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Chargers rookie
LaDainian Tomlinson
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With first-round draft picks frantically picking up the pace in signing contracts
— only five No. 1s remained unsigned the day this issue of PFW was put to bed —
the time seems right for focusing on the NFL’s latest rookie crop.
According to my calculations, at least 20 No. 1 picks are solid bets to make their
presence felt very quickly as undisputed starters — Arizona OT Leonard Davis (No. 2
pick overall), Cleveland DT Gerard Warren (No. 3), Cincinnati DE Justin Smith (No. 4), San
Diego RB LaDainian Tomlinson (No. 5), New England DT Richard Seymour (No. 6), San
Francisco DE Andre Carter (No. 7), Chicago WR David Terrell (No. 8), Seattle WR Koren
Robinson (No. 9), Green Bay DE Jamal Reynolds (No. 10), Carolina OLB Dan Morgan (No. 11),
St. Louis DT Damione Lewis (No. 12), Jacksonville DT Marcus Stroud (No. 13), Tampa Bay OT
Kenyatta Walker (No. 14), Washington WR Rod Gardner (No. 15), Seattle OG Steve Hutchinson
(No. 17), Detroit OT Jeff Backus (No. 18), Pittsburgh DT Casey Hampton (No. 19),
Philadelphia WR Freddie Mitchell (No. 25), Oakland S Derrick Gibson (No. 28) and
Indianapolis WR Reggie Wayne (No. 30).
The remaining first-rounders — with the exceptions of Atlanta QB Michael Vick (No.
1), Miami CB Jamar Fletcher (No. 26), St. Louis DT Ryan Pickett (No. 29) and Baltimore TE
Todd Heap (No. 31) — probably will take a little longer to learn the ropes and stave
off challenges from stubborn veterans before settling into starting roles.
My picks for the best No. 1 draft choices on offense and defense, respectively, are
clear-cut:
Tomlinson and Carter.
I expect Tomlinson, who performed like a man against boys at the Senior Bowl, in
addition to earning rave reviews at this year’s Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, to
immediately revive a Chargers ground game that managed only three yards per carry last
season, the lowest average in the league.
Granted, the Chargers’ offensive line leaves an awful lot to be desired. But it
won’t matter. "L.T." is good enough to make his own holes and quickly
become one of the league’s top misdirection rushers.
Carter, meanwhile, already has taken San Francisco by storm. The 49ers are in dire need
of more outside pressure; only seven of their 25 sacks last season were registered by
defensive ends.
Reacting to those detractors who claim he’s too thin at 6-foot-4, 265 pounds to be
a consistently disruptive pass rusher, the son of former Denver DT Rubin Carter has been
busy adding muscle to his already-chiseled frame this summer.
The results earned him rave reviews in the 49ers’ offseason minicamps, where he
ran over, around and through the team’s vastly underrated offensive line on a regular
basis. In his first training-camp practice, one day after signing a five-year, $11.5
million contract, he picked right up where he left off.
My thoughts are hardly focused solely on first-rounders, however. Suffice it to say,
there’s a lot of top-notch talent in this year’s draft from top to bottom.
Need some examples? How about a special pick to click from the other rounds?
Second round: San Francisco ILB Jamie Winborn — 5-11, 242, Vanderbilt.
As is the case with Carter, Winborn is an undersized overachiever with rare football
intelligence. Expected to start on the weak side in a unit also featuring Julian Peterson,
the 49ers’ top pick last season, and ex-Redskin Derek Smith, Winborn is as quick and
explosive as a Kerry Wood fastball. He also has a real mean streak that should serve him
well.
Third round: Cleveland RB James Jackson — 5-10, 209, Miami (Fla.).
A late bloomer who played for new Browns head coach Butch Davis at Miami, Jackson
already has shown enough to trigger the release of seven-year veteran Errict Rhett.
Jackson has excellent footwork and run vision, and most important in the Browns’ new
dink-and-dunk offense, he can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Fourth round: Carolina QB Chris Weinke — 6-4, 238, Florida State.
Weinke, who just turned 29, already has become a fan favorite in Carolina, and his rare
maturity and experience running a pro-style offense at FSU should come in handy. Head
coach George Seifert has given career backup Jeff Lewis the first crack at replacing Steve
Beuerlein as the Panthers’ starting quarterback. But Weinke’s contract,
potentially the most lucrative ever for a fourth-round pick (as much as $20 million in
five years, including incentives), provides a strong indication that he will be calling
Carolina’s signals by season’s end.
Fifth round: Baltimore RB Chris Barnes — 6-0, 210, New Mexico State.
The Ravens appear confident enough in Barnes to entrust him with the backup role behind
workhorse Jamal Lewis — a gamble of major proportions considering Lewis’
checkered medical record. Like the Browns’ Jackson, Barnes has displayed excellent
receiving ability, which is surprising considering he had only 11 catches for 98 yards in
20 games at New Mexico State.
Sixth round: Denver WR Kevin Kasper — 6-0, 193, Iowa.
Far and way the most impressive rookie in the Broncos’ minicamps, Kasper has shown
that his eye-opening workout numbers at this year’s Combine were not a fluke.
Kasper’s surprising speed has earned him a legitimate shot as Denver’s primary
kickoff returner. Don’t be shocked if he also makes a positive contribution in
occasional three- and four-WR sets.
Seventh round: Dallas OT Char-Ron Dorsey — 6-6, 347, Florida State.
With Flozell Adams bothered by knee problems, Dorsey has been working with Dallas’
first-team offense at left tackle. Dorsey had his moments at the Senior Bowl, and if he
can keep his weight under control, the Cowboys just might have landed themselves a
Texas-sized sleeper. |
