Catch a rising star

Longhorns' Williams making his case as the draft's top receiver

Roy Williams will be all smiles on draft day. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Roy vs. Larry   Williams Fitzgerald Height 6'2 1/2" 6'2 7/8" Weight 212 pounds 225 pounds 40 4.37-4.44 4.47-4.51 Vertical 39 1/2 inches 35 inches Long Jump 11'0" 10'1" Shuttle 3.97 seconds 4.27 seconds

In light of Roy Williams' lights-out performance during Texas' pro day, everyone is eagerly awaiting USC sophomore Mike Williams' personal workout on April 8. Ol' Roy -- the only senior among the top four receivers -- lit up scouts with 40 times ranging between 4.37 and 4.44 seconds, a vertical jump of 39 1/2 inches, 3.97 seconds in the shuttle drill and a long jump of 11 feet.

Considering that this year's draft is both receiver and cornerback heavy, Williams' numbers further cloud the waters when trying to determine who the best receiver is: one of the two Williams or Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald, another sophomore? A third Williams -- Reggie, a junior from Washington -- is the concensus No. 4 WR.

So with so much depth at WR and CB (and teams having other needs besides catching the ball and defending the position) how does the draft shake out? It's a given that several players with potential first-round talent will slip into Round 2, and there even may be some trading that could turn this draft on its head. The fact is that the 2004 draft will be remembered as one of the deepest in history.

Before we unveil our third stab at how the first round will unfold, there are a few e-mails to answer:

You know the Ravens' WR situation. With their first pick No. 51, how would you handle getting a quality WR and who?
 -- George, Baltimore

Well, I wouldn't trade with the Niners, that's for sure. And once the dust settled on the Terrell Owens trade-no trade, I believe the Ravens actually will come out ahead in the long run. The Eagles can have T.O.; he's one guy (albeit a good receiver when he wants to be, kind of a Randy Moss lite).

Owens' one shining moment came in 1999 when he caught the game-winning TD against Green Bay in the Divisional round. But even that is tainted. Ask any Packers fan and they will tell you that on the Niners' game-winning drive that Jerry Rice fumbled the ball but the pass was ruled incomplete to eventually set the stage for T.O.'s "heroics."

By the time Baltimore gets on the clock in Round 2, the marquee receivers will be long gone, and perhaps even the likes of Wisconsin's Lee Evans, Michael Jenkins of Ohio State and LSU's Devery Henderson will have iffy availability. One name to remember, though, is P.K. Sam.

What do the Giants do now? They have signed two offensive linemen [Shaun O'Hara and Barry Stokes]; Rich Seubert is coming back; Luke Petitgout, David Diehl and Ian Allen could battle it out for the final O-line spot. Do you still see them drafting Robert Gallery or a running back or a defensive player?
 -- Jim, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

I have been a Giants fan for all my life. I still don't see why they would "waste" the No. 4 pick on an offensive lineman. In my opinion they should take Sean Taylor with this pick. He is probably the best athlete in the draft and will be a difference maker in the league. I saw him play in many games last season and he is as sure a bet to be an impact player because of 1.) his instincts and 2.) safety is one of the surest positions in the NFL. What the Giants should do is stock up on offensive linemen in the later rounds. Also they should trade Ron Dayne so they can get something for the first rounder they wasted.
 -- Sham, West Palm Beach, Fla.

If Gallery is off the board at No. 4, the Giants should look defense. In Round 2, New York could draft Nat Dorsey at No. 34 and have the left tackle spot tied up for 10 years. Dorsey is 20 years old, and his less-than-impressive pro day numbers aside, he was lauded for his game play the past three years. Again, forget the numbers; go with what you have seen with the pads on.

Given that the first three picks most likely will be offensive players, the Giants could start at Sean Taylor, work their way to Tommie Harris and end at Jonathan Vilma. Any of those three players would be immediate impact starters for New York.

I'm a big Cowboys fan, so with the acquisition of Marcellus Wiley do you think they might now go after Ben Troupe instead? I think this would complement their young wide reciever core.
 -- Brandon, Campton, Ky.

Nope, the 'Boys do not need a tight end; Jason Witten -- a third-round pick last year -- will be fine. Dallas needs a running back and more D-line depth (and not necessarily in that order). Everyone wants to beat their chests and shout about Dallas' No. 1-ranked run defense, but there is more to consider when drafting: players' age, contract status (pending free agents, franchise/transition tag), salary cap, etc.

There are few teams as good at keeping a secret as the Chargers, so to be certain what the Chargers are going to do I can never state as fact. But their recent moves -- or lack of moves -- toward Jeff Garcia, Billy Volek or Jon Kitna have me believing they might have changed their minds. Here's hoping they take the franchise quarterback, since having one covers up many of a team's mistakes.
 -- Sergio, Tijuana, Mexico

The Chargers have nine draft picks (three on Day 1), so their first choice must be a difference maker -- for San Diego, not the team it trades with. I will never take umbrage with the deal that landed LaDainian Tomlinson, but all anyone remembers is that Atlanta got Michael Vick as a result of the trade. If the Bolts move out of the top spot, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Getting one of the top five or six receivers would be an upgrade, and then being in position to get a QB like Philip Rivers or J.P. Losman wouldn't be a bad thing, either. However, if San Diego stays at No. 1 and then drafts tackle Robert Gallery -- boo. There are too many skill players that could make an immediate impact for the Chargers to take an O-lineman and justify the pick.

I am a huge Steelers fan! I just wanted to know if there are a lot of good offensive lineman in the draft? The Steelers haven't had a good running game in a while and I think the O-line could use some help.
 -- Tom, Windsor, Ontario

Yes, there are other O-linemen not named Gallery, Andrews, Grove or Carey. I've already mentioned Nat Dorsey, and other names to know include centers Alex Stepanovich, Scott Wells and Josh Sewell; guards Justin Smiley, Chris Snee and Sean Locklear; and tackles Jacob Rogers, Adrian Jones and Kelly Butler.

I am a big fan of Philip Rivers. I think he was more consistent in college and he shows more talent and ability. Why is he slated as the third or fourth best QB? I believe Eli Manning is highly overrated, although I think Ben Roethlisberger has what it takes. So what's the deal with these guys? Who do you think will make the biggest impact?
 -- James, Germantown, Md.

I like 'em all, but will argue Manning being overrated; name me one receiver from Ole Miss. Manning put up phenomenal numbers with no-name receivers. Roethlisberger's up side is tremendous, as is Rivers', but someone has to go first, second and third -- and I think that's how these guys will be picked. As for who will have the biggest impact, give it a few years, but I think Rivers could be huge.

SI.com's 2004 Mock Draft -- Take 3 Pick Team Pos. Player College Ht. Wt. Class 1 QB Eli Manning Ole Miss 6'4" 221 Sr. Forget Ryan Leaf and Drew Brees. Take Manning and end the QB quagmire once and for all. 2 WR Larry Fitzgerald Pittsburgh 6'2" 225 Soph. Imagine this offense five years down the road if the Raiders take QB J.P. Losman in Round 2. 3 WR Mike Williams USC 6'5" 212 Soph. Pass on QB Ben Roethlisberger at your own risk, Denny Green. But who are we to argue? 4 T Robert Gallery Iowa 6'7" 323 Sr. Even with the Giants' offseason O-line signings, Gallery is the linchpin for years to come. 5 DE Kenechi Udeze USC 6'2" 281 Jr. Washington can subsist with TEs Walter Rasby and Robert Royal. The Skins need help on D. 6 S Sean Taylor Miami (Fla.) 6'2" 230 Jr. The Lions' defensive overhaul gets a huge cog in the middle of the field. 7 DT Tommie Harris Oklahoma 6'2" 295 Jr. If you want to make a statement, Butch Davis, continue building in the trenches. 8 WR Roy Williams Texas 6'2" 212 Sr. The ripple effect of signing of free-agent DT Rod Coleman is a needed upgrade at receiver. 9 TE Kellen Winslow Jr. Miami (Fla.) 6'3" 251 Jr. Kyle Brady isn't getting any younger, and Winslow's presence would help the WR corps. 10 DT Vince Wilfork Miami (Fla.) 6'1" 323 Jr. Wilfork and a second-round DB -- S Bob Sanders or CB Joey Thomas? -- would be impressive. 11 QB Ben Roethlisberger Miami (Ohio) 6'4" 241 Jr. It'll be a QB, either Big Ben or Philip Rivers. Pitt's last first-round QB: Mark Malone (1980). 12 LB Jonathan Vilma Miami (Fla.) 6'0" 233 Sr. Hands down the top 'backer available, the Jets must rebuild behind an emerging D-line. 13 QB Philip Rivers North Carolina State 6'5" 229 Sr. So Kordell Stewart is interested in the Bills. Look to the future, Tom Donahoe. 14 DT Randy Starks Maryland 6'3" 314 Jr. It's been too easy to run on the Bears' D since Ted Washington's standout season of 2001. 15 WR Reggie Williams Washington 6'3" 229 Jr. Joey Galloway is a nice piece, but Williams would bring the element of size and speed. 16 DE Will Smith Ohio State 6'2" 275 Sr. Move Brandon Whiting (6-3, 285) inside and pass-rush Andre Carter and Smith from the ends. 17 CB Dunta Robinson South Carolina 5'10" 186 Sr. Combine Robinson with Dennis Weathersby and Marvin Lewis' D looks even better. 18 CB DeAngelo Hall Virginia Tech 5'10" 202 Jr. Saints need to upgrade at CB (Fred Thomas, Ashley Ambrose) and this is a good first step. 19 DE Antwan Odom Alabama 6'5" 274 Jr. Signing free-agent CB Antoine Winfield allows the Vikings to address their weak pass rush. 20 T Shawn Andrews Arkansas 6'4" 366 Jr. Signing free-agent T John St. Clair is a depth move. Adding Andrews is a move for the future. 21 RB Steven Jackson Oregon State 6'1" 241 Jr. Why should the Pats package picks to move up? Take the RB, then add a LB or D-lineman. 22 RB Kevin Jones Virginia Tech 6'0" 227 Jr. Dallas' history is a year between great backs: '89, Dorsett to Smith; '03, Emmitt to Jones. 23 DT Darnell Dockett Florida State 6'3" 297 Sr. Adios, John Randle and Chad Eaton, hola the new age of Mean Men in Seafoam Green. 24 TE Ben Troupe Florida 6'4" 265 Sr. Replacing the soon-to-depart Shannon Sharpe is the more prudent choice over a receiver. 25 LB D.J. Williams Miami (Fla.) 6'0" 250 Sr. Williams and Nick Barnett may conjure up visions of Ray Nitschke and Dave Robinson. 26 DE Marquise Hill LSU 6'6" 305 Jr. Teaming Hill with Leonard Little would give the Rams a solid 1-2 punch from the ends. 27 DE Jason Babin Western Michigan 6'2" 260 Sr. A wild-card entry, Babin is moving up draft boards faster than Britney Spears' wedding/divorce. 28 C Jake Grove Virginia Tech 6'3" 303 Sr. Now that the Eagles have Terrell Owens, building their O-line becomes a priority. 29 LB Daryl Smith Georgia Tech 6'1" 234 Sr. Versatile enough to play inside or outside, Smith's stock is rising to first-round level. 30 CB Will Poole USC 5'10" 194 Sr. Pick a DB, any DB, Dick Vermeil: Poole, Chris Gamble, Ricardo Colclough or Matt Ware. 31 G Vernon Carey Miami (Fla.) 6'4" 335 Sr. Kevin Donnalley retired. Jeno James inked with Miami. Any question guard is a 'need' position? 32 LB Karlos Dansby Auburn 6'3" 251 Sr. The Pats could use Dansby's athleticism, especially if he moves inside in their 3-4 scheme. React Enter your thoughts below and we'll post some of the responses in the coming days. Your Name: Your E-mail Address: Your City, State: Your Comment:

B. Duane Cross is a senior producer for SI.com.