2003 NFL Draft at a glance
FIRST ROUND
1. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals, QB Palmer, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, will play behind Jon Kitna this year, at least to start the season. "I think in this first year, Coach wants me to get a good grasp of the offense and get a good grasp of my teammates and, hopefully, get comfortable enough to where in the next couple of years I can step in and start contributing," Palmer said. "The vibes I got from some of the players and everything I've heard in the media, everything's changed and everything's headed in the right direction." Akili Smith and Joe Germaine are still on the roster as well. Palmer was inconsistent at Southern Cal but part of that was the coaching and subsequent offensive system change as well as living in fast-paced Los Angeles. At 65, 232 pounds, he has the size and strong arm the coaches love as well as a nice touch on his throws. He also has good strength and footwork.
2. Charles Rogers, Detroit Lions, WR Rogers has the hands, size, speed, receiving skills and athletic ability that coaches crave in a wideout. He runs well after the catch and is a great leaper. Decided to leave Michigan State after his junior season so he needs to improve the nuances of the position but is expected to be an impact player. Rogers will line up in the flanker position to take advantage of possible mismatches.
3. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans, WR Also has the perfect combination of size, speed, strength and leaping ability and also excels at running after the catch. He has it all explosiveness, elusiveness elusive, downfield vision and is already a good blocker. He dropped too many balls last season but is expected to get much better quickly. He also needs some route-running refinement but that is to be expected when you come out early. Will play a lot his first year. "He's a rare physical specimen, Dom Capers said. In all our research, we were very impressed with his work ethic. We think he'll bring a physical presence to our offense and bring us a big-play guy."
7. Byron Leftwich, Jacksonville Jaguars, QB Leftwich will backup the injury-prone Mark Brunell this year so he could see some playing time. The Jags love his strong arm, size and leadership skills although some question his ability to adapt quickly to the west coast offense. Looks more comfortable in the shotgun of a more open offense. Accuracy and improved field vision are plusses. He is also poised under pressure but is slow afoot. Brunell's $6.75 million salary with two years remaining will make it difficult to trade him, so the club will have to decide whether to cut Brunell or let him mentor Leftwich for a year. "We thought he was the best player in the draft," James Harris, vice president of player personnel said of Leftwich.
17. Bryant Johnson, Arizona Cardinals, WR Big, physical
receiver with great hands who is tough in traffic with excellent athletic
ability. Can get deep but is not a burner. He still needs to work on his
route-running, consistency and concentration but showed improvements in those
areas last year. He also lacks explosiveness and suffers from occasional drops
but has a chance to start because of the weak receiving corps with David Boston, Frank Sanders and MarTay
Jenkins lost to free agency. "He's everything," their East
Coast scout said. "He's got size, speed, big-play ability and return
ability. He fills the void David leaves." Some
analysts thought Johnson wasn't worthy of a first-round selection
19. Kyle Boller, Baltimore Ravens, QB Really came on last year for
a new head coach (Jeff Tedford), who turned him into a legitimate first rounder
with improved mechanics, accuracy and footwork. The Ravens love his strong arm,
size, speed and athletic ability and had him rated almost on a par with Palmer
and Leftwich. He still needs to improve his accuracy and ability to locate
secondary receivers. Head coach Brian Billick loves this guy and would not rule
out the possibility of him starting this year. Chris Redman is recovering from
back surgery but should be ready for mini-camp. "I really think they are
both talented guys, offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh said. But I don't
think that because Kyle is a first-round pick and we haven't had one here that
he is automatically the guy. I think he is certainly going to be the future,
but we are talking about the present, and Chris is going to have every
opportunity to win the job."
22. Rex Grossman, Chicago Bears, QB Grossman is strong and has a good arm (not a good as Palmer, Leftwich, Boller) but has a quick release and is fairly sound in the pocket. But this guy loves to throw and is the consummate leader oozing confidence. He came out early so will need to hold the clipboard for at least two seasons which will give him to work on his accuracy. He also needs to grow up. The signing of Kordell Stewart will allow Grossman to develop and mature at his own pace. "I really like Kordell Stewart," coach Dick Jauron said. "But the value of Rex Grossman was very high. We couldn't pass it up. And everyone knows you need more than one (quarterback)."
23. Willis McGahee, Buffalo Bills, RB The first questionable pick of the draft. Buffalo needs defense and already has Travis Henry and Olandis Gary at running back. "We thought he was one of the top one or two players in the whole draft before he got hurt," coach Gregg Williams said. "He's ahead of progress. We thought we had a great young football player with a chance to hit a real home run with him." Would have gone much higher but now is likely to sit out this year recovering from major left knee surgery last January. Before the injury, scouts drooled over his combination of size, speed, power and strength. He works tremendously hard and is reportedly way ahead of schedule in his rehab. The surgery has to take its toll on his speed and cutback ability and also he needs work on his receiving and pass blocking. He should return next year but the jury is still out on his ceiling. If McGahee returns to form in 04, the Bills can trade Henry and his fumbling problem.
24. Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts, TE Drafted for his speed and hands and ability to make the tough catch but needs to learn how to block having played tight end for just two years. Could be a star down the road if he does. Will line up in the two-tight end sets this year. This is a good tough guy whos going to increase our team speed, Tony Dungy said. Hes going to make plays for us. Hes going to help the whole offense. Hes going to be a mismatch a lot in the passing game. Offensive coordinator Tom Moore makes liberal use of the two-tight end formation and Clark will compliment Marcus Pollard just right. "He's Dilger with speed and spectacular hands, owner Bill Polian said.
27. Larry Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs,
RB Drafted as insurance for Priest Holmes who has been slow to recover from a hip injury, Johnson
has good size and is a good receiver and improving blocker. He breaks tackles
and is quick but does not have big speed. He works hard but is not really as
good as a first round pick appears (weak running back group this year). The Chiefs think Holmes will be
ready for the start of training camp in July. "Priest Holmes is the
starting running back," GM Carl Peterson said. "He's making very good
progress with his rehab. Obviously, Larry gives us great security and a great
insurance policy. We anticipate Priest is going to be 100 percent for training
camp. Our doctors and trainers tell us that."
SECOND ROUND
41. Bennie Joppru, Houston Texans, TE Intelligent, reliable
receiver who is a physical blocking with soft hands. Doesnt have the speed to
get deep and needs some improvement in his routes but is starting material.
Stock rose this past season. "I feel that we're getting a tight end that's
a very good blocker with outstanding size and a good receiver," Dom Capers
said. "He is a solid blue collar work ethic type of guy. He is really a
quality individual that will fit in well with Billy Miller (receiver) and
Jabari Hollaway (blocker. Miller is still the starter but Joppru could compete
for significant playing time, especially in the two-TE sets.
44. Taylor Jacobs, Washington Redskins, WR Good size, adjusts well to poorly thrown balls and has the speed to get deep with the toughness for traffic catches. All around intelligent player who will fit in nicely as the #3 option in a dangerous passing offense. Could start in case of injury as well.
45. Bethel Johnson, New England Patriots, WR A nice pick here, Johnson is strong, very fast and athletic and runs well after the catch. Decent blocker and is not afraid of the middle but needs work on his routes and learning the nuances of the position. Struggles against bump coverage and with his concentration and work ethic. Sleeper as a future No. 2 receiver but needs to assert himself.
54. Anquan Bolden, Arizona Cardinals, WR Tough, strong possession guy who could start in a wide-open situation. Bolden can make the difficult catch and runs well with the ball. Needs to improve consistency and to prove he is healthy after ACL injury two years ago. Johnson and Bolden will battle Jason McAddley and Kevin Kasper for the starting jobs in training camp but Bolden is still kind of raw after coming out early. "He always makes the first guy miss, he's physical and he's a tough guy who'll catch it over the middle and do something with it, Dave McGinnis said.
60. Tyrone Calico, Tennessee Titans, WR Big guy with excellent speed and strength. He also is a good blocker but routes and consistency need improvement. Can beat defenders off the line and runs well after the catch. Needs to play tougher in traffic. Has a chance to be the #3 guy this year but is regarded as somewhat raw but was drafted because of his speed. He can contribute, Jeff Fisher said. There's a learning curve and there's a great deal of improvement and we hope that will take place very quickly. He certainly has the potential to do everything.
61. L.J. Smith, Philadelphia Eagles, TE Good hands and size and should play a lot in two-tight end passing situations. "I think he's got a great combination of size, speed and quickness," one scout said. "He's a good run blocker, and we think he's going to be an excellent receiver. It just remains to be seen how fast he learns the system, and we'll see." Smith played in a West Coast offense in college so he figures to see plenty of action as a rookie. "In this offense, you need two tight ends, and he's another weapon with Chad in the mix," Andy Reid said.
63. Teyo Johnson, Oakland Raiders, TE Johnson is a wide receiver drafted for his and athletic ability with a switch to H-back coming in rookie camp. Size creates mismatches in secondary but he needs to improve over the middle and with his blocking. The Raiders drafted him strictly as a tight end because veteran Roland Williams may not return from knee and turf toe injuries. They want to use him with Doug Jolley in the two-TE, two-WR sets that spread the field. Johnson has not been a tight end since his sophomore year in high school.
THIRD ROUND
65. Kelley Washington, Cincinnati Bengals, WR Has good size, speed, strength, and athletic ability and is a natural receiver. Needs to improve route-running, consistency and blocking but has time since he came out early. "I don't think we're going to say that anyone is going to be an immediate starter," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said of Washington. "I do expect him to challenge for a starting position." They envision him as the speed receiver to complement Chad Johnson. Suffered a neck injury and other injuries so he has to prove he is not injury-prone. Also needs to mature personality-wise. Selected in the 10th round of the June '97 baseball draft by the Florida Marlins as a shortstop. Spent four years in the minors but hit just .213 and struggled defensively. Projected as a first-rounder before spinal-fusion surgery last year but is reportedly back to 100%. "He's an impressive guy," new coach Marvin Lewis said. "As you watch one tape, he's a big guy that can really just flat out run. We felt we need to get a guy that not only could run vertically but also could catch and run after the catch. He's a tremendous athlete."
69. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys, TE Big, strong and athletic with good hands and big potential as a blocker. Can make the tough catch in traffic but came out early so 03 will be a learning year.
71. Nate Burleson, Minnesota Vikings, WR A polished receiver with good hands who knows how to get open but is not a burner. Will probably break camp as the #4 guy but could move up quickly with Derrick Alexander and Kenny Clark coming off injuries and Chris Walsh has yet to be re-signed. Some have labeled Burleson as a possession receiver because he lacks home run speed but is very quick coming out of his cuts and has shown the ability to gain yards after the catch.
74. Kevin Curtis, St. Louis Rams, WR Good hands, outstanding speed and work ethic but is a tad undersized. Can catch in a crowd and get deep but has has trouble with bump coverage. Will probably break camp as the #4 guy but he can fly. "He's not particularly big, but he's got extreme speed," Mike Martz said. "He's one of those guys when you look at him, you say he fits us exactly. He has tremendous acceleration. I think he's one of the better route-runners coming out right now."
76. Mike Seidman, Carolina Panthers, TE Good hands, durable and tough but needs work on his routes. Lacks speed and big strength but is an improving blocker.
77. Musa Smith, Baltimore Ravens, RB Power runner, especially near the goal line and is a decent receiver and blocker but does not have the speed to get outside on a consistent basis. Came out early but could start in an emergency. Will challenge backup Chester Taylor to be the third-down back. "He's got excellent explosiveness," running backs coach Matt Simon said. "He's been very productive as a receiver out of the backfield, so he brings quality to all parts of his game. He elevated Georgia's football team as a player and a competitor." One of the steals of the draft. "I was certain the guy would be gone by the end of the second round," Simon said. "There was no way he would pass that far. To be honest, when he was there for us, I was shocked." Smith could find himself in the lineup at any time because Jamal Lewis has had two major knee surgeries, had two previous violations of the league's substance and alcohol abuse policy and has a reckless running style. He is a healthier version of Lewis but without as much speed and explosion, which is why he dropped a round. He doesn't have great breakaway speed. "Chester Taylor has some qualities and may make a statement that he's the guy in this league," Simon said. "Chester has a little more burst and quickness than the other two, more lateral quickness He can beat linebackers one-on-one. Musa has skills and is a better pass blocker. He still gets overextended or takes some false steps, but that's expected coming out of college. He is physical enough and has quick feet. He loves running into linebackers and crashing into safeties. He has all the intangibles to be very, very good."
85. B.J. Askew, New York Jets, FB A fullback with running experience who is a very good receiver. A tweener who needs to improve his blocking.
88. Dave Ragone, Houston Texans, QB Big and tough with a strong left arm. Lacks speed and athleticism and needs to work on his accuracy. They like his leadership qualities but he will hold the clipboard for a couple of years. Ragone, who was considered one of the top quarterbacks in the nation after a stellar junior year, saw his stock drop this season after a mediocre senior year. "You can never pass up a quality quarterback," GM Charley Casserly said. "Quarterbacks are like pitchers in baseball you can never have enough good ones. This was a value pick." Ragone was considered first round material until a mediocre Senior season dropped his status.
91. Vishante Shiancoe, New York Giants, TE Has good size, speed and strength and can make the tough catch. Decent blocker but needs bulk and improved routes. A project but he gives the team a second pass-catching tight end replacing Dan Campbell who signed with Dallas as a free agent.
93. Chris Brown, Tennessee Titans, RB Runs hard with speed. Came out early but has time to improve, especially in his receiving and blocking skills. Missed some games with a bruised sternum last year possibly due to his upright style that makes him prone to injuries and fumbles. Good enough the start down the road though. He's going to come in and get an opportunity to back up, Jeff Fisher said adding that Brown could ultimately be Eddie George's successor. Brown will compete with veteran Robert Holcombe and second year pro John Simon for the backup spot.
95. Billy McMullen, Philadelphia Eagles, WR Good size and strength with decent speed but is not a burner. McMullen played in a West Coast offense in college, which will make his transition to the pros easier. "He plays fast and he's really a big body," Andy Reid said. "He plays very physical football, and that's one of his strengths." If Freddie Mitchell struggles in camp, the door could be open for McMullen to become the #3 guy. "I think we have a pretty good receiving corps," Reid said.
96. Justin Fargas, Oakland Raiders, RB Fargas has excellent speed
and athletic ability but has been injury-prone in his career. Improved his
strength and vision last year and could be a sleeper if he can stay healthy.
Could take over the featured duties if Charlie Garner leaves in 2004. He
reminds some scouts of Robert Smith or Curtis Martin. The Raiders need a young
back to develop because Garner and Tyrone Wheatley are both over 30.
97. Chris Simms, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, QB Good size, work ethic,
makeup and has a strong arm but needs time to learn and read defenses and find
the No. 2 receiver. Could be starting in a couple of years if he improves his
weaknesses. If anyone can get the most out of quarterbacks ability, it is head
coach Jon Gruden. So now they have Simms, starter Brad Johnson, and Shaun King,
Jim Miller, Shane Matthews and Greg Zolman on the roster. We wanted
competition, Gruden said. We wanted depth." The left-handed Simms has been
streaky but Gruden believes in him. "I'm sure if you listen to those guys
(on TV) there was some shock and surprise," the coach said. "We have
something to prove, Chris and I both, that we made the right pick and Chris is
the right man for the job."
FOURTH ROUND
99. Artose Pinner, Detroit Lions, RB Strong, powerful north-south runner who breaks tackles and has good hands. Adequate speed but is not explosive. Needs work on blocking. Also needs to improve work ethic. Suffered a broken left foot at the Senior Bowl on January 18 but says hell be ready for training camp.
101. Domanick Davis, Houston Texans, RB Davis is not fast
but is quick and has good hands. He also runs well after the catch but is not
an effective inside runner or blocker. He could develop into a third-down back,
but will likely be used this year returning kickoffs and punts.
104. George Wrighster, Jacksonville Jaguars, TE Wrighster is a solid receiver who fits into the Jags' new West Coast offense and is an improving blocker. He also has the speed to get open down the field. Needs more upper-body strength and experience. Came out early so this year will be a learning season for him. He could play a significant role if veteran Kyle Brady is let go.
105. Onterrio Smith, Minnesota Vikings, RB Fluid, natural runner who is fast and strong and plays bigger than his size. Needs work on his pass patterns and blocking. Not a hard worker. Came out early so this year so it will be a learning season for him on special teams as a kick returner. He also could challenge Moe Williams and Doug Chapman as Michael Bennetts backup. He dropped to the fourth round in part because he was kicked off Tennessee's football team three years ago for breaking team rules.
106. Shaun McDonald, St. Louis Rams, WR Good speed and hands
and polished route runner who is willing to go across the middle. Lacks size
and height to be a starter though.
"He has remarkable quickness and change of direction," coach Mike
Martz said. "We want guys that can run fast, beat people one on one, make
yardage after the catch. He has unusual hands, as good of hands as I've seen
come out in a while." The selection of Curtis and McDonald probably means
that QR-KR Terrence Wilkins is gone. Curtis and McDonald are both kick
returners,
108. Quentin Griffin, Denver Broncos, RB Good speed and
hands with cutback moves but size will limit him to a third down role. Hard
worker but doesnt have breakaway speed.
"We like this kid," Mike Shanahan said. "He's not very tall, but
we think he can fit into our system. Very seldom do you see a guy 5-foot-7, 195
pounds in the National Football League, but what he's done throughout his
career is very impressive. He blocks, he can catch the football, he's got great
hands. He's got the ability to make people miss."
110. Seneca Wallace, Seattle Seahawks, QB Excellent athlete
who can run and throw on the move with confidence and poise. Also has the arm
strength to throw deep with accuracy. Lack of height is a concern though and
needs work on reading various coverages. Not many quarterbacks make who are
under six feet.
115. Lee Suggs, Cleveland Browns, RB Suggs has excellent speed with good cutback moves and breaks tackles. Also is a strong inside runner and is improving as a blocker but needs work catching the ball. Ran a 4.38 in 2001 before ACL injury, 4.4 afterwards. Real nice pick here as he wouldve been a much higher pick if it werent for the injury. "This has no bearing whatsoever on any of the running backs on this team," Butch Davis said adding that he would like to reach a long-term deal with current backup Jamel White who has been rumored in trade talks. But nothing will happen this year because Suggs needs rotator cuff surgery and will miss the season.
118. Jeremi Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals, FB Huge inside
runner and is tough to tackle. Drafted for his lead blocking and pass blocking
potential. Has a chance to be a starter down the road if he stays between
250-260 pounds and improves his work ethic. "He's a blocker, but he has really good hands coming out of the
backfield and can catch the football down the field," running backs coach
Jim Anderson said. "He was a very dominant player at his position."
Johnson will compete for playing time with Mike Green, Chris Edmonds and Terry
Witherspoon.
121. Justin Griffith, Atlanta Falcons, FB Undersized but
powerful with instincts for the position and pass catching potential. Has some
running ablity7 and potential as a lead blocker but does not have ideal size
for a fullback.
124. Brandon Lloyd, San Francisco 49ers, WR Excellent
receiver with very good hands and natural skills for the position but is not a
burner. If he had better speed, he couldve been a first-round pick. Could
contend right away for the third receiver spot.
127. Sam Aiken, Buffalo Bills, WR Has very good hands and instincts for the position but lack of speed limits him to a possession type. Big and physical, he can also block.
129. Doug Gabriel, Oakland Raiders, WR Good size and speed but needs work on his routes, separation and concentration (drops). If he improves, he could develop into a starting receiver but that would be a few years away. Has shown ability to make tough catches. There also is some question about his attitude. A project.
132. LaBrandon Toefield,
Jacksonville Jaguars, RB A strong determined runner but does not have
good speed and needs work on his receiving skills. Has also been injury-prone
in college. Came out early so he has time to learn. Toefield sustained two knee
injuries at LSU but challenge third-year pro Elvis Joseph as Fred Taylor's
backup. "He's an inside-the-tackles runner with good running skills who
can catch," VP James Harris said adding that they are confident his knee
in 100%. "He can come in and compete for some playing time right
away."
134. Ovie Mughelli, Baltimore Ravens, FB A big, physical, blocking
back that can also line up in two-tight end sets. Can catch the ball but still
needs work in that area. The Ravens expect Mughelli to challenge starter Alan
Ricard. "We think he is one of the best lead blockers to come out of the
draft the last 10 years," director of college scouting Eric DeCosta said.
"We love his ability to run-block. To have him out there rotating with
Ricard is pretty intriguing."
FIFTH ROUND
139. Bobby Wade, Chicago Bears, WR Wade has good hands, knows the position and runs after the catch. He would make a perfect possession receiver because he does not have great speed but is also a tad undersized. He will get a chance to become the fourth receiver because of his precision routes and sure hands. But the Bears drafted him primarily for the return game.
143. Justin Gage, Chicago Bears, WR Has good size, decent speed and hands and athletic ability but needs to get stronger and doesnt have burner speed. A hamstring injury prevented him from running at the scouting combine or else he might not have dropped to the fifth round. "This is a guy who has only had one spring practice because he had been a basketball player," offensive coordinator John Shoop said. "I think he's going to get better and better the more he plays." Could break camp as the #3 or 4 guy because he has big play ability.
148. Dan Curley, St. Louis Rams, TE Good athlete who catches the ball with decent speed but needs to improve strength as a blocker. Could be an effective H-back though. "He runs 4.6, he vertical jumped 35 inches," Martz said. "He's a physical player that can block at the point of attack, line up in the backfield and be a fullback. Pretty much the same type of things that Ernie Conwell did for us." Curley dropped in the draft because of injuries, including a chronic wrist problem that cost him four games last season. He's had six operations on the joint.
156. Donald Lee, Miami Dolphins, TE Has the size, natural receiving skills and strength for blocking necessary for the position but is slow. Could be a starter down the road.
158. Adrian Madise, Denver Broncos, WR Good hands and strength with decent speed but is not a burner. Good athletic ability and runs well after the catch. Also a good blocker. Built like a running back. Needs refinement in his routes and getting off the line.
159. Jon Olinger, Atlanta Falcons, WR Good size and hands, below average speed.
161. Aaron Walker, San Francisco 49ers, TE Big with a lot of potential as a receiver and blocker. Will contend with free-agent pickup Jed Weaver for backup spot. . . . Needs to improve his blocking but speed makes him a good downfield target.
163. Brian St. Pierre, Pittsburgh Steelers, QB Good size with decent speed and mobility but just average arm strength. Needs work on accuracy and timing. "He can place the ball very well, offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey said. It may not be the perfect spiral that you see in some quarterbacks, but it gets to the right place. He's an intelligent quarterback who played in a pro-style offense. He is very, very confident. Sometimes, he is so confident, he'll force some throws."
165. Chris Davis, Seattle Seahawks, FB Good size, speed and can catch the ball well and is a tad undersized. Needs to work on his blocking and pass routes.
169. J.R. Tolver, Miami Dolphins, WR Good size, hands and athleticism but just average speed. He is a big, more of a possession type receiver [with] very strong hands, vice president of football operations Rick Spielman said. He's not a great speed guy, but he made a lot of big plays.
SIXTH
ROUND
175. David Kircus, Detroit Lions, WR Good size, quickness and hands but just average speed. Hard worker but must prove himself against better competition. Has a knack for making the big plays and runs very well after the catch. Needs more strength to get of the line jams. The Lions said they will get him into the weight room immediately.
186. Zuriel Smith, Dallas Cowboys, WR Slender
slot receiver who is quick and elusive but not a game-breaker. Needs bulk to
get off the line but is a solid route runner and runs well after the catch. Drafted for his
return abilities.
192. Drew Henson, Houston Texans, QB
Could be a wasted pick because if they cannot sign him in the next 12 months,
he goes back into the draft next year. Wouldve been a top pick last year if he
werent playing in the New York Yankee minor leagues. He is struggling at
Triple-A so there might be a chance he returns to football.
196. LaTarence Dunbar, Atlanta Falcons, WR Good speed and athleticism and runs well after the catch. He needs to improve his concentration (drops) but, with his running ability, could be a decent third option in the future. A tad undersized.
197. Arnaz Battle, San Francisco 49ers, WR He has good hands and a lot of natural receiving skills and is quick but has just average speed. Runs well after the catch and can catch in traffic. Has build of a running back. Needs work on his routes and needs more experience at the position. Has played wide receiver for only a year after switching from quarterback. Could develop into a No. 3 receiver down the road.
199. Willie Ponder, New York Giants, WR Good size and hands with ok speed but not a burner. Needs more work on routes, blocking and separation skills. Raw.
200. Brooks Bollinger, New York Jets, QB Very good athlete with quick feet but has just an average arm. Intelligent and knows his position.
201. Kliff Kingsbury, New England Patriots, QB Works hard and is a great leader but has just an average arm. Intelligent and can find the secondary receiver. Has good size but lacks mobility. Loves to throw and put up big numbers in passing offense in college. I love New England's offense, he said. I've watched some of their games where they spread it out, no back, shotgun, things like that. That's similar to what we do down at Texas Tech. So I feel like I've been in an offense like that.
203. Kareem Kelly, New Orleans Saints, WR An exciting player with game-breaking speed and good hands and athleticism. But he is inconsistent in most phases of the game and needs to toughen up in traffic. Also has the ability to return kicks. Some draft analysts cite attitude problems, but the Saints think he will be ok.
206. Brock Forsey, Chicago Bears, RB All-purpose back who works hard and runs hard. Catches the ball well but lacks speed and quickness. A tad undersized.
211. David Tyree, New York Giants, WR Physical player who was pick just for his special teams ability. Good blocker but needs a lot of improvement in all facets of the receiver position. "We picked him as a special teams player," GM Ernie Accorsi said. "He can be listed as a wide receiver, and he is certainly a decent wide receiver, but that is not why we drafted him. He was a high grade just based on special teams. If he plays as well for us at training camp on special teams as he did at Syracuse, he will make it on that alone."
SEVENTH ROUND
218. Malaefou MacKenzie, Jacksonville Jaguars, FB Good size, hands and athletic ability and can catch the ball well. Tweener who is an inconsistent blocker.
221. Keenan Howry, Minnesota Vikings, WR Tough, diminutive punt returner and receiver. Good athletic ability but is more quick than fast. Could develop into a slot receiver as the #4 option on pass plays.
223. Trent Smith, Baltimore Ravens, TE An H-back type who can catch the ball well and has potential as a blocker.
224. Taco Wallace, Seattle
Seahawks, WR Good size and hands, average speed. Bill battle
underachieving wideouts James Williams and Alex Bannister for the fourth
receiver spot.
226. Walter Young, Carolina Panthers, WR Good size makes him effective in traffic. Needs improvement running routes and as a blocker. Average speed and running ability makes him more of a possession receiver or special teamer.
229. Andrew Pinnock, San Diego Chargers, RB Big, strong, powerful runner who will be used more as a fullback than tailback. Can also catch the ball but needs work on blocking. Could be an effective ball carrier in goal-line and short-yardage situations.
231. Talman Gardner, New Orleans Saints, WR Good size and deep speed and is not afraid to go over the middle. Still needs work in other areas including route running but could develop into a No. 2 receiver down the road. Good pick here. Wouldve gone much higher but was arrested last week for possession (pot and handgun) for which he has expressed total regret. This guy could be a steal if he is on the up and up. He is looking to prove himself after being projected as a second-rounder prior to the arrest.
232. Gibran Hamdan, Washington Redskins, QB Good size and has a decent arm but needs to improve accuracy. Intelligent. "We think he's got a lot of potential," Steve Spurrier said. "When you watch him on film, he's impressive. If I told you he can drop back and throw like Boller and Carson Palmer, you'd tell me I was crazy. Hamdan began his senior year as a backup but started eight games and threw for 2,115 yards, with nine touchdowns and 14 interceptions. "He's our third quarterback right now," Spurrier said. "There's a good chance he'll make the team unless something happens with another player down the road."
234. Spencer Nead, New England Patriots, TE Has good hands and good size and is improving as a blocker. Can make the tough catch and is tough but slow in the open field. He needs a lot of polish though.
235. Ahmaad Galloway, Denver Broncos, RB Wouldve gone a little higher but is coming off a serious knee injury. Prior to that, he was a powerful runner who excelled at breaking tackles, the kind of runner this team loves. Not very fast and needs work on blocking.
236. Brandon Drumm, Detroit Lions, FB Tough inside runner and
blocker and can catch the ball. Not optimum size for the position though..
241. Ken Dorsey, San Francisco 49ers, QB Intelligent and fundamentally sound but has a below average arm and mobility. Pure pocket passer because has poor footwork. They love him for his leadership qualities though. Will compete with four other quarterbacks for backup duties.
242. J.T. Wall, Pittsburgh Steelers, FB Good size and strength. Can catch the ball and blocks well but has limited running skills. Works hard.
247. Casey Moore, Carolina Panthers, FB Good size and can catch the ball well but still needs improvement in the running and blocking departments.
253. DeAndrew Rubin, Green Bay Packers, WR Big-time speedster and home run hitter with good hands but lacks separation skills and work ethic. "He was in our top five returners," special teams coach John Bonamego said. "Fielding the ball and securing it, he was good. He's definitely fast enough. He runs bigger than he is. He's a tough runner and can get extra yards."
254. Richard Angelo, St. Louis Rams, TE Angelo is 6-7 1/2, weighs 260 pounds and has 4.7 speed but is kind of
raw.
255. Kevin Walter, New York Giants, WR Excellent size and hands
but lacks speed and quickness.
256. Carl Ford, Green Bay Packers, WR Speedy, diminutive. Runs well after the catch. "We liked him as a person," offensive coordinator Tom Rossley said. "Got real good speed. A very confident kid. He'll have to get stronger."
260. Travis Anglin, Detroit Lions, WR Good size and instincts but lacks big speed and experience. A project. He was a quarterback for three years but switched to wide receiver last season. Is quick to his routes and is a strong runner after the catch.
262. Ryan Hoag, Oakland Raiders, WR Has the size and deep speed but needs to improve routes and learn the nuances of the position like route-running, blocking, etc. A project.
Draft
Day trades
The Cowboys traded their
second pick (No. 236 overall) to Detroit for running back Aveion Cason. Cason,
originally signed in 2001 by the Rams as a free agent, is expected to be a
third-down back in Dallas.
The Lions traded veteran wide
receiver Larry Foster to the Cardinals for a seventh-round pick. Foster will challenge for the No. 3 or 4
receiver spot.