The end of April conjures up different connotations for people. For some it is the transition from spring to summer, others the Mifflin Block Party. To football enthusiasts across the country, however, the end of April signifies the NFL Draft.
Dynasties are built through the draft. The Pittsburgh Steelers “Steel Curtain” dynasty was built through the draft, and, with the draft picks they received from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for Herschel Walker, the Dallas Cowboys laid the foundations for their Super Bowl runs during the 1990s.
This year is no different. General managers across the league are hoping to find the missing pieces to their respective puzzles through the draft.
This weekend football fans will be glued to their television sets listening to ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr., John Clayton and Chris Berman as they give their analysis and observations on selections. Fans this year will be treated to a draft rich in talent. The consensus among experts is that the quarterback and defensive line positions are the deepest.
Headlining the quarterback class is Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer. At 6-foot-5 and 232 pounds, the USC product has the ideal size to succeed in the NFL. It is widely believed that the Cincinnati Bengals will select Palmer with the first overall selection. The Bengals, however, have been burned in the past by first-round quarterback busts such as David Klingler (6th overall in 1992) and Akili Smith (3rd overall in 1999). As a result, the Bengals are leery of the idea of taking another quarterback high in the draft. Still, Palmer looks like a safe bet.
Among quarterbacks looking to hear their number called in the first round is Marshall’s Byron Leftwich, whose grit and determination has showed NFL scouts that he will be a leader in the league. Cal’s Kyle Boller, whose impressive workouts have dramatically increased his stock in the past few weeks and Florida’s gunslinger, Rex Grossman, look to find their place as NFL signal callers in the near future.
Defensive line, perhaps deeper than quarterback in terms of talent, could have as many as five players selected in the top 20. At the top of the defensive line mountain is Dewayne Robertson, a mammoth 6-foot-1, 317-pound junior from Kentucky. Many scouts compare Robertson to Warren Sapp; he is a defensive tackle with great quickness but also great girth. Look for Robertson to be selected in the top five.
Another defensive lineman of note is end Terrell Suggs, a 6-foot-3, 262-pound finely tuned athletic machine from Arizona State. Last year, Suggs set an NCAA record with 24 sacks in one season, and, despite his recent poor workouts, Suggs should be a top 10 selection.
Other high choices include Jimmy Kennedy, a 6-foot-4, 322-pound senior out of Penn State; Kevin Williams, a senior out of Oklahoma State who can run a 4.82 40-yard dash; and Johathon Sullivan, a junior from Georgia.
While quarterback and the defensive line are loaded with talent in this year’s draft, the other positions are not as lucky. Although many have a stud or two at the top, as one looks over the list, there is a great drop-off in the talent pool. For example, many experts agree that, after Willis McGahee of Miami and Larry Johnson of Penn State, there will not be another running back chosen in the first round. The same thing is true for linebackers, where Georgia standout Boss Bailey will probably be chosen in the top half of the first round, but there will be no other first-round linebackers.
The Green Bay Packers, desperately in need of a linebacker, will be hoping that Bailey falls into their lap. Realistically, though, they will be looking for Brett Favre’s successor at quarterback, possibly Rex Grossman if he is still available.
After the top talent is gone, a general manager and his staff begin to earn their money. Finding talent in the later rounds is a main objective for a general manager and a skill few possess. Former Packer general manager Ron Wolf made a name for himself with such late round finds as Marco Rivera (sixth), former Badger Mark Tauscher (seventh) and Donald Driver (seventh).
Early round selections are a team’s foundations, but the late round selections are the missing pieces for a successful team, something general managers are always looking to build.
