|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Final hour free fall? Vick might not be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft
Updated: Friday April 20, 2001 4:05 AM
Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King joined the Sports Tonight show (CNN and CNN/SI, 11 p.m. EDT) to discuss the 2001 NFL Draft.
Bob Lorenz: What's the latest on Michael Vick? Peter King: Well, Bob, as the hours grow closer to the draft, there's more of a possibility that Vick will not be the first pick. However, Vick's agents spoke with the Chargers [Thursday]. I think, having spoken to the Vick camp [Thursday night], at length, I get the sense that everything is not set in stone. The operative phrase, as of now, is that they are very significantly apart from the Chargers and that difference is really hard to fathom whether it is still going to be there Saturday. Let's talk about the crux of the difference. San Diego wants to pay Vick basically the same way the Cleveland Browns paid Courtney Brown last year, and they want to pay him less of a signing bonus. So I think what's going to happen right now is, unless the Chargers come up on that, we're looking at a situation that it's going to be Saturday morning before we know whether Vick and the Chargers can make a deal. But let's make one thing clear: They don't have to have a deal done before the draft starts at noon [EDT] in order for the Chargers to draft him. So I still think that even if they don't have a deal done, the Chargers could still draft Vick. If not, they go with LaDainian Tomlinson.
Lorenz: The Chargers' owner has said that if a deal is not done by the draft, they might not select him. Do you believe that? King: It's posturing. Everybody before the draft, the day or two before the draft, is going to talk like, 'If you don't do it this way, boy, we're out.' The one difference is that John Butler, the San Diego general manager, really likes Tomlinson, and how could you not? He could step in right now and be a 1,100-, 1,200- or 1,300-yard running back, even behind a mediocre line like San Diego's. Lorenz: How good can Vick be? King: After talking to a lot of experts, Bill Walsh, Phil Simms, Steve Young included, everyone is really excited about how good he can be. They said he could be one of the greatest playmakers of all time. But the one thing he does not do well at age 20, after throwing 360 balls since he stepped out of high school, he doesn't throw the short and intermediate ball with any accuracy at all. The crossing patterns across the middle, he definitely has problems with. Bob, this is definitely a risky pick, but in my opinion, he's the best pick for San Diego because his up side is so huge. Lorenz: Let's go through your top five picks, after Vick. King: Arizona is confused right now about what it wants to do because it is hesitant to pay Gerard Warren, the defensive tackle from Florida, a lot of money because he's had a lot of personal problems in his past and he's having some weight problems right now. So I think right now, [the Cardinals] are looking at Leonard Davis, the big offensive lineman from Texas, but that could change. At No. 3, if he's there, I think the Browns take Tomlinson, but there are those in the Cleveland organization that [think] the better three-down back is Deuce McAllister. At No. 4, for Cincinnati, is a wild one. Cincinnati actually seriously discussed taking Drew Brees with the fourth pick overall. At No. 5, if Vick falls to them, which is very possible, Atlanta would definitely do handsprings and would love to take him. That puts New England, to me, in the power position of this draft. If Warren and David Terrell, who a month ago everyone was saying one of those two guys would be the second pick in the draft, if they have those two guys [to chose from], teams will be falling all over themselves trying to trade up. Bottom line is that I've covered the NFL Draft for 17 years and I never seen a draft so uncertain 36 hours before it begins. Fred Hickman: We have an email question for Peter. E-mail: What is going to happen with the Chiefs and Trent Green? King: I think there is great anticipation that the Rams think this deal will be made on draft day. I think that's what happened is the two coaches, Mike Martz in St. Louis and Dick Vermeil in Kansas City, think this is a deal that should be made. Now the front offices are not so sure. I do think there is a 60 percent chance that just before they pick at No. 12, the Chiefs will trade that pick to the Rams in exchange for Trent Green. But if it doesn't happen, I think the Chiefs will trade down to try and get Drew Brees and then sign one of the veteran quarterbacks, either Trent Difler or Steve Beuerlein. I do think after Saturday that you will definitely know who the Chiefs' quarterback is going to be. Hickman: Where will Drew Brees go? King: I think he goes somewhere in the teens. I think the first team, other than Cincinnati, that is a real threat to take him is Kansas City. But if Kansas City takes him, it's smart of it to move down a few picks, because I don't think there is any other team right there in the teens that is a threat to take him. High in the second round, I think Atlanta is interested in him and Dallas at No. 37 is definitely interested. He could go as early as No. 4 to Cincinnati or late as 37 to Dallas. Hickman: Who wakes up Monday the happiest after this draft? King: I think the Rams, regardless of what happens with Trent Green, are going to wake up Monday a very wealthy organization. I think there's a good chance that by the draft they will have made a deal for Aeneas Williams, the cover corner for Arizona that the Cardinals have a tag on, for a third- or fourth-round pick. And then they're going to get two good defensive players in first round. And watch, if Santana Moss is available at that 20th pick, Martz just might be loony enough to take him there. Kara Henderson: We have a caller with a question for Peter. Caller: What are the 49ers going to do this weekend? King: I think they would love to trade down some. They have a bevy of needs. They really want a good defensive lineman and there are many of those they could get by trading down five or six spots. There is also some sentiment to replace Charlie Garner, who goes across the bay to Oakland, with McAllister. If McAllister is there at No. 9, they could take him. My gut feeling is they want to trade down five, six spots try to add another second- or third-round pick to increase their depth, which is lacking. Lorenz: What about Jerry Rice and Detroit? Are they going to sign him? King: I talked to Matt Millen about it [Thursday] and he said they're going to wait and see if Herman Moore accepts the contract they put before him, which is basically one year and $1 million, then they are going to keep Moore and not sign Rice. But if Moore chooses to go elsewhere, then I think there is a very good chance that they would sign Rice.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
