2004 First Rounders

[GolfFreak]

From ESPN:

This year's draft class is as deep as any in at least the past decade, and that depth will be reflected in the impact that rookies make this year. What follows is a breakdown of what to expect from this year's first-round picks.

1. New York Giants: QB Eli Manning
It's still possible a veteran could begin the season as the starter and give Manning a year to adapt -- the same way Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick were groomed to take over in their second seasons. If Manning is forced into the lineup in the Big Apple this season, his confidence could take a bruising, especially under a very demanding head coach. It'll take more than the two seasons it took his brother, Peyton, to be voted to the Pro Bowl, but Eli should get there sooner than his father, Archie, who needed eight years to earn the honor on a perennial losing team.


Eli Manning is likely to struggle if he is thrown to the wolves.
2. Oakland Raiders: OLT Robert Gallery
The Raiders are asking Gallery to change his technique, and he spent two weeks after minicamp working with Iowa head coach and former NFL O-line coach Kirk Ferentz to make the adjustment. Barry Sims will shift inside, allowing Gallery to step in from Day One and man the OLT position -- a rare feat for a rookie.

3. Arizona Cardinals: WR Larry Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald is a big, strong, physical receiver who possesses the body control, hand strength and concentration to make as big an impact as Anquan Boldin did a year ago, especially with the added bonus of Denny Green's vertical passing attack and more stability expected under center. But getting separation could be a challenge early in his career.

4. San Diego Chargers: QB Philip Rivers
Rivers will get thrown into the fire and could have the quickest learning curve of any rookie quarterback. He showed rapid improvement after being thrust into the starting lineup in his first collegiate game and has top intangibles to lead, but a young, incohesive offensive line and a lack of depth at receiver could make for a long, painful season.

5. Washington Redskins: FS Sean Taylor
The last time the Redskins took a defensive back early, when they drafted Champ Bailey seventh overall in 1999, he became an immediate impact player and Pro Bowl alternate as a rookie. Taylor has the physical tools to add a similar shutdown presence to the secondary. The league has not seen a player with Taylor's combination of size, speed and power at the FS position since the days of Steve Atwater, and Taylor is more natural in coverage.

6. Cleveland Browns: TE Kellen Winslow
The Browns didn't have to move up a spot to get him -- the Lions were set on taking Roy Williams, and the Jaguars were unwilling to give up a second-rounder to move up three slots -- but Winslow could prove to be worth the extra compensation. He can be used on the move, flexed out or in-line. He has the talent to be a focal point of the Browns' offense, giving the team the flexibility to change the strength of the formation and dictate defensive fronts. With his former Miami (Fla.) TE coach (and offensive coordinator) Rob Chudzinski taking over the same job in Cleveland, Winslow's transition time should be expedited. He can take the league by storm the same way his former mentor Jeremy Shockey did in New York two years ago.

7. Detroit Lions: WR Roy Williams
In several years, the Lions could potentially have the most formidable receiving tandem in the league in Williams and Charles Rogers, but first Williams must beat out Tai Streets for the No. 2 job. Joey Harrington has to make some big strides in his third season for Williams to break out, but he has the best speed and athleticism of any elite receiver in this draft.

8. Atlanta Falcons: CB-RS DeAngelo Hall
Hall may not factor into the return game early on, but he could easily open the year as a starting left cornerback opposite Jason Webster. He's a tough, in-your-face corner who won't back down from NFL receivers.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: WR Reggie Williams
The Jaguars' need for a No. 1 receiver brought Williams off the board sooner than expected and will give him an excellent chance to contribute from Day One. The University of Washington's stagnant offense slowed him as a senior, but pairing him with the strong-armed Byron Leftwich should boost his production as a rookie.

10. Houston Texans: CB Dunta Robinson
Upgrading the secondary was the primary objective of the Texans in this draft, and with Marcus Coleman moving to free safety, Robinson will start at the RCB spot. He has top closing speed and gets excellent positioning to make plays, but he'll need to improve his ball skills before he ever stands a chance of pacing the team in interceptions as Coleman did a year ago (team-record seven).

11. Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Ben Roethlisberger
If Bill Cowher wants to avoid a rebuilding phase, win right away and secure a contract extension, the league's longest-tenured head coach will have to stick with adequate veteran Tommy Maddox. But Roethlisberger could be thrust into action if the Steelers falter and need a spark.

12. New York Jets: LB Jonathan Vilma
Vilma showed a veteran's grasp of the defense at the team's first minicamp and was able to digest plays and cover up his teammates' shortcomings. His size and injury history may always be reasons for concern, but his instincts and intelligence are great enough to unseat Sam Cowart from the starting job and enable him to challenge another former Hurricane, Ray Lewis, as the league's top inside 'backer in years to come.

13. Buffalo Bills: WR Lee Evans
A healthy dose of speed to draw attention away from Eric Moulds is what the Bills needed. At his first minicamp, Evans showed no signs of the knee injury that sidetracked his college career two years ago. His explosive speed and playmaking ability should push Josh Reed back into the No. 3 role, where he is most effective, and give the Bills' offense the vertical threat it had before Peerless Price departed.

14. Chicago Bears: DT Tommie Harris
The last coaching regime loved Phillip Daniels and did not let Michael Haynes take many snaps, but of the snaps he took, Haynes was the Bears' most productive defensive lineman a year ago. The Bears could see similar production from Harris, who was accustomed to taking 30-35 snaps per game at Oklahoma and should see at least that many as part of the Bear's rotation up front. He's an instinctively raw 20-year-old who, like Warren Sapp coming out of Miami (Fla.), may need to be brought along slowly his first year. Yet he should be starting by season's end and has perennial Pro Bowl potential.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Michael Clayton
Clayton was too talented to redshirt at LSU and is too tough and savvy to stay out of the starting lineup in Tampa for long. There's a good chance he'll beat out 34-year-old Keenan McCardell in training camp and will see plenty of action in the short-passing game and red zone. He'll push Hines Ward to become the league's best blocking receiver in no time.

16. Philadelphia Eagles: OL Shawn Andrews
Andrews is a dominant drive blocker who will be groomed to take over for ORT Jon Runyan. He could win a starting job at guard this year, but his work ethic has set him back in the past and must improve for him to be effective at this level.

17. Denver Broncos: OLB D.J. Williams
With Ian Gold departing to Tampa Bay as a free agent, Williams will be counted on immediately and is the future at weak-side linebacker. He's fast, athletic and flies to the ball -- everything the Broncos desire at the position.

18. New Orleans Saints: DE-OLB Will Smith
Smith steps into a rich situation, being able to learn from both Darren Howard and Charles Grant. He could make an impact as a situational pass rusher.

19. Miami Dolphins: ORT Vernon Carey
Although Carey was moved from right tackle to guard as a senior at Miami (Fla.), he is a massive road grader best-suited at right tackle in the NFL and will push converted C John St. Clair for the starting job.

[GolfFreak]

Here is the rest (thread was too long to post all at once) ...


20. Minnesota Vikings: DE Kenechi Udeze
Udeze has already been slated as a starter at right defensive end and could make more of an every-down impact than Terrell Suggs did as a rookie for the Ravens. Like Suggs, who also paced the Pacific-10 in sacks as a junior, Udeze is a better football player than athlete. His disruptive nature, nonstop motor and ability to beat multiple blockers should translate quickly to the NFL.

21. New England Patriots: DT Vince Wilfork
NT Ted Washington has departed, and Keith Traylor was signed as a short-term solution to fill the void, but Wilfork is the future inside. He will give the Patriots' flexibility to rotate their front and create pressure and should be starting by season's end.

22. Buffalo Bills: QB J.P. Losman
The Bills traded away next year's first-round pick with an eye on gaining interest on their investment in Losman this year. He should be able to improve his touch and timing tremendously under the tutelage of QB coach Sam Wyche and offensive coordinator Tom Clements -- two former professional quarterbacks -- and veteran QB Drew Bledsoe. However, Losman may not see his first start until 2006, when his raw talent should be well-refined.

23. Seattle Seahawks: DT Marcus Tubbs
With John Randle retiring and Chad Eaton departing, Tubbs' big body will be needed to plug gaps inside and strengthen the Seahawks' run defense. Nevertheless, his inconsistency and sporadic focus could prevent him from making as big an impact as Ray Rhodes would like.

24. St. Louis Rams: RB Steven Jackson
At age 31, Marshall Faulk still has some juice left in his legs, but Jackson can prolong Faulk's career by assuming some of the veteran's carries between the tackles. Jackson has good hands and could develop into a multipurpose threat ideal for Mike Martz's offense, but he will be eased into a featured role. He may be used in the same backfield with Faulk this year, and if Faulk goes down as he has the past two seasons, Jackson should be able to shoulder the load.

25. Green Bay Packers: CB Ahmad Carroll
Carroll is very fast and physical, but he is less polished than Green Bay's third-round pick, Joey Thomas, and will likely need a year to develop in nickel and dime packages before he is ready.

26. Cincinnati Bengals: RB Chris Perry
Rudi Johnson is set to be an unrestricted free agent next year and has not completely convinced the Bengals' staff that he could be a featured back. Perry, who should get plenty of opportunities, likes to bounce outside and will complement Johnson's inside, power-running style and as a receiver on the perimeter.

27. Houston Texans: OLB Jason Babin
Babin is most effective when assigned to rush the passer and will be turned loose from the LOLB position, where he is penciled in as the starter after Kailee Wong was shifted to the right side. The adjustment to playing in space could slow his development, but he did play a similar role as a junior in college and is athletic enough to make the transition.


Kevin Jones should give the Lions a potent running game.
28. Carolina Panthers: CB Chris Gamble
Gamble enters a situation where he could be brought along slowly but has the raw talent to push Artrell Hawkins for playing time. Gamble has the size, aggressiveness and playmaking ability to develop into a top-tier corner in the league, but he still has a lot to learn and will have to earn the coaches' confidence before he's ready to play full time.

29. Atlanta Falcons: WR Michael Jenkins
Jenkins has the tools to unseat Brian Finneran from the No. 2 job. He can sky for the ball and will give Michael Vick -- not a great precision passer -- a huge target.

30. Detroit Lions: RB Kevin Jones
If he can get down to his natural playing weight of 210 pounds, Jones has the vision and explosiveness to hit the 1,000-yard mark, especially with Damien Woody opening holes and a core of young receivers to add balance to an offense that finished at the bottom of the league in rushing a year ago.

31. San Francisco 49ers: WR Rashaun Woods
Woods could contribute as a No. 3 receiver but does not have great speed to challenge NFL cornerbacks. He will have to be an excellent route runner to get separation.

32. New England Patriots: TE Ben Watson
Watson can be used in a multitude of ways to create mismatch problems with his rare combination of size, strength and speed, but improving his hands must be a focus.

[padraic]

I have always thought the same thing this was a great class from QB's to TE's alot of really good players. I will be suprised if all of the WR'S pan out like everybody thinks.

[RedskinRyan]

i woulda thought that buffalo would have tried to make a move to get the #9 spot from jacksonville to steal roethlisberger from the steelers.

[suppitty]

write this down: deangelo hall will win d.roy, and winslow will win o.roy. taylor will come close, but hall will get at least 5 picks, and 2 td's through int or returns