Sunday, April 09, 2000
Enquirer's Mock Draft
1. Cleveland: DE Courtney Brown, Penn State:
Brown had 13.5 sacks last season, when Cleveland had an NFL-low 24. Taking him is as smart as his 4.0 high school GPA.
2. Washington: LT Chris Samuels, Alabama:
Samuels is going to be around for 10 years after a senior season in which he didn't give up a quarterback pressure, never mind a sack.
3. Washington: OLB LaVar Arrington, Penn State:
This guy has broken up more games than TV timeouts. The chance to line up behind DE Bruce Smith is going to make Arrington downright scary.
4. Cincinnati: WR Peter Warrick, Florida State:
Warrick is craving to be the No. 1 pick, but it looks like the Browns are going to spurn him. What about Akili Smith and Warrick both beating their chests at the Dawg Pound.
5. Baltimore: RB Jamal Lewis, Tennessee:
Since leading all freshman with 1,364 yards as a freshman, Lewis suffered a major knee injury as well as shoulder and ankle injuries. But when healthy, he has good outside speed, power, vision and hands.
6. Philadelphia: DT Corey Simon, Florida State:
The Warren Sapp of this draft is an intense, relentless player who logged 21 stops behind scrimmage last season. He made a diving interception on a zone blitz.
7. Arizona: RB Thomas Jones, Virginia:
Some wonder if he can carry the ball 20 times a game, but the man did bang Florida State 26 times for 164 yards. Probably the best all-around back of this class.
8. Pittsburgh: WR Plaxico Burress, Michigan State:
His stock has been falling right there with Microsoft because of his sloppy route running and inattention to detail. But the Steelers have to stop kidding themselves with Will Blackwell and Hines Ward.
9. Chicago: OLB Brian Urlacher, New Mexico:
If Burress isn't here, look for the Bears to go with a guy who can play all the linebacker spots and is a standout special teams player.
10. Denver: WR Travis Taylor, Florida:
Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith are 32 and 30, respectively, this season. A lot of teams rate him ahead of Burress.
11. NY Giants: RB Shaun Alexander, Alabama:
The pride of Boone County caught some eyes when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 at his workout. No Giant rushed for more than 348 yards in '99.
12. San Francisco: QB Chad Pennington, Marshall:
The Niners get a gift if Pennington is available, but others may trade up. Pennington's presence and command of the huddle offset some concerns about his arm strength.
13. Tampa Bay WR Sylvester Morris, Jackson St.:
After the NFC title game fiasco, wouldn't you draft offense all seven rounds? Morris is a big guy with huge hands and long arms who runs a 4.35 40.
14. Green Bay: DE Shaun Ellis, Tennessee:
The Packers lost two DEs to free agency. John Thierry comes from Cleveland, but they need more help with an athlete like Ellis who also played outside linebacker and tight end.
15. Baltimore: WR Ron Dugans, Florida State:
Even if the Ravens can't wrench Carl Pickens from the Bengals, they have to be thinking wideout here.
16. NY Jets: DE John Engelberger, Virginia Tech:
Only the Browns had fewer sacks (25) than the Jets last season. Engelberger is a former college tight end who retained his speed (4.7) despite putting on a bunch of weight.
17. Oakland: WR Jerry Porter, West Virginia:
A season after starting all 12 gamews at free safety, Porter caught 15 passes while rotating among S, WR and QB. A project, but he's got a 40-inch vertical jump and a huge wingspan.
18. NY Jets: TE Bubba Franks, Miami:
They've gone a season without replacing Kyle Brady. He's got terrific hands, but didn't impress with his quickness or conditioning at his workout.
19. Seattle: WR Dez White, Georgia Tech:
They need a speed guy to replace Joey Galloway and White has an NFL body and has good enough speed to separate from defenders. But he's not a natural catcher and scouts think he may need glasses.
20. Detroit: RB Ron Dayne, Wisconsin:
There's a bust potential here. Dayne caught just one pass in 1999 and could never shake nagging injuries. At times he struggled against first-class defenses and with his weight.
21. Kansas City: OT Stockar McDougle, Oklahoma:
McDougle is a a superb run blocker, but he's a little slow and has been beaten by quick pass rushers taking a wide angle because of technique problems.
22. Seattle: MLB Rob Morris, Brigham Young:
Some scouts shy away at Morris' age of 25 and surgery on both shoulders. But he runs a 4.4 40, has a knack for getting to the spot and Pro Football Weekly calls him the best ILB of the past three seasons.
23. Carolina: OLB John Abraham, South Carolina:
The Panthers could use a pass rusher to go with a strong defensive line. Abraham is a pass rush guy who has also played at defensive end in racking up 23.5 career sacks.
24. San Francisco: CB Ahmed Plummer, Ohio State:
Wyoming High School's Plummer has made it to the top with his smarts, film work and technique. The 49ers are in need of help here after the Bengals toasted them last year.
25. Minnesota: CB Rashard Anderso, Jackson State:
Anderson is a big, man-to-man corner who can play safety, but his technique is raw.
26. Buffalo: S Deon Grant, Tennessee:
He's got great size (6-1, 210), but is fast enough and plays the ball well enough to play corner occasionally. His one downside is he's not a sure tackler yet.
27. Tampa Bay: TE Anthony Becht, West Virginia:
He's not going to overwhelm you as a blocker, but he's a big, competent target with nine TD catches the past two seasons.
28. Indianapolis: OLB Keith Bulluck, Syracuse:
Bulluck has done it all, starting his career as a safety, moving to outside backer, then to the middle, and then back to the outside last year. He could play all three spots.
29. Jacksonville: G Cosey Coleman, Tennessee:
The Jags lost Rich Tylski to free agency and are looking to shore up the inside with LT Tony Boselli recovering from an ACL injury.
30. Tennessee: DT Steve Warren, Nebraska:
The Titans are trying to make the middle of of their line bigger. The box gets pounded because people are trying to stay awy from DE Jevon Kearse.
31. St. Louis: K Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State:
About the only thing the Rams didn't have last season was a consistent kicker and here he is. Of his 83 kickoffs, 57 were touchbacks.
Bengals Stories
Griffey wants No. 24 back
Reds 4, Cubs 3
Bell warms cold day
REDS NOTEBOOK
Box, runs
More prospects mean more hope
Reds affiliates
Top 10 Reds prospects
Red Stockings 're-forming' Saturday
Just getting even can give Tiger the edge
Gearing up for Kentucky Speedway opener
Walnut Hills' Thomas excels at string music
Area courses offer discount
Hook creates baseball Web site
Blue Jackets to play exhibition at Gardens
Louisville 4, Mighty Ducks 2
Grand Rapids 4,Cyclones 3
