Carson show

USC's heady QB first choice of 2003 Mock Draft

Carson Palmer won the Heisman Trophy after the Trojans' impressive late-season run. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

By B. Duane Cross, SI.com

As NFL teams prepare for the annual Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, thoughts turn to April's draft. General managers and coaching staffs alike know the two-day draft is often the difference between coming back for another season or polishing the resumé.

Yo, Mike Ditka. Kinko's called; your order is ready.

Solid practices at the Senior Bowl in January elevated many players' stock, including Washington State cornerback Marcus Trufant (who is in our first mock draft) and Iowa guard Eric Steinbach (who hasn't cracked our top 32 yet). Others will jump up draft boards in the coming weeks, while other players will eventually jump the shark.

Hello, Tony Mandarich.

Preparing for the opening of the Combine on Feb. 18, here is our first mock draft of the offseason, with a few things to remember:

Buffalo, Miami and Tampa Bay do not have first-round picks because of trades involving Drew Bledsoe, Ricky Williams and Jon Gruden, respectively.

SI.com's 2003 Mock Draft Pick Team Pos. Player College Ht. Wt. Class 1 QB Carson Palmer USC 6'5" 220 Sr. If we were picking, this spot would be on the block along with a fourth-round selection for a No. 1, 3 and 6. Cincinnati has more holes than a Sopranos' hit victim. The Bengals should opt for strength in numbers; QB Jon Kitna is serviceable while Cincy tries to right the ship -- again. 2 WR Charles Rogers Michigan St. 6'3" 205 Jr. This draft could define Matt Millen's tenure as Detroit's GM. Miss the mark here, Matt, and Mooch could have the big office at Ford Field. After Rogers, look for a running back and defensive help. After finishing 3-13, there's a lot of room for improvement. 3 T Kwame Harris Stanford 6'7" 315 Jr. Dom Capers should forget everything Tony Boselli is saying about his oft-repaired shoulder being good to go; Harris could be Houston's offensive line anchor for years to come. Even if Boselli returns somewhat healthy, he will still yield the spot to the 6-foot-7, 315-pound Harris. 4 QB Byron Leftwich Marshall 6'6" 250 Sr. Lost in the hoopla over Palmer's season -- and after Leftwich was hobbled late in the year -- is the fact most people had Leftwich as the top-rated QB in the 2003 draft. Chicago would be certifiable for not taking this offensive weapon -- if it doesn't sign Jake Plummer or Brian Griese. 5 CB Terence Newman Kansas St. 5'11" 180 Sr. Dallas needs depth, and Bill Parcells could rest easy with Newman roaming the defensive backfield with Roy Williams. And there's also the Dwayne Goodrich legal matter to contend with. Despite family ties, Chris Simms will not be taken with this pick. 6 DE Terrell Suggs Arizona St. 6'3" 250 Jr. If Jake Plummer jets the desert, Suggs immediately becomes the latest homegrown franchise player. And that was such a blessing for "Snake." ... Suggs is regarded as a difference-maker, but the Cardinals' drafting has been sketchy, at best. 7 DT William Joseph Miami (Fla.) 6'4" 295 Sr. Minnesota needs defensive help and could go across the line or with corner help. Joseph would help take pressure off Chris Hovan, but don't be surprised if a DB comes off the board. The Vikings need a true shut-down corner to compete in the NFC North. 8 WR Andre Johnson Miami (Fla.) 6'2" 220 Jr. Aside from Johnson himself, Jimmy Smith would be the happiest Jag if Jacksonville takes this top-shelf receiver. And after Smith retires (he's entering his 11th season), Johnson will be established as the go-to guy. Offensive line is also a need that should be addressed early. 9 QB Rex Grossman Florida 6'1" 225 Jr. Rodney Peete is not the long-term solution and Chris Weinke was a gamble that came up snake-eyes. Grossman could be the centerpiece of Carolina's offense for many years, and John Fox will always look for a defensive upgrade. A receiver/tight end in later rounds would be a good addition, too. 10 T Jordan Gross Utah 6'6" 310 Sr. Rated alongside Harris as the best value at tackle, Gross would be a nice compliment to Jonathan Odgen and begin the process of injecting youth into Baltimore's interior. A wide receiver would be welcomed, too, as would D-line. Bottom line: The Ravens need players. 11 DT Jimmy Kennedy Penn State 6'4" 330 Sr. Ray Rhodes takes over a defense that needs help across the board, and the revamp should start up front; Seattle's D-line is spotty at best, porous at its worst. Offensively, the Seahawks are solid, so shoring-up the defense should be draft weekend's No. 1 priority. 12 LB E.J. Henderson Maryland 6'2" 245 Sr. St. Louis should have Henderson's name on the card now. Potentially a franchise LB, Henderson and up-and-comer Tommy Polley could be a Terrible Twosome. Offensive line -- namely a bookend for tackle Orlando Pace, the Rams' designated "franchise" player -- is also a need. 13 WR Taylor Jacobs Florida 6'1" 195 Sr. Pundits cannot argue if the ol' ball coach listens to his heart as he seeks a complement to Rod Gardner. Jacobs would be a starter from Day 1 because of his familiarity with the offense. And it worked so well with Shane Matthews and Danny Weurffel. The D-line must wait its turn. 14 CB Marcus Trufant Washington St. 5'11" 185 Sr. The first of two No. 1s for New England, this is the choice from last year's Drew Bledsoe trade. Bill Belichick will look to shore up the No. 23 defense, so a defensive lineman to team with Richard Seymour is another option. Look for the best defender available to come off the board here. 15 DT Dewayne Robertson Kentucky 6'3" 310 Jr. San Diego's defense seeks its second big pillar for the future after taking CB Quentin Jammer last year. The Chargers' defense was 32nd against the pass last year and needs a front-four push. Another consideration: Junior Seau's not getting any younger. 16 LB Terry Pierce Kansas St. 6'2" 250 Jr. Another team with few offensive holes, Kansas City needs to improve its linebackers (and several free agents are available). Pierce is a solid choice, as would be Georgia's Boss Bailey, if this need isn't addressed before the draft. No doubt the Chiefs will look defense in the early rounds. 17 CB Andre Woolfolk Oklahoma 6'1" 190 Sr. New Orleans is most desperate for defensive backfield help, and Woolfolk would go a long way toward improving the Saints' sieve (237.8 yards passing allowed per game; 27th in the NFL). On the other hand, an infusion a linebacker couldn't hurt either, so ... 18 LB Boss Bailey Georgia 6'3" 230 Sr. ... New Orleans takes Bailey with its pick acquired in the Ricky Williams trade. Bailey has good size and should fit in nicely under Jim Haslett, who needs to give his offense a defense to believe in come crunch time. The Saints gave up almost 25 points per game last year. 19 RB Larry Johnson Penn State 6'1" 220 Sr. The first running back to come off the board, Johnson could give New England a feature back to pound with and help squeeze the clock in the Patriots' ball-control offense. Antowain Smith had only one 100-yard game last season and now's the time to find a replacement. 20 DE Jerome McDougle Miami (Fla.) 6'2" 265 Sr. Denver wants a more sustained pass rush, and McDougle would be a much-needed bookend to Trevor Pryce. Rated the No. 2 DE behind ASU's Suggs, McDougle is an good outside pass rusher (best suited for the weak side), but may struggle against the run. 21 DE Michael Haynes Penn State 6'3" 265 Sr. If McDougle is still on the board, expect Cleveland head coach Butch Davis to tap his former Hurricane player. If not, the Browns still should go DE with Haynes to complement Courtney Brown (who's injury prone and close to bust status) and lend help to Gerard Warren. 22 DT Johnathan Sullivan Georgia 6'3" 310 Jr. New York's Josh Evans (entering his eighth season) is no spring chicken, and adding Sullivan to a mix that includes DT Jason Ferguson (21) and DEs John Abraham (24) and Shaun Ellis (25) would give the Jets a young, formidable front four for many years. 23 WR Brandon Lloyd Illinois 6'1" 190 Jr. After not addressing its deficencies at receiver last year, Atlanta's most glaring need cannot be overlooked this season. Peerless Price is the most notable free agent available, but the Falcons don't have the cap room if they sign unrestricted free-agent LB Keith Brooking. 24 LB Bradie James LSU 6'2" 248 Sr. If Indianapolis loses underrated Mike Peterson (he's an unrestricted free agent), linebacker is a must-have position. James could be an impact linebacker; he's athletic and plays sideline to sideline. The Colts' DBs are young, but there's room for an upgrade, too. 25 S Mike Doss Ohio State 6'0" 200 Sr. New York could go several ways, including defensive tackle for Keith Hamilton's eventual replacement. Doss, who was the defensive player of the game in the Buckeyes' Fiesta Bowl victory, is a physical player and could fill the void if safety Omar Stoutmire leaves via free agency. 26 DE Cory Redding Texas 6'5' 270 Sr. San Francisco's pass rush is in desperate need of an overhaul, and Redding would be a complementary piece to third-year DE Andre Carter. A receiver could also help since free agent Tai Streets (largely a disappointment in his first three seasons) is looking for big money after a career year. 27 CB Dennis Weathersby Oregon St. 6'1' 210 Sr. Other than Minnesota and New Orleans, Pittsburgh may have the most pressing need at the corners. Weathersby is among the best 60 players available regardless of position and would improve the Steelers' D-backfield, especially if Lee Flowers (unrestricted free agent) leaves. 28 WR Kelley Washington Tennessee 6'3" 225 Soph. Derrick Mason and Kevin Dyson just aren't cutting it. However, Washington must prove his neck injury will not affect his play. A former minor league baseball player, Washington spent one full season at Tennessee before missing most of 2002 after undergoing surgery. 29 QB Kyle Boller California 6'3' 220 Sr. Cut and dried, the most glaring need pick among the first 32: Brett Favre's replacement. Boller is likened by some to Favre, who will play one or two more years. No, not that Boller also has a great arm, but rather he gets flustered and loses concentration. 30 WR Bryant Johnson Penn State 6'2' 210 Sr. Just two years ago Philadelphia went for a No. 1 receiver, and Freddie Mitchell hasn't panned out. Antonio Freeman is a free agent, so finding a consistent WR is the top priority. Defensively, depth at linebacker would be a well-received addition to a solid unit. 31 S Troy Polamalu USC 5'10" 215 Sr. Adding a receiver for future pairing with Jerry Porter wouldn't be the worst thing Oakland could do. However, the most glaring need is in the defensive backfield; Rod Woodson is aging and Anthony Dorsett may not be around much longer. Charles Woodson and Phillip Buchanan need some support. 32 DT Ty Warren Texas A&M 6'4' 300 Sr. With the pick acquired from Tampa Bay in the deal for Jon Gruden, Oakland again looks defense. There's no guarantee Sam Adams returns; John Parrella is a 10-year vet; Trace Armstrong and Tony Bryant are coming off injuries. Rod Coleman and Junior Ioane are the only other DTs.

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OK, you've seen our first version of the 2003 Mock Draft, now give us yours.

From the Bengals at No. 1 through the Raiders at No. 32, take your best shot at predicting what will go down during the first round April 26 in New York.

We did not trade picks in our first prediction, but you can. You can even forecast which free agents teams could sign and then have that team draft for need.

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