CHICAGO – This is the mystery draft. Every draft produces great players. Sometimes they are harder to find. That’s why scouts get paid and often why general managers and coaches get fired. Finding the gems in this one is a challenge.
The San Francisco 49ers, picking first, have narrowed their choice to quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers of Cal and Alex Smith of Utah, wide receiver Braylon Edwards of Michigan and cornerback Antrel Rolle of Miami. Although both quarterbacks worked out well, neither is Eli Manning or Carson Palmer, at least not yet.
Edwards still might be the best athlete in the draft. But is he much better than fellow receivers Mike Williams of USC, Mark Clayton of Oklahoma or Troy Williamson of South Carolina? Are any of them in the same class as last year’s stellar group led by Larry Fitzgerald, Roy Williams, Reggie Williams, Lee Evans and Michael Clayton?
Last year Clayton was the fifth receiver selected, but he had the best numbers. Previously, experts thought pass rusher Terrell Suggs was too slow and pass rusher Dwight Freeney was too small to be drafted as high as they did.
There are good offensive and defensive linemen in this draft, but it’s very unusual when none of them is a consensus top-10 pick. Certainly there is no Robert Gallery or Julius Peppers.
This year the best defensive lineman might turn out to be the best linebacker. A “Tweener,” Maryland’s Shawne Merriman, either could fit perfectly into a particular scheme or fail miserably.
The quality is so thin at the top, where the Bears pick No. 4, that trading down remains only a remote possibility. The Dallas Cowboys, with Nos. 11 and 20, have the ammunition to trade up. They also have expressed an interest in trading, but they want to trade down.
“You can do some things with multiple picks,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “It creates so many options that it’s mind-boggling.”
New Packers general manager Ted Thompson, agreeing with the view that the bottom of the first round might be as good as the top, expressed this confidence:
“There’s never been a pick in the history of the National Football League where if you knew what you were doing you couldn’t take a good player. I’m not saying I’ve always picked the good players but I think this draft will lend itself to a good player at 24.”
No can’t-misses
Auburn’s Ronnie Brown has edged ahead of teammate Carnell “Cadillac” Williams and Texas’ Cedric Benson as the top running back. That’s the best running back group since 2001 but none of them looks as promising as LaDainian Tomlinson or Deuce McAllister.
Brown is the biggest, fastest and most versatile of the backs. He also is the least-experienced, having shared time with Williams. Do you take him on potential or do you opt for the production of Benson?
Receiver Williams missed a season trying to join the NFL prematurely along with running back Maurice Clarett. Williams is 6 feet 5 inches, 230 pounds of potential. Clarett hasn’t played for two years and has dropped precipitously since leading Ohio State to a national championship as a freshman. Do you gamble?
Cornerbacks Rolle and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones of West Virginia could be the first two defensive players selected, ahead of all the linemen and linebackers. Same thing happened last season with safety Sean Taylor and cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Dunta Robinson.
If no defensive or offensive linemen get picked in the top 10, it would be the first time since 1999 and only the third time ever. The 1981 draft was the only other time no linemen went in the first 10.
LSU’s Marcus Spears and Wisconsin’s Erasmus James are the most heralded defensive linemen other than Merriman. Florida’s Alex Barron, Washington’s Khalif Barnes and Oklahoma’s Jammal Brown are the top offensive tackles. None are projected as definite top 10 players.
Company of misery
It’s a strange sight to see the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins picking 1-2. They rarely ever draft in the top 10 and only once before have they both picked in the top 10 at the same time. That was in 1967, the first common draft as part of the AFL-NFL merger. The 49ers picked Florida quarterback Steve Spurrier third and the Dolphins took Purude quarterback Bob Griese fourth.
They could take quarterbacks 1-2 this time, but probably only if Rodgers goes to the 49ers. That would leave Smith for the Dolphins, who are said to prefer him over Rodgers.
The 49ers have taken quarterbacks in the first round seven times in their history, but only once since Spurrier. That was in 1997 with Jim Druckenmiller, who was soon out of football. They picked five in 11 years from 1951-61 – Y.A. Tittle, Bernie Faloney, Earl Morrall, John Brodie and Billy Kilmer. All but Faloney enjoyed memorable NFL careers.
Only twice – in 1953 and 1964 – have the 49ers had the first pick. They took ends both times-Harry Babcock and Dave Parks. Taking an end such as Edwards wouldn’t be the worst idea this year, but a quarterback looks more likely.
Denver Browns
New Browns general manager Phil Savage, asked about the wisdom of giving up four defensive linemen to Denver: “Those four linemen were on a defense that was ranked 32nd (against the run). Somebody tell me what the big to-do is. If we added four linemen from a team that was ranked 32nd in run defense, I think you guys would have asked me about that right off the bat.”
Yet another Favre
If Akron quarterback Charlie Frye lasts until the second round, that will be another comparison to Green Bay’s Brett Favre. Packers offensive coordinator Tom Rossley said after after Frye’s pro day workout: “He’s a lot like Brett. He throws well on the run, he’s athletic, looks like he’s tough. Size-wise, they’re very similar. He’s a playmaker. He’s faster than Brett.”
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