BEARS
1, Brian Urlacher, lb, New Mexico (9); 2, Mike Brown, s, Nebraska (39); 3, Dez White, wr, Georgia Tech (69); 3, Dustin Lyman, te, Wake Forest (87); 4, Reggie Austin, db, Wake Forest (125); 6, Frank Murphy, rb, Kansas State (170); 6, Paul Edinger, pk, Michigan State (174); 7, James Cotton, de, Ohio State (223); 7, Mike Green, db, Northwestern State (254).
Urlacher looks like a defensive end, played safety and will start at linebacker. Can he kick? Catch passes? Throw them? Probably, if they ask. Brown will challenge Shawn Wooden at free safety. White and Lyman are both projects on an offense that needs more immediate help. Austin will join the group of defensive backs chasing the big receivers in the NFC Central.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
1, Thomas Jones, rb, Virginia (7); 2, Raynoch Thompson, lb, Tennessee (41); 3, Darwin Walker, dt, Tennessee (71); 4, David Barrett, db, Arkansas (102); 5, Mao Tosi, dt, Idaho (136); 5, Jay Tant, te, Northwestern (164); 6, Jabari Issa, dt, Washington (176); 7, Sekou Sanyika, lb, California (215).
For a team that got into the playoffs only two years ago, the Cardinals have a lot of holes to fill. Jones fills one dire need and Thompson and Walker fill two others. Still, coach Vince Tobin got very little in free agency and has to find a way to keep Simeon Rice happy and either replace or rejuvenate Eric Swann. Jones will help keep pressure off quarterback Jake Plummer.
ATLANTA FALCONS
2, Travis Claridge, ot, Southern California (37); 3, Mark Simoneau, lb, Kansas State (67); 4, Michael Thompson, ot, Tennessee State (100); 5, Anthony Midget, db, Virginia Tech (134); 6, Mareno Philyaw, wr, Troy State (172); 7, Darrick Vaughn, db, Southwest Texas State (211).
Last year, the Falcons sent this year’s No. 1 pick to Baltimore to land tight end Reggie Kelly, a player they didn’t really need or use. Maybe this year. Coach Dan Reeves is trying to rebuild his offensive line and Claridge is a good start. The Falcons got the name of the draft in defensive back Anthony Midget, who at 5 feet 11 inches isn’t as small as many.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
1, Rashard Anderson, db, Jackson State (23); 2, Deon Grant, s, Tennessee (57); 3, Leander Jordan, g, Indiana, Pa. (82); 4, Alvin McKinley, dt, Mississippi State (120); 5, Gillis Wilson, dt, Southern (147); 6, Jeno James, ot, Auburn (182); 7, Lester Towns, lb, Washington (221).
Anderson is the biggest cornerback in a draft full of big receivers. He and free agent Jimmy Hitchcock will start in rebuilt secondary. Grant has talent but was downgraded by most teams for a reluctance to hit. Jordan hopes to follow the lead of former small-college teammate Chris Villarial. He could replace departed Nate Newton.
DALLAS COWBOYS
2, Dwayne Goodrich, db, Tennessee (49); 4, Kareem Larrimore, db, West Texas A&M (109); 5, Michael Wiley, wr, Ohio State (144); 6, Mario Edwards, db, Florida State (180); 7, Orantes Grant, lb, Georgia (219).
Jerry Jones gave Seattle his No. 1 and No. 3 picks this year and a No. 1 next for receiver Joey Galloway. New coach Dave Campo selected four defensive backs, which gives you a good idea of how much Deion Sanders contributed. Cowboys can’t afford Sanders anymore and now they get to find out if they can afford not to have him. Maybe Galloway can play both ways like what’s-his-name used to do.
DETROIT LIONS
1, Stockar McDougle, ot, Oklahoma (20); 2, Barrett Green, lb, West Virginia (50); 3, Reuben Droughns, rb, Oregon (81); 5, Todd Franz, db, Tulsa (145); 6, Quinton Reese, de, Auburn (181); 7, Alfonso Boone, dt, Mount San Antonio JC (253).
The Lions are collecting giant blockers now that Barry Sanders is retired. McDougle weighs 350 and looks small compared to last year’s No. 1, 380-pound Aaron Gibson of Wisconsin. Coach Bobby Ross said his team had Droughns rated as a first-round talent. The undersized Green joins a group of young, active linebackers led by last year’s No. 1 pick, Chris Claiborne.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
1, Bubba Franks, te, Miami (14); 2, Chad Clifton, ot, Tennessee (44); 3, Steve Warren, dt, Nebraska (74); 4, Na’il Diggs, lb, Ohio State (98); 4, Anthony Lucas, wr, Arkansas (114); 4, Gary Berry, db, Ohio State (126); 5, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, de, San Diego State (149); 5, Joey Jamison, kr, Texas Southern (151); 7, Mark Tauscher, ot, Wisconsin (224); 7, Ron Moore, dt, Northwestern Oklahoma (229); 7, Charles Lee, wr, Central Florida (242); 7, Eugene McCaslin, lb, Florida (249); 7, Rondell Mealey, rb, LSU (252).
Franks gives quarterback Brett Favre the big threat in the middle of the field he missed last year when Mark Chmura was injured. Clifton could start at right guard. The Pack didn’t want to wait until the third round to address the defense. Warren, Diggs and Berry will have plenty of opportunity to make a difference.
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MINNESOTA VIKINGS
1, Chris Hovan, dt, Boston College (25); 2, Fred Robbins, dt, Wake Forest (55); 2, Michael Boireau, de, Miami (56); 3, Doug Chapman, rb, Marshall (88); 4, Antonio Wilson, lb, Texas A&M-Commerce (106); 4, Tyrone Carter, db, Minnesota (118); 5, Troy Walters, wr, Stanford (165); 7, Mike Malano, c, San Diego State (240); 7, Giles Cole, te, Texas A&M Kingsville (244); 7, Lewis Kelly, g, South Carolina State (248).
With three picks in the first two rounds, coach Dennis Green addressed a major need on his defensive line. Hovan could help inside or outside because he has the kind of ability and drive that made John Randle a star. Robbins and Boireau also will challenge for starting positions. Chapman joins former college teammate Randy Moss.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
2, Darren Howard, de, Kansas State (33); 4, Terrelle Smith, rb, Arizona State (96); 5, Tutan Reyes, ot, Mississippi (131); 5, Austin Wheatley, te, Iowa (158); 5, Chad Morton, rb, Southern California; 6, Marc Bulger, qb, West Virginia (168); 6, Michael Hawthorne, db, Purdue (195); 6, Sherrod Gideon, wr, Southern Mississippi (200); 7, Kevin Houser, te, Ohio State (228).
This was still Mike Ditka’s draft, but he wasn’t around to enjoy it. The Saints sent this year’s No. 1 and No. 3 picks plus last year’s Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 picks to Washington to draft Ricky Williams. It got Ditka fired. This year, new coach Jim Haslett got a blocking back in Smith. Howard is a pass-rush specialist who will help a revamped front.
NEW YORK GIANTS
1, Ron Dayne, rb, Wisconsin (11); 2, Cornelius Griffin, dt, Alabama (42); 3, Ronald Dixon, wr, Lambuth (73); 4, Brandon Short, lb, Penn State (105); 5, Ralph Brown, db, Nebraska (140); 6, Dhani Jones, lb, Michigan (177); 7, Jeremiah Parker, de, California (217).
Dayne joins last year’s Big Ten running backs Joe Montgomery and Sean Bennett on a team that loves big backs but finished 24th in rushing. Coach Jim Fassel will be able to retool offense and put quarterback Kerry Collins in more of a play-action attack. Griffin will challenge as a starter in the middle of a defense that needs strength inside.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
1, Corey Simon, dt, Florida State (6); 2, Todd Pinkston, wr, Southern Mississippi (36); 2, Bobby Williams, g, Arkansas (61); 4, Gari Scott, wr, Michigan State (99); 6, Thomas Hamner, rb, Minnesota (171); 6, John Frank, de, Utah (178); 6, John Romero, c, California (192).
Simon was the player they wanted, but Pinkston must turn into the receiver quarterback Donovan McNabb needs to improve a passing offense that ranked last in the league. They traded up for Williams to solidify an improved offensive line and Scott is the Michigan State co-captain who didn’t have much good to say about teammate Plaxico Burress.
ST. LOUIS RAMS
1, Trung Canidate, rb, Arizona (31); 2, Jacoby Shepherd, db, Oklahoma State (62); 3, John St. Clair, c, Virginia (94); 4, Kaulana Noa, g, Hawaii (104); 5, Brian Young, dl, Texas-El Paso (139); 6, Matt Bowen, db, Iowa (198); 7, Andrew Kline, g, San Diego State (220).
The high-scoring, high-flying Rams are trying to enter the Olympics. They added speedy breakaway back Canidate to their cast of sprinters. He could replace departed third-down back Amp Lee. In free agency, the Rams signed Denver running back Derek Loville, as if one-man backfield Marshall Faulk needs more help. St. Clair and Noa fill for free-agent losses of center Mike Gruttadauria and tackle Fred Miller.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
1, Julian Peterson, lb, Michigan State (16); 1, Ahmed Plummer, db, Ohio State (24); 2, John Engelberger, de, Virginia Tech (35); 2, Jason Webster, db, Texas A&M (48); 3, Giovanni Carmazzi, qb, Hofstra (65); 3, Jeff Ulbrich, lb, Hawaii (86); 4, John Keith, s, Furman (108); 5, Paul Smith, rb, Texas-El Paso (132); 5, John Milem, de, Lenoir-Rhyne (150); 7, Tim Rattay, qb, Louisiana Tech (212); 7, Brian Jennings, te, Arizona State (230).
Dealing for quantity, General Manager Bill Walsh is trying to repeat history and rebuild this team for the second time. Like he did the first time, Walsh concentrated on defense. Plummer and Webster will start at cornerback. Peterson and Engelberger will start on the front seven. Carmazzi reminds Walsh of former Bengal QB Kenny Anderson of Batavia. Rattay is Gary Crowton’s old quarterback.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
2, Cosey Coleman, g, Tennessee (51); 3, Nate Webster, lb, Miami (90); 5, James Whalen, te, Kentucky (157); 6, David Gibson, db, Southern California (193); 7, Joe Hamilton, qb, Georgia Tech (234).
For years, the Bucs patiently waited their turn and kept their draft picks. No more. In the most dramatic move of the draft, they gave up both No. 1s to land Keyshawn Johnson from the New York Jets. One of the best players in football, he will instantly improve the passing offense that ranked next-to-last in the NFL. The Bucs even made the first trade of draft day, trading up to land another offensive player, Coleman.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
1, LaVar Arrington, lb, Penn State (2); 1, Chris Samuels, ot, Alabama (3); 3, Lloyd Harrison, db, North Carolina State (64); 4, Michael Moore, g, Troy State (129); 5, Quincy Sanders, db, UNLV (155); 6, Todd Husak, qb, Stanford (202); 7, Delbert Cowsette, dt, Maryland (216); 7, Ethan Howell, wr, Oklahoma State (250).
It’s hard to make a mistake with the second and third picks in a four-player draft. The Redskins feel they have two instant stars in Arrington and Samuels. Added to free agents Bruce Smith, Mark Carrier, Jeff George and maybe Deion Sanders, this team thinks it is Super Bowl-ready. But they are trying to improve a defense that was second-worst in the NFL, so Arrington needs to be as good as advertised.