UTRA

I was wondering if anyone has access to ESPN Insider and knows who he picked in his first mock draft.

The_Dude

it was up a while back free and i saw roy williams up there a while back.

next time i checked, it was somebody else.

roy was #2.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncf/columns...mel&id=1707468

seems like he has manning #1.

http://espn.go.com/melkiper/index.html

his full draft picks...free!!
roy williams is #3 now!

wait...#2 since larry isnt toing pro.

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UTRA

thanks for the list

SAM821

you gotta pay money for everything nowadays... its sad... I remember the good ole days when mel kipers stuff was all free.... oh well..

thephuse

larry's not goin pro?... i thought he was....... err?

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thephuse

he IS going pro.. i just checked heh.. i guess it changed..

no way he'll be the #1 pick tho... too many teams need a QB desperatly..

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The_Dude

damn, i guess i was wrong

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Artermis

He has Manning first, Larry 2nd, Ben 3rd, Gallery 4th, Kellen 5th and Taylor 6th.

It was on ESPN tonight so it is free...


Art

HeyAgain

By Mel Kiper Jr.
Special to ESPN Insider

MOCK DRAFT: Kiper's initial first-round projection | Jan. 21

Editor's Note: ESPN.com draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. offers his initial
first-round projection for the 2004 NFL draft.

It's Senior Bowl week, and the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the
draft has passed, so it's time to make my initial first-round projection for
the 2004 NFL draft. I currently see three skill-position players at the top
of the draft, while underclassmen (*) account for 16 of the 32 picks. Here's
my initial forecast:

1. San Diego Chargers: Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss
Drew Brees has not proven himself as a player who will ultimately be a
starter in the NFL, and while the Chargers also have needs at OT, WR, DT and
LB, passing up a blue-chip quarterback like Manning is tough to do,
especially considering they passed on Michael Vick a couple years ago.


Larry Fitzgerald has the hands and body control to make the tough catches.
2. Oakland Raiders: *Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Pittsburgh
The Raiders certainly could use a quarterback, with Rich Gannon getting up
there in age, but Fitzgerald would be a good complement to the big, athletic
Jerry Porter at wideout. There is also need at DL and S, but Fitzgerald has
all the skills you look for in a receiver.

3. Arizona Cardinals: *Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Miami-Ohio
Josh McCown is an adequate QB, but Roethlisberger will give new coach Dennis
Green a potential star. DL is also a need area, but no linemen are worthy of
the No. 3 pick, so the Cardinals would do well to upgrade the most important
position on the field.

4. New York Giants: Robert Gallery, OT, Iowa
Getting a player like Gallery -- the prototype left tackle -- would be a
huge help to QB Kerry Collins, who was beaten up big-time this season. The
Giants also need help along the DL and at S, but Gallery will step in
immediately and fill a big hole.

5. Washington Redskins: *Kellen Winslow, TE, Miami-Fla.
The TE position is always important in a Joe Gibbs offense, and Winslow will
give the Redskins a multi-dimensional talent at that position, one that
could be utilized creatively by Gibbs and his staff. DL and RB are also need
positions in Washington, but it will be hard to pass up an athlete like
Winslow at this spot.

6. Detroit Lions: *Sean Taylor, S, Miami-Fla.
The Lions need to get the best impact player still on the board at either
WR, RB, DE, CB or S, and Taylor looks to be that guy. Taylor is to the
safety position at Miami what Ray Lewis was to the MLB spot and has
tremendous toughness.

7. Atlanta Falcons: *Tommie Harris, DT, Oklahoma
DT, OT, CB and WR are the need areas for the Falcons, and Harris wreaks
havoc behind the line of scrimmage. He can cause problems for opposing QBs
and was constantly triple-teamed in college.

8. Cleveland Browns: *Chris Gamble, CB, Ohio State
Gamble might be a slight reach here, but his upside is tremendous, and he
capped his college career with a terrific game in Ohio State's Fiesta Bowl
win over Kansas State. A roll of the dice, but if he can be coached up and
improve his cover skills Gamble could be an impact player down the road.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Roy Williams, WR, Texas
The Jags need a complement to Jimmy Smith at wideout, and a reliable No. 2
option would certainly help the development of QB Byron Leftwich.
Jacksonville also has needs at CB and DE.

10. Houston Texans: *Kenechi Udeze, DE, USC
A pass-rusher is the No. 1 need in Houston, and Udeze fits the mold.
Originally a DT, Udeze has developed into a terrific strong-side DE and is
ideally suited to the 3-4 scheme with his rush skills and ability to hold up
against the run.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dunta Robinson, CB, South Carolina
The Steelers' secondary has been torched in recent years and Robinson is
definitely worthy of a high pick. He is fundamentally sound and prepared to
step in and become an immediate starter.

12. New York Jets: Jonathan Vilma, LB, Miami-Fla.
New York definitely needs help at WR and CB, but Vilma would give the Jets
speed, athleticism and instincts to boost their LB corps.

13. Buffalo Bills: Will Smith, DE, Ohio State
A perfect fit. Smith would be the best player available at this point in the
first round and fill a big-time need for the Bills, who could also use help
at CB or WR.

14. Chicago Bears: *Kevin Jones, RB, Virginia Tech
Jones has size, breakaway speed and the ability to catch and block. He would
be a good complement to Anthony Thomas, who is not quite the home run hitter
Jones could be. The Bears might also look to upgrade at WR, DT or DB.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: *Shawn Andrews, OT, Arkansas
Andrews is a devastating run blocker who is also light on his feet and would
upgrade the RT position dramatically for the Bucs. WR and TE are also areas
of need in Tampa.

16. San Francisco 49ers: *Vince Wilfork, DT, Miami-Fla.
With his ability to stuff the run and also explode upfield, Wilfork is in
the mold of current NFL DT Keith Traylor. Wilfork would solidify a unit that
had problems all season long.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: *Randy Starks, DT, Maryland
Coach Marvin Lewis needs a big presence in the middle of the defensive
front, and Starks is a guy who can make plays. He had 14½ tackles for loss
last season and is very strong with great athletic ability. Starks is
definitely a good fit and has tremendous potential.

18. New Orleans Saints: Will Poole, CB, USC
The Saints passed on Marcus Trufant last year and still need help in the
secondary. Poole turned into a shutdown corner when he became a starter
three games into the season and could turn into a special player.

19. Minnesota Vikings: D.J. Williams, OLB, Miami-Fla.
Minnesota needs some athletic ability on the outside of its defense, and
former FB Williams has that. He is not as instinctive as teammate Jonathan
Vilma, but with his speed and overall physical ability, Williams would give
the Vikings a solid presence at OLB.

20. Miami Dolphins: J.P. Losman, QB, Tulane
With Jay Fiedler and Brian Griese not looking like the long-term answer at
QB, the Dolphins could upgrade here with Losman. He has a quick release,
mobility and a strong arm. Losman got beat up at Tulane thanks to a terrible
supporting cast but is ideally suited to an NFL offense.

21. New England Patriots (from Baltimore): *Steven Jackson, RB, Oregon State
The Pats did not run the ball consistently this season and need a quality RB
to take some pressure off Tom Brady and the short passing game. Jackson has
size and can bounce it to the outside as well as being an excellent receiver
out of the backfield.

22. Dallas Cowboys: Chris Perry, RB, Michigan
Troy Hambrick does not look like the answer at RB, and Perry is the kind of
all-around back Cowboys coach Bill Parcells likes. Perry is multi-talented,
a good short-yardage runner, has hands out of the backfield and is a very
good blocker. A complete back who can be on the field every down.

23. Seattle Seahawks: Dwan Edwards, DT, Oregon State
Seattle had problems stopping the run and getting pressure on the QB, so
Edwards would be a big help. He played in the shadow of some more-heralded
teammates but had a heck of a career and would be a significant upgrade.

24. Denver Broncos: Ben Troupe, TE, Florida
Shannon Sharpe is near the end of the road and Troupe is a TE in the Sharpe
mold. Troupe can run, catch and block and his combination of size and speed
is impressive. The Broncos might also look for a WR or CB here.

25. Green Bay: *Antwan Odom, DE, Alabama
Alabama lost three starters on the DL before last season, yet Odom still
managed to get eight sacks despite being the focus of opposing offenses up
front. He has tremendous size and potential and would give the Packers a
three-down DE who can play the run and the pass. Green Bay could also look
for a QB or OLB.

26. St. Louis Rams: *DeAngelo Hall, CB, Virginia Tech
A multi-talented player, Hall has great recovery speed as a CB and could
significantly upgrade the punt return game. OG and TE are also need
positions for the Rams.

27. Tennessee Titans: Vernon Carey, OL, Miami-Fla.
The Titans need a versatile lineman, and Carey played both guard and both
tackle positions while at Miami. He would give the Titans some much-needed
flexibility along the offensive front.

28. Kansas City Chiefs: Keith Smith, CB, McNeese State
The Chiefs had all kinds of match-up problems in their playoff loss to the
Colts. Smith had a great career at the Division I-AA level and looks ready
to step up to the NFL level. Reminiscent of former McNeese and NFL CB
Leonard Smith (no relation).

29. Philadelphia Eagles: *Reggie Williams, WR, Washington
The Eagles showed how badly they need a WR in their loss to the Panthers in
the NFC championship game, and Williams is a big, fast target who would be
an upgrade over any wideout currently on the roster.

30. Indianapolis Colts: Karlos Dansby, OLB, Auburn
The Colts need a complete OLB, and Dansby is just that. Speed and
athleticism make blitzing off the edge his forte, and Dansby would give
Indianapolis a good outside pass rusher and upgrade that area of the
defense.

31. Carolina Panthers: *Michael Clayton, WR, LSU
Clayton has size and can make the difficult catch look easy. He showed his
toughness by playing special teams and some at safety in college and would
be a great bargain at this point in the first round. The Panthers also need
LB help.

32. New England Patriots: Michael Jenkins, WR, Ohio State
The Patriots have some undersized receivers in Deion Branch, Troy Brown and
David Givens, and Jenkins would give them the big target they lack. He is a
complete player who will block downfield and make unselfish plays.

NoseyJoe

i think the lions might trade down and try to get stephen jackson and more picks

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Doctor_Max

Losman for Miami? Rivers would be a much better suit.

Spartak

Someone explain why the Chargers would pick up another young QB ?

I mean, wouldn't it make more sense to continue to work with Brees and draft him a reliable go-to-guy type target (ala Roy Williams, Fitzgerald or Kellen Winslow) ?

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Artermis

Lions need Taylor.

He will give them something to go along with Bly.

I think they can get a decent back in the 2nd round or they will go after Duce and duce will go along with Pinner and Bryson.

They need 2 guards (get 1 or both in FA, a RB (FA or 2nd round), another WR (Sammie Parker or Colbert from USC), S (Taylor), DE (Babin) and CB (FA or see how Cash or Goodman coming along and go 3rd or 4th round).


Art

clifclav

Seeing that New England gets Baltimore's pick is enough to make me ill. I like Kyle Boller and all but seeing some of the talent that will be there with that 21st pick makes it hard to swallow.

On another note I think Winslow will be a good fit for the Redskins. He will need a tough coach to whip him into shape both mentally and phsically and Gibbs can do that. TE is becoming a much more important position now than it was in the past.

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UTRA

What about Perry dropping to the Cowboys? I have always been a critic of the Big 10, but this guy would be a solid pickup if he drops that far. They could still possibly use another corner in the second round, hopefully Nathan Vasher will still be around by then. If the Cowboys can get Perry, there's a chance of winning the NFC East next year.

quest1mark

heres a site where theres a whole bunch of mock drafts:

http://www.footballsfuture.com/2004/mock.html

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Parker

Another good draft web site is
http://www.nfldraftblitz.com
and click on Trieu's Draft Links. Also, I think this year is a very solid darft.

djtestudo

I have to disagree here.

The Ravens got a potential franchise quarterback with that pick, and I really don't think there is anything better we could take with this pick.

Also, this looks to be a really good draft for receivers, so a couple good ones should fall to the Ravens' second-round pick, and they can fill a huge need.

__________________
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SAM821

i think miami is gonna go with OL in first round.... and try to see if philip rivers will be available in the second... risky but i strongly feel the fins will pull off a trade to get him....

there is also a possibility that we will have 2 first round picks if we tag Ogunleye as a franchise player, and someone picks him up....

Strange Famous

The Jets need a big WR more than anything else.

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Parker

Strange Famous. I agree that the Jets need a WR, but I think that they should get a CB and try and get Rashaun Woods in the 2nd Round. I have seen him play live and he is just as good as Roy Williams. Only thing is it is too early to see who might drop or move up the draft boards.

gov135

Chris Gamble to the Browns at number eight? No way, Mel.

The Browns most striking deficiency is up front on the offensive line. I think they'll work awfully hard to get themselves in position to take a Gallery/Winslow type.

And Chris Gamble? He's not ready for the next level (as evidenced by giving up big plays in the Wisconsin and Michigan games), he guesses way too much for the NFL game, and generally needs some coaching.

Plus the Browns are reportedly very happy with the young secondary guys they drafted last year, Crocker (Marshall) and Lehan (Minnesota).

Mel is wrong to think the Browns would look to Gamble at this spot. At least I hope he is.

SAM821

there might be 6 hurricanes drafted in the first round!? thats sick...

So who do you think is the better player... Losman or Rivers... cause there is a good chance the Dolphins will go QB with the first pick... I personally like Rivers... but ive never seen Losman play in a game... just highlights

SAM821

ok... rivers just proved that he is a legit QB... he played GREAT in the Senior Bowl... now i am kinda hoping the fins get him!

The_Dude

what does that say for the team for next year?

i would say that this year has been a "down year" for the hurricanes.

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wwcd101

If the Browns go with anything but O-line, fire Butch Davis. If they can't get Gallary, trade down.

Thanks for listening.

djtestudo

They already extended his contract through 2007...I doubt they'll fire him over that.

__________________
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--Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun

AL9045

Kellen Winslow #5 my ass.

You are going to draft a TE #5 to just block essentially?

Go with a DL or RB or something like that.

SAM821

well the last 3 years the canes have had 13 first rounders go, and they've had all that success... So i dont think that they have much to worry about. Theyve been able to replace talent with other talent... Biggest concern for the canes is QB....