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Pick: San Diego Chargers
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Chargers QB
Drew Brees
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Two teams really jump out at me that were especially bold — San Diego and Tampa
Bay. I loved the way Tampa Bay went for it, trading up in Round One to grab OT Kenyatta
Walker, who very well could be the final piece to a Super Bowl puzzle. The team I’m
going with, however, had the guts to make a move that could eventually make it look bad.
In trading out of the Michael Vick spot, the Chargers run the risk of looking very bad if
he becomes a superstar. Given that San Diego has improved so much on "D" this
offseason and the fact that there is a fair amount of risk in taking Vick, I think getting
a ready-to-produce-right-now stud player like LaDainian Tomlinson and extra draft picks
(plus Tim Dwight) has merit. When QB Drew Brees fell to the Chargers in the second round,
the risky move looked like sheer genius. Give John Butler credit for rolling the dice and
still getting the players he wanted.
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Pick: San Diego Chargers
I don’t care if Michael Vick eventually develops into the "Michael Jordan of
the NFL," the Chargers will not regret the decision to bypass him in this draft. Why?
Because they landed the player they had rated No. 1 on their draft board — RB
LaDainian Tomlinson — and were still able to address the QB position in the second
round by taking Drew Brees. GM John Butler believes that Tomlinson has a Thurman
Thomas-like career ahead of him. That’s not half-bad, plus he will be able to
jumpstart a stagnant rushing attack right away. Vick wasn’t expected to contribute
for a couple of years. As for Brees, Norv Turner will be able to mold him into a very good
NFL quarterback, someone who can take over for Doug Flutie in a year or two. With those
two picks alone — plus the Falcons’ 2002 second-round pick and WR Tim Dwight,
both acquired in the trade with Atlanta — the Chargers’ draft can be considered
a success.
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Pick: New Orleans Saints
Is there any team more intriguing than the Saints right now? We already had the battle
between Jeff Blake and Aaron Brooks for the starting QB job to look forward to. And now
that Deuce is loose down by the bayou, we also have some serious competition for the
featured RB job added to the mix. That’s right, Ricky Williams. Make way for the much
more versatile Deuce McAllister, whose shaky medical history triggered his free-fall into
the Saints’ laps 23 picks into the first round. Will Williams react to the new
challenge presented by McAllister, considered by far the best receiver in this year’s
rookie RB crop, by assuming the fetal position he once showed off in his rookie season? Or
will he be a man and accept McAllister’s challenge with open arms? One more question:
Will both these guys crack open like china dolls? McAllister says his injury problems his
final season at Mississippi were a fluke. If Deuce stays healthy, Williams could quickly
become an afterthought.
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Pick: St. Louis Rams
With respect to the Seahawks, Packers and Broncos, all of whom put together excellent
drafts, I have to go with the team that had the most first-round picks. It stands to
reason that the more high-end picks you have, the better your draft will be. But what
makes the Rams’ draft the most intriguing is how it impacted the defense. Suddenly,
the Rams look a lot like Tampa Bay. Their new coordinator, Lovie Smith, is a former Bucs
assistant. DT Damione Lewis will show you some Warren Sapp-like qualities with his
quickness off the ball. S Adam Archuleta will fly around and remind you of John Lynch. LB
Tommy Polley will make plays from sideline to sideline and conjure images of Derrick
Brooks. And if you consider that CB Aeneas Williams was had for second- and fourth-round
picks, you might agree it was the top draft too.
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Pick: Seattle Seahawks
With all due respect to the Rams and Chargers, I find myself leaning in the
Seahawks’ direction on this one. With an aggressive approach in the free-agent
market, Mike Holmgren has shown that he’s ready to win now. And now, with the trade
for QB Matt Hasselbeck and a quality draft, he’s added the necessary talent that
could lead to a dramatic rise in the standings. Holmgren was sold on talented WR Koren
Robinson despite some attitude concerns that turned many teams off. Then he had OG Steve
Hutchinson, a dominating player who brings plenty of toughness to the line and was
projected to go higher than he did, fall to him at No. 17. Add in raw but physically
gifted CB Ken Lucas and quality later picks who are loaded with potential, such as LB
Orlando Huff, OT Pork Chop Womack, WR Alex Bannister and QB Josh Booty, and you’ve
got one productive weekend that could help them skip a few steps on the way up the
rebuilding ladder.
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Pick: Detroit Lions
No team impressed me more, from top to bottom, in the draft than the Lions. After
taking the "other" Michigan OL stud, Jeff Backus, the Lions continued to stock
up on offensive linemen with a guy I think is a future star at center, Nebraska’s
Dominic Raiola. The two most intriguing picks the Lions made are Texas DT Shaun Rogers,
whose ankle injury pushed him deep into the second round, and Rutgers QB Mike McMahon,
selected in the fifth round. There’s no question about Rogers’ talent, just
whether he can rebound from an ankle injury that had him wheelchair-bound at the Combine.
As for McMahon, if Charlie Batch disappoints the Lions’ new regime enough by
continuing to be injury-prone, McMahon will be waiting in the wings. And with Marty
Mornhinweg to teach him the ropes, McMahon’s potential for growth doubles in value.
WR Scotty Anderson and LB Jason Glenn also are promising picks.
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