner prospect in this class, and even though he would have some time
to develop behind Kansas City's aging cornerback group, the team will likely
take the best available player at this stage.
22. Seattle Seahawks -- DT Chris
Hovan, Boston College.
With the loss of DT Sam Adams, the
Seahawks are in desperate need of an impact player inside. Hovan is a "throw-back"
player who always plays with a great motor. He shows a lot of inside pass
rush moves and has proven strong enough to hold up versus the inside running
game.
23. Carolina Panthers -- OG Travis
Claridge, Southern California.
The Panthers have a lot of weaknesses
that could be addressed with this pick, especially on the defensive and
offensive lines, and with an offense that has shown so much promise in
the passing game, a player like Claridge could really help this team make
the step to the next level. Claridge is a dominating inside run blocker
who also adds a lot of stability in pass protection. He has moved up the
board significantly due to excellent workouts, and seems to be the top
offensive guard heading into the draft.
24. San Francisco 49ers (from
Washington) -- DE John Engelberger, Virginia Tech.
The 49ers, due to their current
situation, are in position to choose the best available athlete. The clear
choice here is Engelberger who looks to be a solid player for quite some
time. He is a blue chip player and would upgrade a San Francisco defense
sorely in need of some big plays from the pass rush. The most exciting
aspect of a player like Engelberger is that he plays with a high motor
and will up the intensity of the entire defense because of his presence.
25. Minnesota Vikings -- DB Rashard
Anderson, Jackson State.
The Vikings desperately need an
impact corner, but they do not have the ammunition to move up in the draft,
so a guy like Anderson, who has great raw skills but will need a lot of
refinement, may be the perfect guy. Secondary Coach Rich Solomon loves
to work with young players and he may have to give Anderson a crash course
to get him ready by the season opener, but there's a huge upside here.
Rest assured that it will be very difficult for the Vikings to turn down
a top-flight corner at this pick.
26. Buffalo Bills -- DB Dwayne
Goodrich, Tennessee.
Despite the Bills glaring need to
upgrade at the defensive end position, the team is known for making bold
draft-day moves and with the loss of CB Thomas Smith, Goodrich fits the
billing as not only the best available athlete, but also as a need as well.
Goodrich is a fringe player at this point because he shows so much natural
talent, but he also gambles a lot and has a tendency to give up the big
play. Buffalo is confident that they can work with his raw skills to develop
Goodrich into an "island player" opposite Antonio Winfield. This is the
type of risk that could pay off huge in the future, giving the Bills a
chance at establishing one of the top, young cornerback duos in the league.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- MLB
Rob Morris, Brigham Young.
With the loss of Hardy Nickerson,
the best bet with the 27th pick would be to address the middle linebacker
position, where Morris is slated as the top player in his class. He is
a perfect fit, because he not only possesses enough strength to matchup
inside, but he is also a superior athlete for his position and his level
of intensity should allow him to make the necessary steps as a starter
at the NFL level as a rookie.
28. Indianapolis Colts -- DT
Darwin Walker, Tennessee.
Look for the Colts to continue to
upgrade their defense, although their overall needs are not as glaring
as they were a year ago. The most logical decision here would be to take
Walker to add some depth inside. The unit had some problems against the
inside running game and the addition of a player like Walker would not
only bulk up the group, but the depth would also allow the team to user
a more frequent rotation, which would keep players fresh late in games.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars -- WR
Ron Dugans, Florida State.
This pick makes a lot of sense for
a team that is solid at just about every position heading into the 2000
season. Dugans is a polished receiver who would be a great addition to
an already formidable receiving corps. This would allow the Jaguars to
run a lot more three-receiver sets with Fred Taylor lined up as the I-back.
30. Tennessee Titans -- WR Sylvester
Morris, Jackson State.
Tennessee's biggest concern in this
years' draft will be to add speed to a receiving corps that has tremendous
problems stretching opposing secondaries. Morris is a big receiver with
average speed, but he's a threat in the deep third and in redzone situations
because of his ability to out jump most cornerbacks.
31. St. Louis Rams -- OT Marvel
Smith, Arizona State.
The defending Super Bowl champions
have taken a hit on the offensive in the offseason, especially at the right
tackle position with the loss of Fred Miller to free agency. Smith may
be a stretch in the first round, but he shows a lot of developmental qualities
with the natural feet and strength to become a mainstay on an NFL offensive
line.
* Underclassman.
|
|
|