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NEWS AND INFORMATION ON THE NFL DRAFT |
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NEWS AND INFORMATION ON THE NFL DRAFT |
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No surprises for offensiv/defensive rookies of the year...Any possible drama there might have been as to this season's top rookies on offense and defense pretty much evaporated weeks ago as Denver RB Clinton Portis and Carolina DE Julius Peppers ran away from the field early. Portis, for example, was named Great Blue North 'Rookie of the Week' three times this fall as he piled up almost 2,000 yards from scrimmage, including over 1,500 yards rushing. And all that despite the fact that Portis, the Broncos' second round pick this past April, didn't actually put a lock on the Denver starting RB position until the season was almost a month old The Giants' TE Jeremy Shockey, though, at least made it interesting among offensive rookies, as he led all NFL TEs with 74 receptions this fall, but Portis had built up too big an early season lead. Then Portis clinched the deal with a 200-yard plus rushing perfromance on the final day of the schedule, scuttling any late hopes that Shockey may have had. In the end, however, it may very well be Shockey who has the greater long-term impact. Indeed, like Lawrence Taylor, another terrific former Giants' pick, Shockey could very well rewrite the book on how the position is played over the course of the next decade or so. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's all-purpose slash sensation Antwan Randle El, who also piled up close to 2,000 yards of total offense this fall, and offensive linemen Mike Williams of Buffalo and the Steelers OG Kendall Simmons round out the top 5 offensive rookies. Like Portis, Carolina's Peppers built up a huge early lead in the race for defensive honors, but had to sweat out the final month of the season while sitting out a 4-game suspension for violating the league's banned substance policy. At the time of his suspension Peppers was among the league leaders in sacks with 12; indeed, he led outright for several weeks just prior to the suspension. While Peppers sat out, Dallas SS Roy Williams and Indianapolis DE Dwight Freeney closed the gap, but Peppers productivity over the first 12 games was still too impressive to overlook. Meanwhile, two former Miami U teammates, FS Edward Reed of Baltimore and CB Phil Buchanon of Oakland, finished 4th and 5th respectively among defensive rookies. Indeed, if any defensive rookie was going to really challenge Peppers it may have been Buchanon, who was sensational early in the season, but sat out the second half after breaking his wrist. All hail Miami...It probably comes as small consolation to Hurricanes' fans still smarting from last weekend's dramatic overtime loss to Ohio State in the national championship game, but former Miami players dominate this year's rookie honors with a total of 4 former Hurricanes among the top 10 offensive and defensive rookies. That shouldn't come as too big a surprise, however, as Miami had 5 players taken in the first round last year. Indeed, Portis and Shockey, both Miami graduates were #1 and 2 among offensive rookies, while Reed and Buchanon were 4th and 5th among defensive players. Ironically, Ohio State which upset Miami for this year's collegiate title, was the only other school with more than one top 10 rookie this fall with a pair of selections. The two former Buckeyes were OG LeCharles Bentley, ranked 10th on offense, and CB Derek Ross, #7 on defense. Bentley, who was actually the highest rated offensive rookie at the mid-point of the season, actually would have likely ranked higher had he not missed most of the second half of the seaon with an injury. All hail the Big East...The Big East usually doesn't come that readily to mind when it comes to big time college football conferences, however, this year's rookie class from the Big East really made a statement. Of course, having all those top players from Miami doesn't hurt, but the other conference schools contributed another 3 players to the top 10 rookie lists giving the conference 7 of the leading 20 rookies this year. Joining the 4 former Hurricanes on the top 10 list are former Pitt WR Antonio Bryant, rated 6th among offensive rookies, along with former Boston College RB William Green, one spot later on offense and ex-Syracuse DE Dwight Freeney at #3 on defense. Meanwhile, the Big 10 had four selections, while the Big 12 and SEC each had 3. Parcells crazy like a fox...More than a few eyebrows were raised when Bill Parcells signed on to coach Dallas last week. No doubt the prize in Parcells' eyes, though, is a spot in the Hall of Fame and to get there he'll have to turn around the Cowboys and quickly. And while there are clearly problems on the Cowboys who have put together three consecutive 5-11 seasons, there is also some good young talent to work with starting with this year's draft class which was easily the most productive of any in the NFL this season. Indeed, the Cowboys placed three players in the rankings of top 10 offensive and defensive rookies including SS Roy Williams, CB Derek Ross and WR Antonio Bryant. Dallas was joined in the top 5 by Baltimore, Denver, Oakland and New Orleans. The final year end grades for all teams are listed below. Top 10 offensive rookies
Top 10 defensive rookies
Best picks by round
Team-by-team Draft Grades (Ed note: As it can take up to 2-3 years for a draft class to fully develop, these are obviously still very preliminary grades, and very little should be made of them at this point.) Dallas: Don't blame the Cowboys' 2003 draft class for a third straight disappointing 5-11 season in Dallas; indeed, after a series of rather shaky drafts, the Cowboys appear to have hit the jackpot last April. Top pick, DB Roy Williams, for example,started slowly, but by the end of the season was as good as any rookie in the league. Williams finished second on the team with 92 tackles; more importantly, he was delivering the big, game-breaking plays that made his reputation at Oklahoma on a regular basis down the stretch. In fact, Williams forced 6 turnovers in the Cowboys' final 7 games, scoring on two of them. Meanwhile, second round WR Antonio Bryant established himself as the Cowboys' big-play receiver and could ultimately go down as one of the steals of the draft if he matures; it will be interesting to see, however, how Bryant's often cavalier attitude goes down with new head coach Bill Parcells. OG Andre Gurode, another second rounder, and 6th round C Tyson Walter, did a nice job anchoring the Cowboys' offensive line after injuries decimated the original starting cast; together they look like a solid foundation for a rebuilt line in the future. Third-round CB Derek Ross also worked his way into the starting lineup late in the year and was the Cowboys' best cover corner; indeed, Ross could combine with 5th round CB Pete Hunter, who also looked good late in the season, to finally give the Cowboys a solid pair of shut down corners. For all the good the Cowboys' rookie class did this fall, the team's fortunes turned in week 8 when someone decided to replace 2001 second rounder Quincy Carter, who had the Cowboys in contention early in the year at 3-4 with undrafted free agent rookie QB Chad Hutchinson. Unfortunately, Hutchinson played pretty much like someone who'd been out of football playing baseball for 4 years as Dallas staggered to a 2-7 mark with him at the helm. In that period, Hutchison completed barely 50% of his pass attempts and was picked off 8 times, while tossing only 7 TD passes. Grade: A Baltimore: The Ravens were one of the true surprises of the 2002 NFL season as they challenged for a playoff spot until the final week of the schedule despite a roster devasted by free agent defections. And the future looks even brighter for the Ravens, in large part, because of a terrific year from Baltimore's rookie class. After a slow start, for example, FS Edward Reed, the Ravens' #1 pick at the 2002 draft, came on like gangbusters and finished among the top 5 defensive rookies in the league. Reed was second on the Ravens in total tackles with 80, intercepted 5 passes, knocked down 12 more, and blocked 2 kicks. Reed got unexpected support in the Ravens' deep secondary from undrafted free agent SS Will Demps and 6th round SS Chad Williams who combined for 81 tackles, 4 picks and 14 pass breakups. Williams, who also really came on late in the year, had three of those picks, one of which he returned for a TD. Meanwhile, 2nd round DT Tony Weaver, along with another undrafted free agent, DT Ma'ake Kemoteau, did mush of the grunt work in the defensive front trenches, combining for 46 tackles and 5.5 sacks; more importantly, they were effective tying up opposition blockers, freeing up the LBs to make plays. On the other side of the ball, 4th round RB Chester Taylor emerged as a competent backup for RB Jamal Lewis; Taylor also excelled as a kickoff returner. Indeed, the Ravens' rookie class made a huge contribution on special teams as 6th round WR Lamont Brightful averaged over 16 yards per return as the primary punt returner, while 4th round P Dave Zastudil had a decent rookie year, averaging almost 42 yards per kick. The Ravens, however, were hoping that rookie WRs Ron Johnson and Javin Hunter, selected in the 4th and 6th rounds respectively, and 5th round TE Terry Jones, would bolster their undermanned receiving corps, but the trio combined for only 26 total catches. In fact, the most promising young Ravens' receiver may have been unhearlded undrafted free agent WR Randy Hymes, a 6-3, 210-pounder from Grambling, who averaged 20.5 yards on 6 receptions late in the season. Grade: A Denver: The Broncos went best athlete in the second round of last April's draft when they added former Miami RB Clinton Portis to what was already one of the NFL's deepest backfields and the move paid off in bushels as Portis ran away with this year's rookie of the year honors. On the year, Portis piled up almost 1,900 yards from scrimmage, including 1,508 on the ground and another 364 on 33 receptions. Along the way, Portis averaged 5.5 yards per carry, second in the NFL, and scored 17 TDs. And remember, Portis didn't really establish himself as the Broncos' feature back until the first month of the schedule. Meanwhile, #1 pick WR Ashley Lelie provided the Broncos with a solid #3 receiver and an emerging deep, hauling in 35 passes at 15 yards per catch. Lelie also improved his concentration and consistentcy as the season wore on. and durability. The Broncos also got a big bonus from 7th round DT Monsanto Pope, who contributed an unexpected 4 sacks, while 4th round S Sam Brandon also contributed some valuable minutes. The Broncos, however, got nothing at all from massive 3rd round DT Dorsett Davis, making Pope's contribution even more significant. Grade: A Oakland: Bolstered by all those extra picks acquired in the deal with Tampa Bay for the rights to former head coach Jon Gruden, the Raiders led the league in premium picks at 2002 draft. And the Raiders made it pay off with a draft class that looks like it provide a number long-time NFL starters. CB Phil Buchanon, the first of two Raiders' #1 picks, for example, stepped into the starting lineup when Pro Bowler Charles Woodson went out with an injury and was outstanding before being injured himself; Buchanon should combine with Woodson to give the Raiders the NFL's best shutdown CB combo for years to come. And as an added bonus, Buchanon doubled as a top punt returner. Meanwhile, LB Napoleon Harris, the Raiders' other first-round selection, started at MLB since the opening of the season and did not look out of place, finishing fourth on the team with 82 tackles. The Raiders also look they got a couple of keepers in the second round in OT Langston Walker and TE Doug Jolley. Walker was considered to be something of a project when drafted, but the Cal graduate more than held his own is two starts as an emergency injury replacement early in the season. For his part, Jolley really came on late in the season and provided QB Rich Gannon with a reliable outlet target. At the same time, though, the Raiders got almost nothing from players selected in the later rounds. Grade: A New Orleans: About the only negative aspect of the Saints draft class was a string of injuries that cost #1 WR Donte' Stallworth, #2 OG LeCharles Bentley, and #3 CB Keyou Craver significant playing time. When healthy - he had a nagging hamstring injury through much of the first half of the season - Stallworth provided the Saints with a big-play threat that resulted in 8 TD receptions on the year. Meanwhile, the thoroughly nasty Bentley was as good as any rookie in the league in the first half of the season after stepping into the Saints' starting lineup at RG on the first day of camp. Bentley, though, missed much of the final half of the campaign with an ankle problem.The Saints' other first-round pick, DE Charles Grant, was also solid, recording 7 sacks from his end spot where he provided the defensive front with an infusion of speed. Craver, LB James Allen, and S Mel Mitchell, taken in the 3rd through the 5th rounds respectively, also had some moments, but played mostly as reserves. Grade: A Minnesota: The Vikings ended the season as one of the hottest teams in the league, thanks in part to a rookie that class that was also one of the hottest in the league as the regular schedule came to a close. That said, the Vikings would actually have called their 2002 draft a success once they got top pick OT Bryant McKinnie signed and into the lineup mid-way through the season after it looked like he might never come to terms and ultimately go back into the 2003 draft pool. McKinnie started from the 9th week on, and while the 'big fella' struggled at times adjusting to the pace of the pro game, it is also probably no coincidence that the Vikings were 4-3 with McKinnie installed at LT, whereas they were 2-7 before his arrival. Unfortunately, second round LB Raonall Smith went on IR with a shoulder injury very early in the season, but the Vikings have been very pleased with the development their later round picks. LB Nick Rogers, for example, a 6th round pick, played little the first month of the season, but started pretty much since then and contributed a number of big plays. Rogers, in fact, was joined in the Vikings starting defensive unit by 4th round CB Brian Williams and undrafted free agent FS Jack Brewer, while SS Willie Offord also started several games; all made plays with Brewer intercepting two passes, while Williams.had a pick and 6 other pass breakups and Offord had an interception. In fact, the Vikings led the league in productive undrafted free agent rookies. Along with Brewer,undrafted free agent WR Kelly Campbell emerged late in the season as a reliable #3 WR, while Nick Davis, yet another undrafted free agent, was the Vikings' primary punt and kickoff return man, averaging 20 yards per kickfoff return and 7.9 on punt returns. Grade: A- Pittsburgh: Year in and year out, the Steelers always seem to come up 2-3 rookies that can come in and contribute right away and this year is no exception. Indeed, both 1st round OG OG Kendall Simmons and 2nd round / Antwaan Randle El graded out among the league's list of top 10 offensive rookies. Randle El, in particular, brought new meaning to the term 'slash' in the town that invented it, was if nothing else the NFL's most vestaile rookie, if not its most exciting. Randle El finished the yera with almsot 1,700 yards in total offense including 490 on 47 receptions as the Steelers' #3 receiver; the one-time college QB also completed 7 of 8 pass attempts and was one of the league's top kickoff returners, retturning one 99 yards foa TD. Meanwhile, OG Simmons, who beat out a number of quality veterans to win the starting RG spot in training camp, just got better each week and looks like he'll be just another in a long line of Steelers' roadgrader offensive linemen. The Steelers also received smaller contributions from 6th round WR Lee Mays, who helped Randle El return kickoffs; 5th round RB Verron Hayes who averaged over 5 yards per carry in limited minutes when Jerome Bettis was injured; and 4th round LB Larry Foote who was able to at least hold his own when called on to replace an injured Kendrell Bell, early in the year. The Steelers also got a huge boost from undrafted free agent PK Jeff Reed who took over from an inconsistent Todd Peterson in mid-season and responded by hitting 17 of 19 FG attempts. Grade: A- Miami: With no pick in either the first or second rounds this fall, courtesy of the trade with New Orleans which saw Miami acquire RB Ricky Williams, and only 5 selections overall, two of whom didn't make the final roster, the Dolphins weren't expecting much from the 2002 draft. However, Miami got one of the real steals from last year's draft in TE Randy McMichael, the Dolphins' 4th round pick. While McMichael was projected more as an H-back type prior to the draft, he had bulked up to close to 250 pounds by the opening of training camp where he quickly emerged as the Dolphins' every-down TE. For the year, McMichael had 39 receptions for 485 yards and 4 TDs. McMichael, though, slowed markedly in the second half of the season, as opposing defenses made sure they knew where he was. McMichael, in fact, was the only Dolphins' draftee to see any playing time this fall, although Miami expects 3rd round C-OG Seth McKinney to be fight for a starting position next fall as the Dolphins' revamp their offensive lineman. Despite the overall lack of production from their small rookie class, Miami has to be more than happy with its 2002 draft as it brought RB Williams. Indeed, Williams played so well that the conditional pick in 2003 that the Dolphins still owe New Orleans to complete the deal escalated to a #1 after Williams finished the year with over 1,800 yards rushing. Grade: A- (counting Williams; C+ without) Carolina: The Panthers haven't gotten much out of their recent drafts, but hope that a solid 2002 rookie class is an omen of better things to come in the future. DE Julius Peppers, the second player selected overall last April, looks like a super star in the making after leading the entire NFL in sacks for much of the year. Peppers, of course, missed the final 4 games of the season after inadvertantly ingesting a substance banned by the league, but still finished the year with 12 sacks; and just for good measure Peppers, our choice as the NFL's top defensive rookie this season also forced 5 fumbles and even had an interception. The Panthers also got great production 3rd round LB Will Witherspoon and 4th round CB Dante Wesley, although both missed time with injuries. Witherspoon, for example, got healthy just in time to replace Dan Morgan at MLB after Morgan himself was injured and rang up 63 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 6 pass breakups in just 12 games. Wesley, meanwhile, played in only 9 games, but still broke up 8 passes. Both should be full-time starters next season. There are no such thoughts, however, for 5th round rookie QB Randy Fasani, who was forced to start a couple of games this season when both Rodney Peete and Chris Weinke were out with injuries. While game, Fasani completed only 34% of his pass attempts and threw 4 interceptions without any TD passes. The Panthers' draft class also took a huge hit when second round RB DeShaun Foster went down with a potentially career-threatening knee injury late in training camp. Foster has since undergone radical surgery on the knee, but the Panthers likely won't know if he will ever play again until next fall. Mid-season grade: A- New York Giants: Top pick TE Jeremy Shockey was the only Giants' draftee to make much of a contribution this year, but, my goodness, what a contribution. Hampered by a couple of sore toes, Shockey got off to a slow a start, but once he got rolling was almost unstoppable. Indeed, Shockey led all NFL TEs with 74 receptions on the season, with 50 coming in the second-half of the year as the Giants rallied to make the playoffs. Almost as importantly, opposing teams were forced to focus their defensive schemes to try and stop Shockey which opened things up for the rest of the once stodgy Giants' offense which finished the year ranked second overall in the NFC. And while Denver RB, and Shockey's former Miami U teammate, Clinton Portis edged Shockey out for the 2002 'Rookie of the Year' award, Shockey very well may have a far greater impact over the next decade if he stays healthy. The rest of the Giants' 2002 draft class, though, was pretty much decimated by injuries. WR Tim Carter, the Giants' #2 pick, missed all but a couple of games with injuries, the most serious a season-ending torn Achilles tendon, while 3rd round OT Jeff Hatch missed the entire year after undergoing back surgery. Seventh round WR Daryl Jones did start in the latter part of the season, but was mostly a spectator as Shockey and veteran WR Amani Toomer tore up opposing defenses. Meanwhile, LB Nick Griesen, a 5th rounder, had a key sack and forced fumble in his one emergency start, but also missed most of the year with an injury. The Giants also got production from undrafted free agent FB Charles Stackhouse, who started all season and caught 13 passes, including 3 for TDs; Stackhouse, though, will probably be most remembered for his disastrous fumble at the Eagles' one-yard line in the Giants' mid-season loss in Philadelphia, while another undrafted free agent, RB Delvin Joyce, jumpstarted the Giants usually anemic return game, averaging almost 24 yards per kickoff return and 8 on punt returns.Grade: A- Buffalo: For the second year in a row the Bills have had one of the more productive draft classes in the league. Top pick OT Mike Williams, for example, was a rock at RT, although he missed several games with injury, while, Second round WR Josh Reed was a solid enough #3 receiver, but with starting WRs Eric Moulds and Peerless price forming the NFL's best 1-2 punch at receiver, Reed didn't see that many balls coming his way. However, with Price likely on his way out of Buffalo in search of big free agent bucks, the Bills expect Reed to step up to the #2 WR slot next year. Meanwhile, third round SS Coy Wire emerged as one of the steals of the 2002 draft. Expected only to help out on special teams this year, Wire worked his way into the starting lineup early on where he provided an athletic presence; overall, Wire was second on the team with 92 tackles, though, the Bills will look to him for more big plays in the future. Fifth-round DT Justin Bannan also contributed to the Bills' DT rotation with 21 tackles and a sack, but second round DE Ryan Denney was a major disappointment; indeed, Denney was outplayed by undrafted free agent Grant Irons who had 2.5 sacks in limited playing time; that was 2.5 more than Denney produced. CB Kevin Thomas, a 6th round pick, and undrafted free agent RB Joe Burns also saw limited playing time. Grade: A- Indianapolis: It took awhile, but the Colts, who focused their 2002 draft almost entirely on defense, finally got the payoff they were looking for in the second half of the season. And the main payee was DE Dwight Freeeny, the Colts' top pick last April. Freeney, a classic tweener, was effective as a 3rd down pass rusher early in the season, but struggled to hold the point of attack against the run. By season's end, though, Freeney had emerged as one of the best young DEs in the game. Indeed, Freeney finished the year with 13 sacks, one ahead of Carolina's Julius Peppers for the rookie lead, although, of course, Freeney got a break when Peppers was suspended the final 4 games of the season. Still, Freeney also was second overall in sacks in the AFC and third overall in the entire NFL. The Colts' defense also got a boost when 2nd round DT Larry Tripplett was healthy enough to join the the DT rotation in the second half of the season where he provided some bulk and intensity to an otherwise undersized unit. At the same, DE Raheem Brock, actually a 7th round pick by Philadelphia who was signed as a free agent after the Eagles relinquished their rights to him, 4th round LB David Thornton, and 7th round DE Josh Mallard also saw playing time on the Colts' defense, though, none put up big numbers. Indeed, other than Freeney, and perhaps Tripplett, the Colts' best rookie this season was undrafted free agent RB James Mungro, Freeney's former Syracuse teammate, who stepped in with Edge James on the shelf and more than held his own, rushing for 336 yards and scoring 8 TDs. Grade: B+ San Diego: The Chargers still think they have a real keeper CB Quentin Jammer, arguably the best prospect overall in the 2002 draft class, who fell into their laps with the 5th pick at last April's draft. Jammer, however, held out until just before the season started and wasn't actually in uniform until week 4. Jammer did see plenty of playing time after that as the Chargers' nickle back, but never did catch up and was often picked on by opposing teams. While the jury is still out on their actual #1 pick, the Chargers got first-round production from 2nd round OG Toniu Fonoti, a roadgrader type who spent much of the year helping open huge holes Ladainian Tomlinson. Fonoti teamed with unheralded, undrafted free agent C Jason Ball to anchor what was once one of the NFL's worst offensive lines, but emerged this year as one of its best. The Chargers also got some unexpected production from 3rd round LB Ben Leber, another full-time starter, who posted 49 tackles, 5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. The Chargers, however, were disappointed in WR Reche Caldwell, their other second rounder, who averaged only 9.5 yards on 22 catches this fall. Caldwell did score 3 times, but also lost a key fumble late in the year that put a spike in the Chargers' playoff hopes. Along with C Ball, the Chargers also got some useful minutes from undrafted free agents Josh Norman, a TE/HB hybrid, and S Vernon Fox. Grade: B+ Detroit: QB Joey Harrington, the third player selected overall, gave the Lions considerable hope for the future with a solid rookie campaign. Harrington's numbers weren't all that great after taking over an inconsistent Mike McMahon early in the season as he barely completed 50% of his pass attempts and had 16 interceptions against only 12 TD passes. Harrington, though, did show great poise and on-field leadership and should only get better with experience; a better supporting cast also wouldn't hurt. The Lions, however, did get quite a scare when an irregualr heartbeat sent Harrington to the sidelines - and hospital - for the final two weeks of the schedule, but he is reportedly fine and should be 100% when mini-camps rolll around this spring. Meanwhile, the Lions got something of a late round steal in 6th round CB Chris Cash who was forced into the starting lineup in the first month of the season and responded by finishing third on the team in tackles with 91 and also had an interception and 11 pass breakups. Cash, in fact, was joined on occasion in the Lions' starting secondary by 3rd round S Andre Goodman who had 13 pass breakups of his own, with most coming in the second half of the season. Second round DE Kalimba Edwards provided the Lions' often anemic pass rush with a bit of a spark, registering 6.5 sacks, but its still not clear whether the Edwards has the strength to be much more than a situational pass rusher. Detroit's special teams' also got a huge boost from undrafted free agent KR Eddie Drummond who averaged 26 yards per kickoff reurn and 7.7 on punts; included in his returns were a 99-yard KO return and a punt return for a TD. Grade: B+ Cleveland: If there was a 'comeback of the year' award category for rookies, Cleveland RB William Green, the Browns' first pick this past April, would be a hands-down winner. Indeed, through the first half of the season Green looked every bit the part of major bust as he struggled to keep his per carry average above 2.0 yards per carry, while showing none of the explosion and elusiveness that made him a consensus All-American at Boston College last fall. Given a second chance to start when incumbent starter Jamel White was injured, however, Green responded by gaining 726 yards in the Browns' final 7 game run to a playoff spot, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. The Browns also got solid production from 2nd-round WR Andre' Davis who looked like a big-play in waiting every time he touched the ball. Working mostly as the team's #3 WR Davis had 37 receptions, 6 of which went for TDs; Davis also averaged 21 yards per kick-off return, including a 95-yarder for another TD. Meanwhile, LB Kevin Bentley, a 4th round pick, had 34 tackles, 2 fumbles recoveries and a blocked kick working mostly as a nickle LB. The Browns, however, got very little from the rest of their current draft class. Grade: B+ Jacksonville: The Jaguars surprised some observers around the league when they selected DT John Henderson ahead of more highly-rated DTs Al Haynesworth, his former teammate at Tennessee, and Wendell Bryant. However, Jacksonville, which hasn't always got it right on draft day in recent years, appear to have made the correct call on this one, at least through year one. While Haynesworth and Bryant struggled, Henderson combined with 2001 first rounder Marcus Stroud to give the Jaguars a potentially dominating interior defensive front wall. For the year, Henderson has 6.5 sacks and knocked down 6 pther pass attempts. The Jaguars defense also got a boost from 3rd round LB/DE Akin Ayodele who added some speed and aggressiveness coming off the edge in the team's third down package; overall, Ayodele had 56 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumles and 3 other pass break ups. Meanwhile, 2nd round OT Mike Pearson started most of the year at the critical LT spot and while he didn't exactly dominate, didn't look out of place either. Fourth-round QB David Garrard did look a bit out of place, though, when he replaced starter Mark Brunell on occasion. The athletic Garrard ran well, averaging almost 5.6 yards every time he took off with the ball, but completed only 50% of his pass attempts. And the Jaguars' gamble that 7th round PK Hayden Epstein could handle the placekicking chores blew up in their faces as Epstein's inconsistency cost at least one win and possibly a second before he was released in mid-season. Grade B+ Green Bay: Based on the first year's returns, the Packers are likely rueing trading away their second round pick last April to move up 8 spots in the first round to grab WR Javon Walker. Walker finished the year with just 23 totals receptions; along the way he dropped far too many passes and struggled to hold onto the #3 receiver position; Walker, though, was a better kickoff returner averaging a solid 22 yards per return over the season. The Packers, though, got considerable consolation from the pain of losing that #2 pick by the emergence of third-round SS Marques Anderson. Anderson, who was considered a little too small and slow to be an elite pick last spring, was one of the top impact rookies on either side of the ball this fall, totalling 61 tackles, 4 interceptions, two of which he returned for TDs, and 7 other pass break ups. The development of DE Aaron Kampman was even more unexpected; the 5th rounder, however, did yeoman service early in the year when forced to play because of injuries to the regular starters. Kampman didn't necessarily put up spectacular numbers, but impressed with his non-stop motor and aggressiveness. Meanwhile, 4th round RB Najeh Davenport also turned in some useful minutes at both RB and FB early in the season, but missed much of the latter part of the campaign with injury. Indeed, with both Davenport and starter Ahman Green dinged late in the year, undrafted free agent RB Tony Fisher won accolades when he stepped in and more than held the fort as he ran for 283 yards and caught 18 passes. Green Bay also got a boost when unheralded undrafted free agent OT Kevin Barry, a third teamer, stepped in at RT with both the Packers' starters and top reserves out with injury and held his own for a couple of weeks. Grade: B+ Tennessee: For the most part, the Titans have to be very pleased with the contribution their 2002 rookie class made to what turned out to be an extremely successful bounce-back season in Tennessee. The Titans, though, have to have some concerns about the slow development of DT Al Haynesworth, their #1 pick last April. Haynesworth did get better as the season wore on, but still finsihed the year with only 30 tackles and one sack. Plus, Haynesworth still has not answered the question whether he has the maturity and work ethic to be a great pro. No such concerns, though, about SS Tank Williams, the Titans 2nd round pick, who povided Tennessee with a meanacing, big-hitting presence in the secondary; Williams finished the year with 61 tackles, the 5th highest total on the team, along with 2 sacks, one interception, and 6 other pass break ups. The Titans also got an unexpected bonus in DE Carlos Hall, a 7th round afterthought, who had 8 sacks when forced to fill in much of the year with Jevon Kearse out with injury; Hall also batted down 6 other passes. Meanwhile, 4th round CB Mike Echols and 3rd round LB Rocky Calmus also contributed some useful minutes, although Echols missed considerable time with injuries. The Titans also got an unexpected performance out of undrafted free agent RB John Simon who had 16 receptions, including 3 for TDs, as a 3rd down back and backup RB and also helped out returning punts and kickoffs. Grade: B Houston: If nothing else, the Texans large draft class, particularly the contingent on offense, got lots of game experience this past season. Indeed, by the end of the year, Houston was starting 6 rookies on the offensive side of the ball; unfortunately, though, it showed as the Texans ranked last in the NFL in points scored and total offense. QB David Carr, the first player selected overall last April, played like a rookie at times, completing just 52% of his pass attempts with 16 picks, versus only 9 TDs. To his credit, though, Carr hung in there - he took every snap for the Texans this season - despite taking a pounding week in and week out. In fact, Carr was ultimately sacked 76 times on the year, more than any QB in league history. Meanwhile, 4th round RB Jonathon Wells gave the Texans something of an inside running game, pounding out a team-high 529 rushing yards; Wells, though, averaged just 2.7 yards per carry and looks more like a solid #2 back rather than a feature runner. Second-round WR Jabbar Gaffney also emerged as a decent possession receiver type, while 5th round FB Jarrod Baxter did an adequate job lead blocking. The Texans' problems on offense can be traced largely to the offensive line which, already without injured bookend OTs Tony Boselli and Ryan Young, started rookie 2nd rounder OT Chester Pitts and 3rd round OG Fred Weary most of the year. And it showed...see above. On the other hand, the Texans' defense got nothing from this year's draft class other than 6 measly tackles, 4 from 5th round FS Ramon Walker and 2 from 3rd round DT Charles Hill. All in all, the Texans really didn't get much from their first draft, particularly given the extra picks they got as part of their expansion package. Grade: C+ Cincinnati: The 2002 draft, inparticular Cincinnati's decision to select OT Levi Jones with the 10th pick overall, may have been a microcosm of the ills of the team that fans around the NFL have come to refer lovingly as the Bungles. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with Jones; indeed, Jones stepped into the Bengals' starting lineup when incumbent LT Richmond Webb was lost for the year with an injury and quietly put together a very solid season. Jones may even evolve into one of the proverbial 10-year starter types. No matter how promising Jones is, however, it is almost impossible to argue that the Bengals, who really did seem themselves, with considerable justification, as potential contenders this season, would not have been farther ahead either by trading the pick to New England for QB Drew Bledsoe, who likely would have solved their persistent QB woes once and for all or by selecting an elite level impact player such as CB Phil Buchanon or TE Jeremy Shockey. It also didn't help the Bengals, who will have the first pick overall this coming April, that they also didn't get much out of the resst of their 2002 draft. Cincinnati, though, looks like it may have found a couple of keepers at safety in 2nd round FS Lamont thompson and SS Marquand Manual, a6th round pick. The Bengals really like Thompson who was limited this year by injuries, while Manual was a pleasant surprise for the Bengals, starting 4 games and contributing 34 tackles, 1 forced fumble and 2 pass breakups. Meanwhile, 3rd round TE Matt Schobel also worked his way into the Bengals' starting lineup and while he's no Shockey did have 27 receptions, two of which went for TDs. Also, suffice it to say that P/PK Travis Dorsch, the Bengals' 4th round pick this past April, won't be punting on a regular basis anytime soon. Dorsch punted 5 times this fall - he didn't place kick at all - and had a net average of 1.8 yards (no, that is not a misprint) as a result of three long returns. Grade: C Washington: Usually QBs look on coach Steve Spurrier's propensity to play musical chairs with his QBs as a negative, but it worked to the advantage of QB Patrick Ramsey, the Redskins' #1 pick this year. Ramsey was benched after a most unforgettable two-game starting sequence early in the season, but given a second chance late in the year played well enough to be at leastconsidered an option for 2003. For the year, Ramsey, the final player selected in last year's first round, completed just over 52% of his pass attempts and had 9 TD passes versus 8 interceptions. And particularly in his second coming, Ramsey showed a quick smooth delivery and a strong accurate arm, but whether that was enough to convince Spurrier and impatient owner Dan Snyder to keep their wagon hitched to the inexperienced Ramsey with so many veteran options at QB likely to be available this off-season through trades or free ageny remains to be seen. Meanwhile, second-round RB LaDell Betts starred on kickoff returns early in the season, enough so that he won increased playing time in the regular offense. Given that chance, Betts ran for 300 yards, with an impressive 4.7 yards per carry average; he also caught 12 passes and with incumbent starter Stephen Davis apparently on the way out of town, Betts looks to get even more playing time next fall, if he doesn't start outright. At the same time, stumpy FB Rock Cartwright, almost an afterthought as the 257th player selected last April, didn't play all that much, but when he did usually made something happen, while 3rd round CB Rashad Bauman was solid on special teams and should move up to the #3 CB slot next season with Darrell Green retiring. Grade: C Seattle: Because of a rash of injuries this fall the Seahawks have played a lot of rookies; unfortunately, though, injuries also took a toll on Seattle's draft class which finished the year with mixed results. In fact, the most productive Seattle newcomer this year was 5th round DT Rocky Bernard who brought a non-stop motor to the Seahawks' defensive front, finishing the year with 49 tackles and 4 sacks. Meanwhile, second-round RB Maurice Morris, 1st round TE Jerramy Stevens and 4th round DE Anton Palepoi also showed some flashes, but all missed extensive playing time with injuries. Morris, for example, was one of the league's better kickoff returners early in the season, averaging 24 yards per return, including a 97-yarder for a TD. Morris also averaged over 5 yards per carry in limited time as a reserve RB, but ultimately played in only 6 games because of injuries. Stevens also missed 5 full games and parts of others with an ankle injury, but did catch 26 passes when healthy. Stevens, however, still couldn't dislodge veteran journeyman Itula Mili as the Seahawks' starter. For his part, Palepoi also missed 5 games with injury, but when healthy saw playing time in passing situations and had a sack. Undrafted free agent LB D.D. Lewis also played at times and had 17 tackles. Grade: C Philadelphia: The Eagles, already with one of the deepest secondaries in the league, were looking to the future when they invested their first three picks at the 2002 draft on DBs. And that's pretty much what they got, although S Micheal Lewis, a second round choice, looked like a star in the making when he filled in late in the seasons because of injuries. Lewis, a big hitter who slipped into the second round because of non-football health concerns, finished the year with 38 tackles and an interception; it was his big hits on receivers coming over the middle, however, that had people really paying attention.The Eagles' other second rounder, CB Sheldon Brown, also did not look out of place as a part-time nickle back, chipping in a couple of picks, but first round CB Lito Sheppard played little, in large part bexcause of injuries. Third-round RB Brian Westbrook, though, also contributed as a fill-in starter, but looks more like a career 3rd down/change of pace back rather than a future feature runner. Grade: C New England: In the end, the Patriots' 2002 draft class was a reflection of the entire season for the defending Super Bowl champions. In a word: disappointing. Second-round WR Deion Branch, for example, was one of the top offensive newcomers of the year in the first-half of the season when he caught 37 passes, but Branch pretty much disappeared in the second half of the year, catching only 6 passes for 81 yards in the final 8 games. That was better than 1st round TE Dan Graham, however, who never really did appear in the first place. Indeed, in a year in which other rookie TEs like the Giants' Jeremy Shockey, Randy McMichael of Miami and Doug Jolley of Oakland excelled, Graham was pretty much invisible, catching only 15 passes for just 150 yards. In fact, the only other Patriot rookie to play much other than Branch 4th round DE Jarvis Green who didn't looked totally out of place working in the DE rotation where he had 21 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Meanwhile, 7th round WR David Givens did show some potential in limited playing time. The ultimate grade for the Patriots' 2002 draft, though, could get a real boost if 7th round RB Antwoine Womack can play down the road. Womack was a highly regarded prospect at Virginia before suffering a serious knee injury prior to his senior season and could be a real steal if he can regain his former skill level. Grade: C Chicago: The Bears' dramatic plunge from contenders to pretenders wasn't helped by a 2002 draft class that provided little consistent production. OT Marc Colombo, the Bears' first-round pick this year, did move into the starting lineup early in the year and was at least adequate protecting the passer, but didn't get much of a push at the point of attack to help out the running game. Colombo, though, was lost for the year with a serious leg injury early in the second half of the campaign. There were some sparks from the rest of the Bears' rookie class, but nothing really special. Fourth-round DE Alex Brown, for example, got increased playing time as the season wore on and finsihed the year with 40 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 3 passes knocked down, while 6th round RB Adrian Peterson provided the Bears' lethargic running attack with a little life late in the season. Inactive until the final month of the season, Peterson, the former Divison 1-AA record holder, averaged over 5 yards a carry in limited playing time the fianl month of the schedule. Still, neither Brown nor Peterson look like future NFL starters , though, both could be useful situational players. Meanwhile, 2nd rouns CB Roosevelt Williams and DE Bryan Knight, one of two Bears' 5th rounders, also saw limited playing time, while S Bobby Gray, the Bears' other 5th round selection, showed some potential early on, but went on IR after appearing in just two games. TE John Gilmore, a 6th round pick of New Orleans, who was signed by theBears after being released by the Saints, also showed some potential, averaging 13 yards per catch on 10 receptions. Grade: C San Francisco: Needing a size upgrade at CB, the 49ers reached a bit for CB Mike Rumph with their first round pick last April. The season has been a struggle for Rumph, however, who has been the club's nickle back and sometime emergency starter. As advertised, Rumph can be a very physical cover corner, but he just has not been quick enough to stay with many receivers this sesaon and, as a result, has been picked on repeatedly. At least Rumph got to play some this year. The 49ers were also eager to get second round LB Saleem Rasheed into the mix this season, but he played in just 5 games earluy in the year because of a nagging ankle injury. In fact, the 49ers' best rookie on the yera was 7th round OG Eric Heitmann, a solid technician, who has helped stabilize the offensive front. Meanwhile, 4th round PK Jeff Chandler replaced an inconsistent Jose Cortez, who gave just about everyone in the Bay area ulcers, but wasn't much better hitting on just 8 of 12 FG attempts. Undrafted rookie free agent, RB Jamel Robertson, though, did help out the return game, averaging 22 yards on 11 kickoff returns. Grade: C St. Louis: The Rams' 2002 draft class got off to a bad start when 3rd-round QB-turned WR Eric Crouch abruptly quit football a month into the season and went home. Indeed, the whole 'draft a college QB; witch his position' gambit really blew up in the Rams' faces when 6th round QB-turned DB Steve Bellisari then went on injured reserve early in the year. The Rams, though, did get some useful production out of 2nd round CB Travis Fisher who was forced to start much of the year in place of an injured Aeneas Williams. Fisher made his share of mistakes, but showed nice recovery skills, finishing the season with 61 total tackles, 2 interceptions and 9 other pass braek ups. The Rams also gave first-round LB Robert Thomas every chance to win a starting job, but he struggled with play recognition, ultimately registering only 37 tackles and few big plays. Meanwhile, 4th round RB Lamar Gordon did enough to relegate 2000 #1 pick Trung Canidate to a virtual footnote; still, Gordon was only 'average' as Marshall Faulk's backup, averaging just 3.5 yards per rush this fall; Gordon, though, was more effective as a receiver, hauling in 30 passes. Grade: C Atlanta: The Falcons' #1 pick this year, RB D.J. Duckett, looked like a bulldozer at times, rushing for 507 yards as Atlanta's backup RB; Duckett, though, averaged only 3.9 yards while spending a lot of time in the shop with assorted injuries. If healthy, Duckett should get more playing time next season, but the pick remains the 2002 draft's most curious coming as it did after the Falcons had just signed former Tampa Bay RB Warrick Dunn to a big free agent contract. And with Dunn playing well this year, rushing for almost 1,000 yards and catching 50 passes, it will be hard to get him off the field next fall, likely fueling another year of RB controversy in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the rest of the Falcons' 2002 draft class has been pretty much invisible. Atlanta does have high hopes for third-round LB Will Overstreet, but a shoulder injury kept him out of all but one game before he was forced onto IR, while the other Falcons' rookies at least had good seats to NFL games. Grade: C- Kansas City: The Chiefs played their cards perfectly at the 2002 draft when they beat the clock and moved up a couple of spots to grab coveted DT Ryan Sims with the 6th pick overall. The Chiefs will have to wait until 2003 to get their payoff, however, as Sims spent all but three games on injured reserve with an elbow injury. The Chiefs are also still waiting on 2nd round DE Eddie Freeman, whom along with Sims, they see as a key to improving the NFL's worst defense; Freeman struggled early on this season , but did register 4 sacks after moving outside to DE from DT late in the campaign. The jury is still out, however, as to whether the Chiefs may, in fact, have a classic tweener in Freeman, that is, a player not quite not physical enough to play inside on an every-down basis and not quick enough to be a force rushing the passer from the outside. Overall, the Chiefs most productive draftee was 5th round LB Scott Fujita who started much of the season and made 55 tackles, but didn't contribute many impact plays. The Chiefs also got a huge boost from former CFL star Marc Boerigter, who qualifies as an undrafted free agent. Boerigter caught only 20 passes on the season, but 8 went for TDs as he averaged 21 yards per catch. Grade: C- Arizona: The Cardinals' used 3 of their first 5 picks at the 2002 draft on defensive linemen in an attempt to upgrade an undermanned defensive front. Unfortunately, the Cardinals are still waiting for the payoff from their investment. First-round DT Wendell Bryant, for example, was a major disappointment; the former Wisconsin All-American signed late and never was able to establish himself as a force. Indeed, Bryant finished the year with just 20 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Meanwhile, 3rd round DE Dennis Johnson, whom the Cardinals hoped might help jump-start an anemic pass rush, rarely played and never did record a sack, while 4th round DT Nate Dwyer spent the year on the practice squad. Second round LB Levar Fisher did play well when healthy, but was slowed by a knee injury all season before going on IR in mid-December. In fact, the Cardinals most productive rookie this year was 5th round WR Jason McAddley who wasn't able to play until mid-season because of injury, but did provide the offense a bit of a spark with 25 receptions down the stretch as he emerged as the Cardinals' go-to receiver with David Boston and Frank Sanders out with injuries. Third-round QB Josh McCown also got a taste of action, but only enough to tell the Cardinals that he has a long way to go before he will contend for a starting role after he completed only 39% of his pass attempts and was intercepted twice and sacked 5 times in 18 total pass attempts. Grade: C- New York Jets: The Jets reached somewhat for DE Bryan Thomas with their 1st round pick last April hoping the the former Alabama-Birmingham star would add some quicknesss to their outside pass rush. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out that way for the Jets as Thomas has been limited by injuries and some off-field problems. Even when healthy, however, Thomas was largely ineffective, contributing only 9 tackles and 0.5 sacks. The Jets have been much happier with second round SS Jon McGraw, a solid special teamer, who didn't look at all out of place when asked to step into the starting lineup as an emergency injury replacement. That's pretty much been it for the Jets' draft class, however, unless one counts the two receptions recorded by 3rd round TE Chris Baker. Mid-season grade: D+ Tampa Bay: With no pick in either the first or second rounds, and only 4 selections overall prior to the final round, the Buccaneers weren't expecting much from the 2002 draft, and that's what they got. Indeed, a 6-yard reception by 4th round RB Travis Stephens and one tackle from 5th round DB Jermaine Phillips was about it for the Bucs' draft class, while undrafted free agents DT Buck Gurley and LB Ryan Nece both had two tackles. The Tampa Bay draft class wasn't helped, though, when the team's top pick, third-round WR Marquise Walker, went on IR after a month with a thumb injury, though, he had barely played prior to the injury; as well, Stephens also spent most of the second half of the season on IR. You probably won't find many Bucanneers' fans saying it wasn't worth it to send all those picks to Oakland for the rights to sign head coach Jon Gruden who has the Bucs with a home-field playoff game this weekend. In fact, about the only person unhappy in Tampa with giving up the picks may be Gruden himself! Grade: Incomplete
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