Sports Illustrated's Peter King's Report Card:
C-plus

Call me a nut. I like Laveranues Coles, who has Deion speed and, at 77 overall, is an almost riskless pick. "I'm not down to my last strike, because I don't have any strikes left," Coles said after getting picked by the Jets. "I'm on pins and needles. Generally when a guy gets dismissed he's not allowed back into football, so I'm thankful for the opportunity. They didn't bring me in to replace Keyshawn. They brought me in to help with special teams and do whatever the coaches tell me."

Now, I don't like leaving the receiver thing alone until the third round, and I don't like thinking that the Jets will have two sub-6-foot starting wideouts if Coles and Wayne Chrebet start. The big question here is: Is Keyshawn Johnson for John Abraham and Anthony Becht a good trade? Didn't think you'd think it was.

One more point to make about the events of the last week in New York: The knee-jerkers condemning the Jets for not making Keyshawn the highest-paid receiver in history should remember that it's that sort of live-for-today thinking that got New York into what one NFL capologist calls the worst financial shape of any team entering the next two years. "They're the 49ers waiting to happen,'' said this cap man. By 2002, two fading stars -- quarterback Vinny Testaverde and running back Curtis Martin -- will count $20.4 million against the cap. The whole idea behind accumulating more good young players is to get a grip on a salary structure so out-of-control that a nickel back, Ray Mickens, is due to make $5.7 million in 2002. Oh yeah. Chad Pennington. Ask 10 guys in the NFL whether he's going to be a good NFL starter and you'll get five guys coming down on each side.

Peter King's complete 2000 NFL Draft Report Card