By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The 2004 draft will be remembered as the year of the wide receiver.

As many as eight receivers are expected to be drafted in Round 1, and another eight could go in the second and third rounds to bring the first-day total to 16.

Three wide receivers went in the first round in 2003 with another eight going in Rounds 2 and 3.

But, as the case has been in five of the past six drafts, a quarterback likely will be the No. 1 pick.

The honor this year is expected to go to Mississippi's Eli Manning, brother of Peyton Manning, who was picked No. 1 overall by the Colts in 1998. They are the sons of quarterback Archie Manning, who was picked No. 2 overall in 1971 by the Saints.

The draft will begin Saturday at noon and conclude with Rounds 4-7 on Sunday.

Eli Manning is expected to go to San Diego if the Chargers keep the first overall pick, or the New York Giants might trade up from No. 4 to get him. Speaking of quarterbacks, Miami University's Ben Roethlisberger likely will be picked no lower than No. 11 by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The former RedHawks star could go as high as No. 3 to Arizona or to the Giants.

Of the 27 Miami players drafted into the NFL since 1967, Roethlisberger is expected to supplant linebacker Bob Babich as the player taken earliest. Babich, a linebacker, was picked No. 18 overall in 1969 by San Diego.

Depending on the expert or mock draft, eight of the top 10 consensus picks are offensive players.

Three are quarterbacks: Manning, Roethlisberger and N.C. State's Philip Rivers, whose value has risen sharply since the scouting combine in February.

Three are receivers: Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald, Texas' Roy Williams and Southern California's Mike Williams. The other five potential first-round receivers are Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods, Washington's Reggie Williams, Wisconsin's Lee Evans, LSU's Michael Clayton and Ohio State's Michael Jenkins.

(Of course, Mike Williams and Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett, who challenged an NFL draft eligibility rule, could be declared ineligible for the draft, pending a court decision Monday.)

One of the top 10 players is an offensive tackle, Iowa's Robert Gallery.

The final offensive player expected to go in the top 10 - likely to the Redskins at No. 5 overall - is Miami (Fla.) tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.

The two defensive players generally agreed upon as top 10 picks are Miami (Fla.) safety Sean Taylor and Virginia Tech cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris could crack the top 10, but just three defensive tackles are expected to go in the first round this year after six went in the first 32 picks in 2003.

Each team, except Baltimore, has a first-round pick. The Ravens traded their No. 21 pick to New England a year ago, a move that allowed them to draft quarterback Kyle Boller.

The Patriots, winners of two of the last three Super Bowls, are the only team with two first-round picks, at No. 21 and No. 32.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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