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Championship!!!!
Notes: Presenting the 2004 'better-than' players
April 8, 2004
By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!
In the weeks leading up to the draft each year, we try and come up with a list of guys we like maybe more than the league scouts do, guys who will be taken outside of the first round.
They are the "better-than" players -- guys who play better than the rankings they are being given.
Safety Stuart Schweigert proved he's an outstanding athlete at Purdue.(Getty Images)
They are usually players who caught my eye over the course of a couple of years watching college football, as well as guys I've checked out with several league scouts and front-office personnel.
None can be projected first-round picks, but the belief is they will all be solid NFL players. It's my chance to play amateur scout.
A year ago, we limited it to 10 players, but it's expanding to 20 this time around.
Last year's 10 were quarterback Chris Simms, linebackers Victor Hobson, Tony Gilbert and Cie Grant, defensive linemen Anthony Adams and Clint Mitchell, tackle Brett Williams, safety Todd Johnson, wide receiver Bobby Wade and running back Onterrio Smith.
So how'd we do?
All 10 are on NFL rosters, even though Hobson was the highest pick of them all, going 53rd to the Jets in the second round. Adams also went in the second round. The others were later picks, with Smith being a fourth-round steal for the Vikings.
Hobson and Adams are projected starters this year, while Smith, Grant and Williams will be given good shots. Wade showed well as a rookie, while Simms is waiting his turn. Johnson missed last season with an injury, but the Bears expect him to compete this year.
Mitchell is playing in NFL Europe as an allocated player by Denver, and Gilbert is with the Jaguars after being let go by the Cardinals. They expect him to be special teams contributor.
There were a handful of others that we gave consideration and listed. All made NFL rosters.
So here goes the this year's version of the "better-than" players. Let's hope the track record stays a good one.
(Next week we'll list 20 overrated players, including projected first-round picks.)
Julius Jones, RB, Notre Dame: He's the brother of Bears running back Thomas Jones, a former first-round pick of the Cardinals. Julius is tougher than his brother and runs better inside the tackles. Most scouts think he will be a better NFL player. We tend to agree. Good running backs come in the second and third rounds, and Jones will be another.
Jeremy Leseuer, CB, Michigan: All the raves in the Michigan secondary went to junior Marlin Jackson last year. The reality is Leseuer played better. When one watched the Michigan defense, it was Leseuer who was making all the plays. He did get beat in the Rose Bowl for a couple of big plays, but he is going to be a quality corner, even if he doesn't have blazing speed.
Bob Sanders, S, Iowa: He is just 5-feet-9, which has some teams worried. But Sanders is a tough football player who can run and made a lot of plays at Iowa. If he were two inches taller, he'd be a first-round pick. As it is, he'll probably last until the third round. Thomas Everett played safety a long time in the NFL at 5-9, so Sanders can do it, too.
Travis Laboy, DE, Hawaii: He is undersized, which concerns some teams, and he has had some injury troubles. But Laboy makes plays. He wore No. 1 at Hawaii, and that number showed up a bunch during games. He is an effort player who might be a situational rusher to start his career, but he will become a solid starter down the road.
Teddy Lehman, LB, Oklahoma: Speed, speed and more speed. He's a former sprint champion in high school who has worked out well for scouts. Some teams think he's a bit stiff, but others love his athletic ability. Can play inside or outside, although most teams are now projecting him outside. We've been on this kid since early in 2002 and we won't back down from the conviction here. He is going to be a star.
Stuart Schweigert, S, Purdue: Here's another player who first caught the eye in 2002. He is a rangy safety with far more athletic ability than the scouts first thought. Ran really well at his workouts and has helped his draft status. There are some off-the-field concerns -- DUI problems -- but some teams say that will change as he matures.
Devery Henderson, WR, LSU: We love his teammate, Michael Clayton, but since he will go in the first round, we'll go with Henderson in this column. He has blazing speed and he's a great kid off the field. Personnel people who have interviewed him have come away impressed. The thinking is he will be a better NFL player than he showed at LSU.
Jason Peters, TE, Arkansas: At 6-4½ and 336 pounds, Peters has the size to play tackle, but he also has quick feet for a man this big. Some teams see him as a tackle, some want him to play tight end and others envision him as a blocking fullback or H-back. He can catch the football and should get better at it as he develops. if he stays at tight end. The intriguing thing here is his ability as a tackle. With those feet, he could be a good one.
Matthias Askew, DT, Michigan State: He probably should have stayed in school for his senior season, but Askew has the physical skills teams love at the tackle spot. He is 6-5, 308, and has the speed and quickness to dominate. There are some off-field issues, which some scouts say is a turnoff, but he can be one of those feast-or-famine picks. Sometimes the pilot light just goes off when a guy gets to the NFL. Is he the next Robaire Smith, who also played at Michigan State? Or will be bust out like former Spartans player Dimitrius Underwood?
Tim Anderson, DT, Ohio State: He is a tough, hard-nosed player who gives an all-out effort all the time. Gets by more with his effort than his athletic ability. But guys like this often find ways to become productive players. Will be an effective run stopper on the next level. Needs to develop some pass-rush moves, but these kinds of guys often get better when they get to the NFL.
Sammie Parker, WR, Oregon: He has explosive speed and was productive playing in a big-time conference. That should be enough to get him a good look, but his size (5-10) is a concern. But with his speed and his ability to separate, he will be a quality No. 3 receiver early in his career. Will have to learn to deal with the bigger corners, but the new emphasis on calling illegal contact penalties could help a player with his speed.
Thomas Tapeh, RB-FB, Minnesota: Played both tailback and fullback at Minnesota and could be ideal in the one-back set. Needs to improve as a blocking back, but when he carried the ball at Minnesota, he made people go back. At 245, he has the size to be a power runner.
Niko Koutouvides, LB, Purdue: At 6-2, 245 pounds, he has good size to play inside in the NFL, but there are questions about his speed. Even so, he found a way to make a lot of plays for a good Purdue defense. Here's another kid who will find his way onto a roster as a special teams player and then perhaps as a starter down the road.
Bruce Perry, RB, Maryland: At 5-9, 195 pounds, there are questions about his ability to take the pounding. He didn't stay healthy at Maryland, but when he was on the field, he made plays. He has good speed but might be more of a third-down back. If a team gets him in the fourth or fifth round, they'll be happy they did.
Bobby McCray, DE, Florida: Impressed some teams at the Senior Bowl with his pass-rush skills. He is 6-5, 255, but has the frame to add weight. Has good athletic ability but didn't dominate the way he should have at Florida. Could be one of those players who will improve greatly on the next level. With a premium on pass rushers, he should get a close look.
Chris Collins, WR, Mississippi: Eli Manning's top receiver last year, Collins knows the details of playing in a wide-open offense. That will help him as he makes the transition to the next level. Doesn't have great speed but found a way to run by defensive backs in the SEC. Productive players deserve to get long looks from the scouts, and this is a productive player.
Tony Bua, S, Arkansas: Played both linebacker and safety at Arkansas and did so with a reckless style. Will knock people down. That should be good enough to earn him a spot as a special-teams player at the bare minimum. He isn't big enough to play linebacker and might not be fast enough to play safety. But he will make a team. That's a guarantee, and then he will be a special-teams star.
Matt Schaub, QB, Virginia: He is an accurate passer who has risen lately on most teams' lists. Has the size and decent arm strength, but the best thing about him is that he understands the passing game. He knows where to go with the football. Has a good touch and always seemed to make plays at Virginia. He's the kind of player who will surprise on the next level as to how good he will become.
Shannon Snell, G, Florida: The son of former NFL player Ray Snell, Shannon has the tools to be a quality starter like his father. Has showed well in pass protection playing in the Florida offenses and has the power to move people in the run game. He has the athletic ability to be a better pro player than he was at Florida. He just needs to be more committed.
Keary Colbert, WR, Southern California: Teammate Mike Williams is regarded as the better prospect, but Colbert made his share of big plays at USC. He has been called a possession receiver, but he helped dispute that notion when he ran under 4.5 at his pro day workout. An outstanding route runner, he has been compared favorably to Tampa Bay receiver Keenan McCardell, although he runs a little better.
Around the league
The news that the Giants called the Chargers this week to discuss a possible trade to move up to the top spot shouldn't come as a surprise. The Giants have made known their lust for Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning and Iowa tackle Robert Gallery. Both of those players are expected to be off the board by the time the Giants would pick at No. 4. The talk is coach Tom Coughlin has never been a huge fan of quarterback Kerry Collins, dating back to the time Collins walked away from the Panthers as a young player. Collins has turned his life around since then, but he is entering the final year of his contract, and the Giants have to start looking for a quarterback for the future. Manning, like brother Peyton, has star written all over him. He understands the passing game, and in Coughlin's offense, where receivers read routes on the run, that is a must. As for handling the New York media, Manning isn't as savvy as his brother, but he is close. Being the brother of Peyton and the son of Archie has helped Eli handle almost any media request. A tireless film watcher, he would be just what Coughlin wants in a quarterback. The Chargers are enamored with North Carolina State passer Philip Rivers, so they could move down and still get him. It will be interesting to see how a move down from the top spot would be perceived in San Diego, considering they did that a couple of years ago when they passed on Michael Vick and traded the top pick to Atlanta.
Did you see where Coughlin has already tightened up the loose ship in New York? In addition to taking the TVs out of the weight and training rooms, he also has a rule that forbids players from eating in the locker room. "Players want organization, they want detail, they want structure, they want discipline," said Coughlin. "And they are the first ones to react in a negative way if they don't have it." The players will curse him when they play for him, but almost all of the ex-Jaguars players -- aside from a few in the first couple of years -- now look back and say how much they needed his discipline and would love the chance to play for him again. You can't have the inmates running the asylum, and there is little doubt Coughlin's the warden in East Rutherford.
The move by the Saints to get corner Jason Craft from the Jaguars for a fifth-round pick is good for both teams. The Saints, depending on when they pick a corner in the upcoming draft, will give him a chance to start, and the Jaguars wanted him out of their locker room. Craft is a good kid, but his attitude last year following his benching didn't endear him to the coaching staff. The Saints tried to get Craft a couple of years ago when they signed him to an offer sheet as a restricted free agent, but the Jaguars matched. That was under Coughlin, but the new regime wants bigger corners and has signed three in the offseason, including Juran Bolden and DeWayne Washington. The two teams had been discussing this deal for a couple of weeks, but the Jaguars were asking for a fourth-round pick. When the price came down to a fifth, the Saints made the deal. Fred Thomas will start at one corner for the Saints, with Craft expected to battle veteran Ashley Ambrose and some others for the spot opposite him.
Although William Green has made progress in his quest to overcome personal problems that led to a suspension last year, it appears the Browns are counting on Lee Suggs to be the starter at running back. "Well, without trying to create a major controversy, William still has a lot to prove," said coach Butch Davis. "He's got a lot to prove to the team, to me and everybody else. I think there are some things that he's got to earn back, and we'll see where that takes us. I think he's made some progress. I told somebody the other day, in my conversations with him back in December or January when he was able to come back to the facility, there was a laundry list of things he needed to take care of. Some were career-wise, some were professional, some were family and some were personal. And he's started checking those things off. He's done this, this, this ... working his way through counseling and reconciliation. So, I think he's taking a mature approach, but like everybody else, it's certainly a day-by-day process." The Browns drafted Green in 2002 knowing that he had some off-field issues at Boston College. He appeared to overcome them during his rookie season but then fell back into trouble last year. When on the field, he's a good runner. But Suggs showed late last year that he could be a big-play back. Now if they only had a better line in front of them. With president Carmen Policy retiring May 1 -- he will remain a consultant in 2004 -- Davis now has more control of personnel decisions. That is something he has wanted all along, but it comes at a time when he needs to win -- this season. There's growing sentiment that Davis must make the playoffs to keep his job. That could be especially true now since it was Policy who stuck his neck out to give him a deal that averages $3 million per year three years ago. Davis was given a two-year extension after last season, but we know how binding those are in the current NFL.
There is no doubting the ability of Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris. All one needs to do is take a peek at the tape from the 2002 Oklahoma-Texas game when he ran down Roy Williams on a reverse. But Harris does have some medical concerns, according to some teams. They are worried about his shoulder, which could be a problem down the road. Harris is still expected to be a top 10 pick, but Vince Wilfork of Miami might be the safer pick now that he has his weight in check. Wilfork was down to 323, but he is said to have gained 10 pounds on his honeymoon recently.
The Dolphins are excited about left tackle Wade Smith, who started as a rookie last year. Coach Dave Wannstedt said that Smith, who was undersized last year, has bulked up and is much stronger. Smith showed good feet as a rookie, and strength was the major concern. With a bulked-up Smith and free-agent guard Jeno James on the left side, expect that to be the strength of the Dolphins line. Wannstedt expects major improvement from center Seth McKinney, but the right side is in flux. There is a chance the Dolphins could use their first-round pick on a tackle, maybe Shawn Andrews of Arkansas.
The biggest Darrell Russell fan in the Tampa Bay camp might be Anthony McFarland. He is scheduled to move to the under tackle spot, which was vacated when Warren Sapp left to go to Oakland. McFarland has been eyeing the move for a long time, but if the Bucs had not signed a bigger tackle like Russell (325) it might have made it tougher to move McFarland off the nose. Now the key is to keep Russell out of trouble, something that has followed him much of his career. The Bucs feel McFarland, who has played better than Sapp the past couple of years, will be even better playing the under tackle spot, where he can use his quickness more.
April 8, 2004
By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!
In the weeks leading up to the draft each year, we try and come up with a list of guys we like maybe more than the league scouts do, guys who will be taken outside of the first round.
They are the "better-than" players -- guys who play better than the rankings they are being given.
Safety Stuart Schweigert proved he's an outstanding athlete at Purdue.(Getty Images)
They are usually players who caught my eye over the course of a couple of years watching college football, as well as guys I've checked out with several league scouts and front-office personnel.
None can be projected first-round picks, but the belief is they will all be solid NFL players. It's my chance to play amateur scout.
A year ago, we limited it to 10 players, but it's expanding to 20 this time around.
Last year's 10 were quarterback Chris Simms, linebackers Victor Hobson, Tony Gilbert and Cie Grant, defensive linemen Anthony Adams and Clint Mitchell, tackle Brett Williams, safety Todd Johnson, wide receiver Bobby Wade and running back Onterrio Smith.
So how'd we do?
All 10 are on NFL rosters, even though Hobson was the highest pick of them all, going 53rd to the Jets in the second round. Adams also went in the second round. The others were later picks, with Smith being a fourth-round steal for the Vikings.
Hobson and Adams are projected starters this year, while Smith, Grant and Williams will be given good shots. Wade showed well as a rookie, while Simms is waiting his turn. Johnson missed last season with an injury, but the Bears expect him to compete this year.
Mitchell is playing in NFL Europe as an allocated player by Denver, and Gilbert is with the Jaguars after being let go by the Cardinals. They expect him to be special teams contributor.
There were a handful of others that we gave consideration and listed. All made NFL rosters.
So here goes the this year's version of the "better-than" players. Let's hope the track record stays a good one.
(Next week we'll list 20 overrated players, including projected first-round picks.)
Julius Jones, RB, Notre Dame: He's the brother of Bears running back Thomas Jones, a former first-round pick of the Cardinals. Julius is tougher than his brother and runs better inside the tackles. Most scouts think he will be a better NFL player. We tend to agree. Good running backs come in the second and third rounds, and Jones will be another.
Jeremy Leseuer, CB, Michigan: All the raves in the Michigan secondary went to junior Marlin Jackson last year. The reality is Leseuer played better. When one watched the Michigan defense, it was Leseuer who was making all the plays. He did get beat in the Rose Bowl for a couple of big plays, but he is going to be a quality corner, even if he doesn't have blazing speed.
Bob Sanders, S, Iowa: He is just 5-feet-9, which has some teams worried. But Sanders is a tough football player who can run and made a lot of plays at Iowa. If he were two inches taller, he'd be a first-round pick. As it is, he'll probably last until the third round. Thomas Everett played safety a long time in the NFL at 5-9, so Sanders can do it, too.
Travis Laboy, DE, Hawaii: He is undersized, which concerns some teams, and he has had some injury troubles. But Laboy makes plays. He wore No. 1 at Hawaii, and that number showed up a bunch during games. He is an effort player who might be a situational rusher to start his career, but he will become a solid starter down the road.
Teddy Lehman, LB, Oklahoma: Speed, speed and more speed. He's a former sprint champion in high school who has worked out well for scouts. Some teams think he's a bit stiff, but others love his athletic ability. Can play inside or outside, although most teams are now projecting him outside. We've been on this kid since early in 2002 and we won't back down from the conviction here. He is going to be a star.
Stuart Schweigert, S, Purdue: Here's another player who first caught the eye in 2002. He is a rangy safety with far more athletic ability than the scouts first thought. Ran really well at his workouts and has helped his draft status. There are some off-the-field concerns -- DUI problems -- but some teams say that will change as he matures.
Devery Henderson, WR, LSU: We love his teammate, Michael Clayton, but since he will go in the first round, we'll go with Henderson in this column. He has blazing speed and he's a great kid off the field. Personnel people who have interviewed him have come away impressed. The thinking is he will be a better NFL player than he showed at LSU.
Jason Peters, TE, Arkansas: At 6-4½ and 336 pounds, Peters has the size to play tackle, but he also has quick feet for a man this big. Some teams see him as a tackle, some want him to play tight end and others envision him as a blocking fullback or H-back. He can catch the football and should get better at it as he develops. if he stays at tight end. The intriguing thing here is his ability as a tackle. With those feet, he could be a good one.
Matthias Askew, DT, Michigan State: He probably should have stayed in school for his senior season, but Askew has the physical skills teams love at the tackle spot. He is 6-5, 308, and has the speed and quickness to dominate. There are some off-field issues, which some scouts say is a turnoff, but he can be one of those feast-or-famine picks. Sometimes the pilot light just goes off when a guy gets to the NFL. Is he the next Robaire Smith, who also played at Michigan State? Or will be bust out like former Spartans player Dimitrius Underwood?
Tim Anderson, DT, Ohio State: He is a tough, hard-nosed player who gives an all-out effort all the time. Gets by more with his effort than his athletic ability. But guys like this often find ways to become productive players. Will be an effective run stopper on the next level. Needs to develop some pass-rush moves, but these kinds of guys often get better when they get to the NFL.
Sammie Parker, WR, Oregon: He has explosive speed and was productive playing in a big-time conference. That should be enough to get him a good look, but his size (5-10) is a concern. But with his speed and his ability to separate, he will be a quality No. 3 receiver early in his career. Will have to learn to deal with the bigger corners, but the new emphasis on calling illegal contact penalties could help a player with his speed.
Thomas Tapeh, RB-FB, Minnesota: Played both tailback and fullback at Minnesota and could be ideal in the one-back set. Needs to improve as a blocking back, but when he carried the ball at Minnesota, he made people go back. At 245, he has the size to be a power runner.
Niko Koutouvides, LB, Purdue: At 6-2, 245 pounds, he has good size to play inside in the NFL, but there are questions about his speed. Even so, he found a way to make a lot of plays for a good Purdue defense. Here's another kid who will find his way onto a roster as a special teams player and then perhaps as a starter down the road.
Bruce Perry, RB, Maryland: At 5-9, 195 pounds, there are questions about his ability to take the pounding. He didn't stay healthy at Maryland, but when he was on the field, he made plays. He has good speed but might be more of a third-down back. If a team gets him in the fourth or fifth round, they'll be happy they did.
Bobby McCray, DE, Florida: Impressed some teams at the Senior Bowl with his pass-rush skills. He is 6-5, 255, but has the frame to add weight. Has good athletic ability but didn't dominate the way he should have at Florida. Could be one of those players who will improve greatly on the next level. With a premium on pass rushers, he should get a close look.
Chris Collins, WR, Mississippi: Eli Manning's top receiver last year, Collins knows the details of playing in a wide-open offense. That will help him as he makes the transition to the next level. Doesn't have great speed but found a way to run by defensive backs in the SEC. Productive players deserve to get long looks from the scouts, and this is a productive player.
Tony Bua, S, Arkansas: Played both linebacker and safety at Arkansas and did so with a reckless style. Will knock people down. That should be good enough to earn him a spot as a special-teams player at the bare minimum. He isn't big enough to play linebacker and might not be fast enough to play safety. But he will make a team. That's a guarantee, and then he will be a special-teams star.
Matt Schaub, QB, Virginia: He is an accurate passer who has risen lately on most teams' lists. Has the size and decent arm strength, but the best thing about him is that he understands the passing game. He knows where to go with the football. Has a good touch and always seemed to make plays at Virginia. He's the kind of player who will surprise on the next level as to how good he will become.
Shannon Snell, G, Florida: The son of former NFL player Ray Snell, Shannon has the tools to be a quality starter like his father. Has showed well in pass protection playing in the Florida offenses and has the power to move people in the run game. He has the athletic ability to be a better pro player than he was at Florida. He just needs to be more committed.
Keary Colbert, WR, Southern California: Teammate Mike Williams is regarded as the better prospect, but Colbert made his share of big plays at USC. He has been called a possession receiver, but he helped dispute that notion when he ran under 4.5 at his pro day workout. An outstanding route runner, he has been compared favorably to Tampa Bay receiver Keenan McCardell, although he runs a little better.
Around the league
The news that the Giants called the Chargers this week to discuss a possible trade to move up to the top spot shouldn't come as a surprise. The Giants have made known their lust for Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning and Iowa tackle Robert Gallery. Both of those players are expected to be off the board by the time the Giants would pick at No. 4. The talk is coach Tom Coughlin has never been a huge fan of quarterback Kerry Collins, dating back to the time Collins walked away from the Panthers as a young player. Collins has turned his life around since then, but he is entering the final year of his contract, and the Giants have to start looking for a quarterback for the future. Manning, like brother Peyton, has star written all over him. He understands the passing game, and in Coughlin's offense, where receivers read routes on the run, that is a must. As for handling the New York media, Manning isn't as savvy as his brother, but he is close. Being the brother of Peyton and the son of Archie has helped Eli handle almost any media request. A tireless film watcher, he would be just what Coughlin wants in a quarterback. The Chargers are enamored with North Carolina State passer Philip Rivers, so they could move down and still get him. It will be interesting to see how a move down from the top spot would be perceived in San Diego, considering they did that a couple of years ago when they passed on Michael Vick and traded the top pick to Atlanta.
Did you see where Coughlin has already tightened up the loose ship in New York? In addition to taking the TVs out of the weight and training rooms, he also has a rule that forbids players from eating in the locker room. "Players want organization, they want detail, they want structure, they want discipline," said Coughlin. "And they are the first ones to react in a negative way if they don't have it." The players will curse him when they play for him, but almost all of the ex-Jaguars players -- aside from a few in the first couple of years -- now look back and say how much they needed his discipline and would love the chance to play for him again. You can't have the inmates running the asylum, and there is little doubt Coughlin's the warden in East Rutherford.
The move by the Saints to get corner Jason Craft from the Jaguars for a fifth-round pick is good for both teams. The Saints, depending on when they pick a corner in the upcoming draft, will give him a chance to start, and the Jaguars wanted him out of their locker room. Craft is a good kid, but his attitude last year following his benching didn't endear him to the coaching staff. The Saints tried to get Craft a couple of years ago when they signed him to an offer sheet as a restricted free agent, but the Jaguars matched. That was under Coughlin, but the new regime wants bigger corners and has signed three in the offseason, including Juran Bolden and DeWayne Washington. The two teams had been discussing this deal for a couple of weeks, but the Jaguars were asking for a fourth-round pick. When the price came down to a fifth, the Saints made the deal. Fred Thomas will start at one corner for the Saints, with Craft expected to battle veteran Ashley Ambrose and some others for the spot opposite him.
Although William Green has made progress in his quest to overcome personal problems that led to a suspension last year, it appears the Browns are counting on Lee Suggs to be the starter at running back. "Well, without trying to create a major controversy, William still has a lot to prove," said coach Butch Davis. "He's got a lot to prove to the team, to me and everybody else. I think there are some things that he's got to earn back, and we'll see where that takes us. I think he's made some progress. I told somebody the other day, in my conversations with him back in December or January when he was able to come back to the facility, there was a laundry list of things he needed to take care of. Some were career-wise, some were professional, some were family and some were personal. And he's started checking those things off. He's done this, this, this ... working his way through counseling and reconciliation. So, I think he's taking a mature approach, but like everybody else, it's certainly a day-by-day process." The Browns drafted Green in 2002 knowing that he had some off-field issues at Boston College. He appeared to overcome them during his rookie season but then fell back into trouble last year. When on the field, he's a good runner. But Suggs showed late last year that he could be a big-play back. Now if they only had a better line in front of them. With president Carmen Policy retiring May 1 -- he will remain a consultant in 2004 -- Davis now has more control of personnel decisions. That is something he has wanted all along, but it comes at a time when he needs to win -- this season. There's growing sentiment that Davis must make the playoffs to keep his job. That could be especially true now since it was Policy who stuck his neck out to give him a deal that averages $3 million per year three years ago. Davis was given a two-year extension after last season, but we know how binding those are in the current NFL.
There is no doubting the ability of Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris. All one needs to do is take a peek at the tape from the 2002 Oklahoma-Texas game when he ran down Roy Williams on a reverse. But Harris does have some medical concerns, according to some teams. They are worried about his shoulder, which could be a problem down the road. Harris is still expected to be a top 10 pick, but Vince Wilfork of Miami might be the safer pick now that he has his weight in check. Wilfork was down to 323, but he is said to have gained 10 pounds on his honeymoon recently.
The Dolphins are excited about left tackle Wade Smith, who started as a rookie last year. Coach Dave Wannstedt said that Smith, who was undersized last year, has bulked up and is much stronger. Smith showed good feet as a rookie, and strength was the major concern. With a bulked-up Smith and free-agent guard Jeno James on the left side, expect that to be the strength of the Dolphins line. Wannstedt expects major improvement from center Seth McKinney, but the right side is in flux. There is a chance the Dolphins could use their first-round pick on a tackle, maybe Shawn Andrews of Arkansas.
The biggest Darrell Russell fan in the Tampa Bay camp might be Anthony McFarland. He is scheduled to move to the under tackle spot, which was vacated when Warren Sapp left to go to Oakland. McFarland has been eyeing the move for a long time, but if the Bucs had not signed a bigger tackle like Russell (325) it might have made it tougher to move McFarland off the nose. Now the key is to keep Russell out of trouble, something that has followed him much of his career. The Bucs feel McFarland, who has played better than Sapp the past couple of years, will be even better playing the under tackle spot, where he can use his quickness more.
