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Patriots QB
Tom Brady
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This season, the NFL scouts, personnel directors and coaches we polled on the Pro Bowl
agreed with most of the top selections at each position but disagreed most often with the
second, third and fourth choices at each position. What follows is a look at the actual
vote, our insiders’ opinions and their reasons behind them. Asterisks denote the
game’s starters.
AFC | NFC
Quarterbacks
Actual vote:
Rich Gannon / Raiders*
Tom Brady / Patriots
Kordell Stewart / Steelers
Analysis: They agreed with the three choices, although some people were willing to vote
for Jaguars QB Mark Brunell over any of the quarterbacks, except Gannon, because of the
way Brunell carried his team while playing hurt.
Running backs
Actual vote:
Curtis Martin / Jets*
Jerome Bettis / Steelers
Priest Holmes / Chiefs
Analysis: Martin was their first choice, and Bettis was the second. Then the vote was
split between Holmes and Corey Dillon. Scouts seemed to favor Dillon, saying he had to
carry an offense, whereas the Chiefs’ offense fit Holmes.
Fullback
Actual vote:
Larry Centers / Bills*
Analysis: They disagreed with Centers. Tony Richardson of the Chiefs was the choice,
followed by Seattle FB Mack Strong.
Tight ends
Actual vote:
Tony Gonzalez / Chiefs*
Shannon Sharpe / Ravens
Analysis: They went with Gonzalez, but on complete value, they felt Colts TE Ken Dilger
probably was a little bit ahead of Sharpe.
Wide receivers
Actual vote:
Marvin Harrison / Colts*
Rod Smith / Broncos*
Tim Brown / Raiders
Jimmy Smith / Jaguars
Analysis: The scouts gave a slight edge to Patriots WR Troy Brown over Tim Brown but
said it would be ideal to just name Troy Brown as the "need player."
Offensive tackles
Actual vote:
Lincoln Kennedy / Raiders*
Jonathan Ogden / Ravens*
Walter Jones / Seahawks
Analysis: Scouts agreed with the selections of Jones and Ogden. They really respected
the way Kennedy played this season, especially because he played hurt, and they said he
could be the choice. Probably you could say he’s worthy, because he deserved it last
year and didn’t get it. But they gave a slight edge to Tarik Glenn of the Colts.
Offensive guards
Actual vote:
Alan Faneca / Steelers*
Will Shields / Chiefs*
Ruben Brown / Bills
Analysis: This group was called terrible by the scouts, who said Brown is overrated,
Faneca is good but not great and Shields is also overrated. They said there were no
clear-cut choices. If Randy Thomas of the Jets did not get hurt this season, he would have
been No. 1. They also gave support to Steve Wisniewski of the Raiders and Steve McKinney
of the Colts, who also had some injuries and did not play that well.
Centers
Actual vote:
Kevin Mawae / Jets*
Bruce Matthews / Titans
Analysis: One scout said, "Bruce Matthews, it’s very nice that he’s in.
It’s for past accomplishments though." NFL insiders said Mawae is the best
center in football — maybe the best offensive lineman — and if they had another
choice at center, they would probably go with Jeff Hartings, who really solidified the
Pittsburgh line. Tom Nalen of the Broncos was also mentioned.
Defensive ends
Actual vote:
John Abraham / Jets*
Marcellus Wiley / Chargers*
Jevon Kearse / Titans
Analysis: No clear-cut choice. Four people got almost the same number of votes. Abraham
of the Jets, Kearse of the Titans, Wiley of the Chargers and Jason Taylor of the Dolphins.
Jaguars DE Tony Brackens also got some support.
Defensive tackles
Actual vote:
Trevor Pryce / Broncos*
John Randle / Seahawks*
Sam Adams / Ravens
Analysis: Adams, Pryce and Randle got mixed reviews. Also getting support were Pat
Williams of the Bills and Gary Walker of the Jaguars.
Inside linebackers
Actual vote:
Ray Lewis / Ravens*
Zach Thomas / Dolphins
Analysis: Lewis and Thomas were solid choices.
Outside linebackers
Actual vote:
Jason Gildon / Steelers*
Jamir Miller / Browns*
Junior Seau / Chargers
Analysis: Another split position. Miller deserved it because of his pass-rush ability.
A lot of scouts felt the two best outside linebackers after him were Chad Brown of Seattle
and Takeo Spikes of Cincinnati. They also mentioned Seahawks LB Anthony Simmons, Jets LB
James Farrior and Chiefs LB Donnie Edwards but said there was nothing all that wrong with
Gildon and Seau as the choices.
Cornerbacks
Actual vote:
Sam Madison / Dolphins*
Charles Woodson / Raiders*
Deltha O’Neal / Broncos
Analysis: Despite an injury, the scouts went along with the selection of Woodson, who
was far less than 100 percent the second half of the season. They very strongly disagreed
with Madison and O’Neal. They said Patrick Surtain was clearly Miami’s best
corner overall this year, and O’Neal is a feast-or-famine-type guy. The names they
mentioned were Surtain, Ty Law of the Patriots, Aaron Glenn of the Jets, though he missed
time late in the year with injury, and Chris McAlister of the Ravens, though he
didn’t play nearly as well as he did in 2000.
Safeties
Actual vote:
Rodney Harrison / Chargers*
Rod Woodson / Ravens*
Lawyer Milloy / Patriots
Analysis: They said all the good safeties in the AFC are strong safeties. Harrison is a
fine choice. You can go with Milloy as your second strong safety as well. Lee Flowers of
Pittsburgh got some notice. At free safety, they said there’s no one close to being
worthy, with Woodson having a poor year for Baltimore. The names they mentioned, while
they were not excited about them, were Jerome Woods of Kansas City, Marcus Robertson of
Seattle, though he had some injury problems, and Brock Marion of Miami. But they said
they’d prefer to take three strong safeties. Another free safety who got quite a bit
of notice was Greg Wesley of Kansas City.
Specialists
Actual vote:
P Shane Lechler / Raiders
PK Jason Elam / Broncos
RS Jermaine Lewis / Ravens
ST Ian Gold / Broncos
Analysis: The scouts agreed with the choices.
Top of page
Quarterbacks
Actual vote:
Brett Favre / Packers*
Jeff Garcia / 49ers
Kurt Warner / Rams
Analysis: The scouts agreed with the choices.
Running backs
Actual vote:
Marshall Faulk / Rams*
Ahman Green / Packers
Garrison Hearst / 49ers
Analysis: They said it’s almost splitting hairs, but more seemed to favor Redskins
RB Stephen Davis over Hearst.
Fullback
Actual vote:
Mike Alstott / Buccaneers*
Analysis: They totally disagreed with Alstott. Niners FB Fred Beasley, Falcons FB Bob
Christian and Packers FB William Henderson all got votes, but there was no consensus, and
most scouts felt it’s almost an obsolete position that should be wiped out, and the
Pro Bowl should just go with four running backs.
Tight ends
Actual vote:
Bubba Franks / Packers*
Wesley Walls / Panthers
Analysis: They said there was nobody close to being worthy, but if they had to pick
two, it would probably be Walls and Ernie Conwell of St. Louis. There wasn’t much
support at all for Franks.
Wide receivers
Actual vote:
David Boston / Cardinals*
Terrell Owens / 49ers*
Isaac Bruce / Rams
Keyshawn Johnson / Buccaneers
Analysis: The scouts favored Boston and Owens as the starters, and said the backups
should be Torry Holt of St. Louis and Bruce or Joe Horn of the Saints.
Offensive tackles
Actual vote:
Orlando Pace / Rams*
Chris Samuels / Redskins*
James Williams / Bears
Analysis: They agreed with Pace. There was a mixed opinion on Samuels, and they
disagreed with Williams. Scouts felt the third tackle should be Tra Thomas of the Eagles,
and if you wanted to bump Samuels, you could do so in favor his teammate, ORT Jon Jansen.
Offensive guards
Actual vote:
Larry Allen / Cowboys*
Ron Stone / Giants*
Ray Brown / 49ers
Analysis: They agreed with Allen and Brown but felt either Adam Timmerman of St. Louis
or Rex Tucker of the Bears would be a better choice than Stone, who had a down year.
Centers
Actual vote:
Olin Kreutz / Bears*
Matt Birk / Vikings
Analysis: They generally agreed with Birk and Kreutz, but they said it’s very
close there. And there were a number of players, such as Jeremy Newberry of the 49ers, who
were mentioned.
Defensive ends
Actual vote:
Hugh Douglas / Eagles*
Michael Strahan / Giants*
Robert Porcher / Lions
Analysis: Strahan was obviously a unanimous choice, but in the vote for the other end
positions, their rankings were Rams DE Grant Wistrom, Porcher, Saints DE Joe Johnson,
Bears DE Phillip Daniels and then Douglas, who’s been in a second-half slump.
Defensive tackles
Actual vote:
La’Roi Glover / Saints*
Warren Sapp / Buccaneers*
Bryant Young / 49ers
Analysis: Among the interior linemen, the scouts agreed with the choices but said Ted
Washington of the Bears would have been every bit as good, and both Glover and Sapp are
down a bit this year.
Inside linebackers
Actual vote:
Brian Urlacher / Bears*
Jeremiah Trotter / Eagles
Analysis: They had Urlacher first, and then split the vote between Keith Brooking of
the Falcons and Trotter.
Outside linebackers
Actual vote:
LaVar Arrington / Redskins*
Derrick Brooks / Buccaneers*
Jessie Armstead / Giants
Analysis: They totally disagreed with Armstead and said Warrick Holdman of the Bears,
Carlos Emmons of the Eagles, Rosevelt Colvin of the Bears and Dexter Coakley of the
Cowboys, among others, would have been better choices. Armstead wasn’t even one of
the top dozen outside linebackers in the NFC last year. Some disagreed with Arrington
because he missed a lot of time and didn’t get off to a great start. And some
disagreed with Brooks because he was hurt and not effective early in the season.
Cornerbacks
Actual vote:
Ronde Barber / Buccaneers*
Aeneas Williams / Rams*
Troy Vincent / Eagles
Analysis: They agreed with Williams and Vincent and were split on the third position
among Barber, who got it, Mike McKenzie of Green Bay and Ahmed Plummer of San Francisco.
Safeties
Actual vote:
Brian Dawkins / Eagles*
Sammy Knight / Saints*
John Lynch / Buccaneers
Analysis: They agreed with Dawkins and Lynch, but they had Bears S Mike Brown and
Packers S Darren Sharper well ahead of Knight.
Specialists
Actual vote:
P Todd Sauerbrun / Panthers
PK David Akers / Eagles
RS Steve Smith / Panthers
ST Larry Whigham / Bears
Analysis: For the return specialist, the vote was split between Smith and Eagles RS
Brian Mitchell. The scouts agreed with the other choices.
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