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The good, the bad and the questionable of the first round

Donte Stallworth should put up solid numbers opposite Joe Horn in New Orleans this season. Doug Pensinger/Allsport

By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com

Everybody loves the NFL Draft and everybody is a "draftnik."

Except me.

Not that I think the draft is unimportant or uninteresting -- like most of you, I sat here and watched every last minute of this year's proceedings. It's just that I have a hard time getting excited about rookies in general. The truth is, as a professional Fantasy geek I simply don't have the time and/or the energy to be a true "draftnik," which is a full-time job in its own right.

In fact, as a professional Fantasy geek, I have a hard time getting incredibly excited about anybody I haven't seen compete at the pro level yet.

Of course, that will change as the newcomers start getting their feet wet in upcoming mini-camps, training camp workouts and preseason games. But since it is that time of the year and I hate to get left out of the fun, I'll go ahead and throw in my two cents worth on this year' first-rounders -- with a bit of a twist.

Rather than trying to predict whether they're actually capable of getting the job done at this level, which regardless of their collegiate accomplishments is hardly a given at this point, I'm going to review the cream of the 2002 crop based on the needs of the team that drafted them, individual character and whatever other "intangibles" might come into play in each player's case.

Using that criterion, I've broken up the 11 offensive skill players selected in the first round last Saturday into three groups: The Good; The Bad; and The Questionable.

The Good

David Carr, QB, Houston Texans (1st pick overall)
Like most first-round draft picks, Carr clearly has the talent to get the job done at the pro level. A quick glance at his performance as a senior at Fresno State tells the whole story: The 6-3, 225-pounder led the nation in passing yards (4,839) and touchdowns (46). He also become only the sixth quarterback in history to throw for 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in a single season. He had 10 300-yard games in 2001 before topping his career as a Bulldog off with a monster 531-yard, four-touchdown effort against Michigan State in the Silicon Valley Bowl.

But let's get to the good stuff. Those of you looking for character flaws might want to pack a lunch, because Carr, who is married and has a 21-month-old son, is squeaky clean. The fact that he earned scout team player of the year honors while redshirting in 1999 is indicative of the kind of guy he is. By the way, Carr spent game days that season sitting in the coaching box listening to offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig through a headset.

It's also worth noting that Carr has relied heavily on another former Bulldog, Trent Dilfer, for advice in making the transition from the college to the pro level. Dilfer has reportedly offered Carr words of wisdom on everything from where to set up his television to what kind of cereal he should eat once he's an NFL quarterback.

He's provided plenty of football advice, too.

And Dilfer has stressed one thing above all else: "Take care of your family."

"He told me to spend more time with my wife when I'm home, to make sure she's included in everything," Carr said. "If your home life is stable, then the football stuff will be like high school or when you were playing in the backyard."

"They've become very close," said agent, Mike Sullivan, who has represented Dilfer since he was a rookie and was hired by Carr in January. "Last summer, they had quite a few phone calls. Trent tried to give David some ideas of what he would experience. Trent went through a lot of things David went through in his final year at Fresno State, as well as pre-draft issues.

"David has benefited from Trent's experience and advice."

The bottom line? We're talking about a mature, firmly grounded and intelligent kid. And that's a darned good start.

As for situation he walks into with the Texans, it couldn't be better.

For starters he'll be working closely with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer, who has an impressive track record. In addition to coaching Drew Bledsoe (Patriots) and Tim Couch (Browns) when they were the top picks in the draft, Palmer also coached Mark Brunell and Rob Johnson in Jacksonville.

And perhaps best of all, the only thing standing between Carr and a starting job is Kent Graham, who failed to fend off Kordell Stewart in Pittsburgh two years ago, even though Steeler head coach Bill Cowher all but handed him the starting job during training camp. Graham's inability to beat out Tony Banks in Washington last season lends further credence to my belief he'll have a hard time keeping Carr on the bench this year, too.

Joey Harrington, QB, Detroit Lions (3rd pick overall)
The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder was 24-4 as a starter at Oregon and led the team to 10 fourth-quarter comebacks. He threw 23 touchdowns with just five interceptions last season and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

But unlike Carr, the numbers don't tell the whole story.

As Lions president Matt Millen said on Saturday, "He's not unbelievable in any one area. He's just really, really good in a bunch of them. And on top of that, he's got the intangibles. He's got all the things you're looking for in a quarterback. And that position is the most-important position."

Harrington agreed with Millen's assessment.

"I think what I bring to the table isn't necessarily all physical skills," he explained. "I have the ability to play at this level, but I'm not a player who is going to go out and run a 4.3 or throw a bomb 75 yards down the field. That's just not my style."

The Sports Xchange, who provided the NFL with profiles of all this year's draft-eligible players, probably put it best when they wrote: "Few athletes in Oregon annals have exhibited the charisma of the third-year starter, instilling the belief among those around him of invincibility. Whether it is his willingness to accept the burden of the team's fate on his shoulders or the exuding of confidence he transmits to his teammates, Joey Harrington has developed into something special."

The fact that Detroit used four different quarterbacks last year -- Marty Mornhinweg's first season as head coach --- while posting a 2-14 record, has to weigh in Harrington's favor. So does the fact that Detroit is moving into a new stadium this season.

And even though Mike McMahon looked better than expected in three appearances as a starter last year, I'm still not sold on second-year man-to-be. Of particular concern is the fact he's never completed more than 50 percent of his passes at either the college or pro level.

But I find something Sports Illustrated's Peter King pointed out late last year even more worrisome: Except for the top of his head and his eyebrows, McMahon shaves all of his body hair. All of it.

My guess says that practice has raised more than a few eyebrows in Detroit's locker room.

Donte' Stallworth, WR, New Orleans Saints (13th pick overall)
The first receiver selected Saturday, Stallworth, who absolutely blew scouts away by posting a 4.24 time in the 40-yard dash at a recent workout, was one of the fastest players in available.

The 6-0, 197-pounder, who opted to leave Tennessee after his junior year, missed three games last season but still managed 41 catches for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had 35 catches for 519 yards and a TD as a sophomore.

In addition to providing the kind of high-character presence the Saints desperately need, Stallworth addresses an immediate on-field need for play-making ability on the perimeter. According to New Orleans Times-Picayune beat writer Jeff Duncan, he should fill the hole that has existed for two years opposite Joe Horn.

Despite the fact that rookie receivers rarely have a major impact in the NFL, head coach Jim Haslett seemed to agree with Duncan when he told reporters, "Donte’ was the guy we coveted from the start. What can you say -- great speed, great intangibles, great kid. He can help us out immediately."

The fact that recently-signed free agent Jerome Pathon is still slowed by a foot injury he suffered early last season makes it even more likely that Stallworth will be asked to contribute early.

Jeremy Shockey, TE, New York Giants (14th pick overall)
Quick. Name any of the New York’s current tight ends. What's that? You can't? Don't feel bad. Dan Campbell and Marcellus Rivers are hardly household names. In fact, Shockey is probably already better known than both of them.

And not without reason.

Giants tight ends combined to catch a grand total of 17 passes last year, while Shockey was a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation's top tight end after finishing the 2001 season with a career-high 40 receptions for 519 yards and seven touchdowns. And despite leaving the University of Miami a year early, the 6-4, 255-pounder closed out his career ranked sixth on the school's all-time list at tight end with 61 receptions for 815 yards and 10 touchdowns. Only current Green Bay Packer Bubba Franks (12) had more touchdown catches as a Hurricane.

As for character, according to ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli, Shockey had a minor marijuana charge expunged from his legal record years ago after taking part in a court-ordered program. But even though he could have legally denied the past charge when teams asked him about his past at the combine, Shockey went ahead and told most of the teams that interviewed him about the incident, apparently figuring that candor was the best way to go.

He was right.

Javon Walker, WR, Green Bay Packers (20th pick overall)
Standing nearly 6-3 and tipping the scales at 210 pounds, Walker boasts sub-4.4 speed, and definitely knows how to use that size and speed to his advantage, something he demonstrated during a tremendous senior season in which he served as the Florida State’s go-to-guy. Walker finished the 2001 season with 45 catches for 944 yards (good for a whopping 21-yard per catch average) and seven TDs.

While he won't be pressured to start, the uncertain contribution of former Patriot Terry Glenn and last year’s second-round draft pick Robert Ferguson -- not to mention the anticipated post-June 1 departure of Antonio Freeman -- means Walker must be productive right away. According to Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel staffer Tom Silverstein, one of the main reasons the Packers moved up eight spots to take Walker was his maturity and pro experience (gained during a three-year stint as a minor league baseball player).

Silverstein went on to say the Packers will count on Walker's size and speed to stretch the field. Coaches envision him using his big body to fight press coverage and his speed to draw safety help downfield, opening the middle for Glenn and Ferguson. If Glenn draws double-teams, Walker could end up running a lot of vertical routes. Giving up a second-round pick to move up eight spots was a gamble, and Walker must pay dividends right away.

Daniel Graham, TE, New England Patriots (21st pick overall)
Widely considered one of the top players available, Graham ranked second among all the nation’s tight ends with 51 receptions for 753 yards and six touchdowns last year -- a performance that earned him the John Mackey Award, honoring the country’s top tight end. An exceptional pass catcher, the 6-3, 248-pounder finished his collegiate career with 106 receptions for 1,543 yards and 11 touchdowns after serving as Colorado's primary receiving threat as a senior.

Although he enters a crowded field in New England -- a field that includes returning starter Jermaine Wiggins, recent free agent acquisitions Cam Cleeland and Christian Fauria as well as 2001 draftees Jabari Holloway and Arther Love -- I still like Graham's chances of becoming a contributor this year.

Wiggins is a decent receiver, but Graham is still a more skilled pass-catcher. And despite his relative lack of size, the newcomer is already much more effective blocker than Wiggins will ever be.

And what, you ask, about Cleeland and Fauria?

Well. ... The obvious concern is injuries.

Injuries have limited Cleeland to appearing in just 35 of 64 games during his four-years as a pro. And according to Mike Holmgren, who decided to let Fauria leave via free agency rather than re-signing him this offseason, "[Fauria is] a terrific young man, a great leader. I just think he had too much metal in his body [from various surgical procedures performed] over the years and I didn't think he was going to last."

Patrick Ramsey, QB, Washington Redskins (32nd pick overall)
The third quarterback taken behind Carr and Harrington, Ramsey passed for more than 9,000 yards and 71 touchdowns during his collegiate career at Tulane.

If you ask me, Ramsey couldn't have asked for a better situation than the one he'll find in Washington, where head coach Steve Spurrier claims he's ready to go to war with Danny Wuerffel as his starter.

C'mon. Quit laughing.

If you ask me, the presence of Wuerffel, who played under Spurrier -- and won a Heisman Trophy -- during his collegiate career at Florida, is likely to work in Ramsey’s favor. Whether or not you actually believe Wuerffel is capable of serving as a viable starter in the NFL, his knowledge of Spurrier's system will allow him to help Ramsey get up to speed more quickly than he would have otherwise.

By the way, any questions about character were probably best addressed by ESPN's Merril Hoge, who told viewers on Saturday that Ramsey is the kind of guy you'd like your wife to marry.

I think he meant it.

The Bad

William Green, RB, Cleveland Browns (16th pick overall)
Make no mistake about it, the 6-0, 220-pound Green is a powerful running back who is more than capable of getting the job done at the pro level. According to the Sports Xchange, he's an explosive and physical ballcarrier with game-breaking speed and an attitude comparable to that of Marshall Faulk.

The Big East Offensive Player of the Year, Green carried 265 times for 1,559 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final collegiate season. In 31 career games, he carried 501 times for 2,974 yards and 33 touchdowns to place third on Boston College's career rushing list.

And it's hard to question his heart.

After all, Green had a tough row to hoe growing up in the tough projects of Atlantic City, N.J. His father came back from Vietnam hooked on heroin and died of AIDS when Green was in the sixth grade. His mother died 16 months later, also from AIDS. Green and his four siblings were split up, and he was raised by his grandmother, who did her best to keep the youngster off the streets.

I should also point out that Green will have every opportunity to win the starting job in Cleveland this year. After all, the Browns haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since 1985, and the club hadn't taken a running back higher than the third round since returning to the league in 1999.

Nonetheless, team officials in Cleveland readily concede that they had doubts about Green, who was suspended for one game in each of the past two seasons for breaking unspecified team rules at BC. He also suffers from an intestinal disorder that is currently treated with medication.

"There were some concerns," said Dwight Clark, Cleveland's director of football operations. "But after we talked with people at BC and with William, you just fell in love with him. He has Top 10 talent."

If memory serves me correctly, it seems like Dick Vermeil fell in love with Lawrence Phillips, too.

Don't get me wrong. It's not like Butch Davis has to pick Green up at a county jail like Vermeil did with Phillips. But the maturity issue has to be a concern.

Do yourself a favor. Keep a close eye on this kid over the next few months and think long and hard before making a final decision on him come draft day.

Jerramy Stevens, TE, Seattle Seahawks (28th pick overall)
The 6-6, 265-pound Stevens finished his collegiate career with 74 receptions for 953 yards and nine touchdowns. Among former Washington tight ends, only Rod Jones (75) and Mark Bruener (90) had more receptions. Stevens' 953 yards rank fourth on the Huskies' career list at the position.

In my opinion, Stevens has the physical attributes and ability to be the best tight end drafted this year. As Seattle Post-Intelligencer beat writer Clare Farnsworth noted, he could be especially effective in the red zone because of his ability to shield defenders from the ball with his big body.

The fact that inconsistent -- and less-than-intense -- Itula Mili will be Stevens' prime competition for the starting job this year clearly weighs in the newcomer’s favor.

As long as he stays on the straight and narrow. The knock against Stevens, of course, comes from character concerns and past discipline problems.

The book reads as follows: Suspended for season opener against Michigan last year. Immature. Injured most of last season. Fails to get separation from coverage at times. Drops some easy ones. Doesn't always like doing the dirty work. Runs lazy routes sometimes. Lacks lower body strength and drive-blocking ability.

Stevens' problems began in high school when he got involved in a prearranged fight that resulted in an assault charge. Then, while on probation on that charge, he was busted for failing a drug test. Nonetheless, he was hotly recruited by UW, started nine games as a freshman, was second-team freshman All-American and made the first team of the Pac-10 all-freshman team. In his sophomore season he became a sensation, breaking the school record for tight ends with 43 receptions for 600 yards, with 28 catches for first downs. He also scored three touchdowns and was a second-team All-American on a number of services.

But he also was accused of date rape -- although the charges were eventually dropped -- and by his junior year, he had also crashed his car into a retirement home, took off and was charged with DUI. He broke his foot, played in only five games, but did recover in time to have a fine game against Texas in the Holiday Bowl with nine receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.

The good news for Stevens is the fact that Holmgren is absolutely sold on him.

"I have never done what I did today before since I have been in professional football," the coach explained Saturday. "My typical reaction to someone who has got jammed up a little, as he did, was to take them off the board. I was just talking to his folks, and I was talking to my family and I asked them, 'Why is he still on the board? Why am I doing this?' I had never done it before. Part of it, I know, after thinking about it, was that after we met, just he and I spent a good portion of the day together. It was a really good day. After I met him. ... That was the reason he was still up there, because I really believe that this is going to work.

"There is a tremendous amount of pressure on both of us."

Once again, if memory serves me correctly, Holmgren mentioned something about the pressure being on shortly after he traded for Matt Hasselbeck and anointed him the team's quarterback of the present and future.

And we all know how that one turned out. ...

The Questionable

T.J. Duckett, RB, Atlanta Falcons (18th pick overall)
As SportsLine.com insider Jay Glazer recently noted, Duckett came up with one of the most impressive workouts of the year back in March, when he weighed in at what one scout said was a "rock-solid 250 pounds" and ran in the 4.4s.

"He's the only guy so far that I saw work out and went back to my hotel that night and said, 'Man, I was blown out of the water today,'" Glazer quoted an unnamed AFC scout as saying. "He's that impressive. We liked the Green kid out of BC, but Duckett is moving up quickly. He really blew me away."

Nicknamed the "Diesel," Duckett is most often compared to Steeler running back Jerome Bettis because of his hard-driving running style. The three-year Spartan standout elected to test the pro waters rather than return for his senior season, but still left Michigan State with 621 carries for 3,379 yards (5.4 average) and 29 touchdowns.

So, what's questionable about this kid? Nothing.

The question here lies in the fact that the Falcons -- a team that desperately needs help at wide receiver -- went with a running back.

In case you missed it, the Falcons have no shortage of running backs on the roster. In fact, they now have an abundance of running backs on the roster -- highly paid running backs, at that.

Warrick Dunn, who joined the team in March, and Jamal Anderson are slated to earn a combined $9.1 million in bonus and base salary in 2002. And as the 18th overall choice, Duckett should receive a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $3 million-plus and base salary as high as $500,000.

All of which means -- if Anderson isn't sent packing -- the Falcons could have over $13 million invested in three tailbacks in '02. That's a lot of coin for one position (even though their combined 2002 cap value would be much less than that figure).

Contacted in Spain, where he was doing color work on NFL Europe telecasts, Anderson told Pasquarelli that he was "stunned" by the move, but subsequently said, "I guess nothing surprises me anymore. Maybe the handwriting is on the wall."

Maybe?

Duckett is exactly the kind of back Dan Reeves has been looking for all his life. Which means Anderson is likely to get an apple and a roadmap shortly after midnight on June 1.

I'll go ahead and revisit this pick then. Even though Dunn -- and for that matter, new owner Arthur Blank, who handed Dunn $6 million in cash last month -- probably won't agree with me, as long as Reeves spends the $1.5 million he'll create under the cap by releasing Anderson on a receiver rather than another running back, I might bump Duckett's selection into "The Good" category.

Ashley Lelie, WR, Denver Broncos (19th pick overall)
The second receiver selected behind Stallworth, Lelie is a playmaker with terrific size and speed. And he clearly fills a need for the Broncos, who have a number of questions surrounding their receiving corps this year. Ed McCaffrey, who suffered a broken leg in last year's season opener, and Rod Smith, who is still recovering from the nagging ankle injuries that plagued him most of the season, both trying to work their way back up to full speed right now.

I'll also note that recently-signed free agent Rob Moore is coming off arthroscopic cleanup surgery performed on both knees earlier this year.

In other words, none of the team's top wideouts is currently at 100 percent.

Unfortunately, neither is Lelie, who left Hawaii following his junior year with 83 receptions for 1,713 yards and 19 touchdowns -- and a very sore hamstring.

King put it best in an article published by CNNSI.com last Monday, when he wrote the following:

"Hawaii receiver Ashley Lelie, he of the persistent hamstring strain, did not win friends in the NFL by running pass routes at 80 percent in his final pre-draft workout Friday. Most of the teams that sent scouts or coaches there hadn't been informed that Lelie wouldn't be 100 percent. So they were surprised to see him not run full-go. 'I know some teams are talking about Lelie as a mid-first-rounder,' one GM told me Friday night, 'but there's just too many questions about him. Can he stay healthy? He's had one big year; is he a product of the run-and-shoot at Hawaii or a great receiver? Is he tough enough to get banged around in the NFL? The pick would be too risky for me.'"

Me too.

I can't help but look back to this time last year when Seattle went with talented-but-hamstrung wideout Koren Robinson in the first round only to watch him struggle through a less-than-productive rookie season.

It's like deja vu all over again.

That's it for this week gang. Check back this time next week when I'll start covering the first round of post-draft mini-camps.

Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications.

 

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