January 22, 2005
A lot to talk about as we review the picks from this week’s USFL Open Draft. We should recap some of the picks from the Territorial Draft, talk about the lastest free agent signings, and all those pre-draft trades. We will start with the trades, then a quick review of the signings before a team by team evaluation of the two stages of the collegiate draft. Still some big questions out there to be answered as we prepare for camps and the second NFL-USFL Transfer window. Never knowing how many picks from the draft will sign, we simply don’t know yet if teams have aced this year’s process or have set themselves up for failure, but we will do our best to provide as realistic a vision of this year’s offseason as we can.
PRE-DRAFT TRADES
We start with the big trades that led up to the T-Draft and Open Draft. Lots of picks and players changing hands as teams try to consolidate their rosters, position themselves for highly coveted players, and ensure they have the cap room to be competitive with NFL offers for the players they cannot afford to lose out on. We start with a straight up player for player draft, a rarity in this year’s swaps.
Seattle freed up some cap space by trading high-priced guard Edwin Mulitalo off to Boston for nickel back Allen Rossum. The move did not save Seattle much, but every penny counts when you are trying to get under that cap.
The Dragons then made two more trades, both players for picks, in hope of creating cap room to sign their rookie class. First, with Allen Rossum on the roster, they ditched another high value contract by sending #1 corner Willie Middlebrooks to Nashville. The Knights were more than happy to take Middlebrooks off Seattle’s hands, and to only give up a 2nd and a 5th rounder to get one of the league’s better coverage corners. The final cap-clearing move for Seattle was to send tackle Jeff Backus off to Birmingham in exchange for a 5th rounder this year and a 2nd rounder in the 2006 draft. That’s 2 fives and 2 twos over the next two drafts for Seattle, who appear ready for a youth movement.
Another tackle changing hands is former Philadelphia Star Michael Cheever, who finds his way to Jacksonville for a 4th rounder this year and a 3rd rounder in 2006. Cheever is a solid pass blocker, but would not suit Coach Harbaugh’s zone blocking scheme in the run game, so off he goes to the Bulls.
New Orleans solved their emergency QB situation, obtaining Baltimore QB Spergon Wynn for a 4th round pick this year. The Breakers still have to decide if it is Trent Dilfer or Eli Manning at #3, but Wynn provides them with a solid option in the emergency practice squad position.
We had a 2 player for 2 picks trade as Michigan dumped some salary and Tampa Bay dealt away some picks they had acquired in earlier trades. The Bandits send Oakland’s #1 pick as well as Oakland’s 3rd rounder, both obtained in the Trent Green trade to the Invaders. In return they may have locked up their LT with Michigan’s Ross Verba coming to town. They also get a backup HB who is well suited to fill in for Willis McGahee as Autrey Detson is now a member of the Bandits.
Finally, the mystery of whether or not Oakland would take a shot at Aaron Rodgers was solved as the Invaders got their way back into the first round of the open draft by trading their top T-Draft pick to the Texas Outlaws, who would use the pick to claim Rodgers, and in return Texas sent the #1 overall pick in the Open Draft to the Invaders. Texas, clearly putting themselves in a position to move on from Jeff Lewis, are now working to sign Cal QB Aaron Rodgers, in hopes that he will provide a spark to an offense that still lacks big playmakers.
Free Agency & Retirement Wrap Up
With the NFL-USFL Transfer Window about to reopen, we have to say that there are not a lot of top players left for the NFL to pick over. That is not atypical, as the USFL largely gets picked apart in August, as we saw with the departures of Andre Rison, Carl Pickens, Sean Lumpkin, Mike Prior, Greg Biekert, Matt O’Dwyer, Malcolm Floyd and a host of others. With the NFL season wrapping up, it is now the USFL’s best window to sign players. But, before that window opens, we should explore the biggest player moves since we last checked in.
Phil Hansen To Retire
We start with what has to be a disappointment in New Orleans as the Breakers were close to locking up a deal with former General DE Phil Hansen, but as negotiations were getting close to completion, Hansen had second thoughts and instead announced his decision to retire from football. His presence certainly would have made waves for the Breakers, but it also makes sense that the 34-year old, career long NJ General, would step down rather than restart with a new team. Hansen retires as the all-time sack leader with a jaw-dropping 289 sacks in a 14-year career, 14 seasons in which he never finished with fewer than 12 sacks, and an 8-year run in which he was over 20 sacks each season. Truly stunning numbers from one of the USFL greats.
Additional Retirements
Another surprising late-offseason retirement was that of former Express, Blitz, and Dragon QB Jeff Garcia. Garcia had been rumored to be going to Las Vegas, but that never materialized and just before the holidays, Garcia announced that he would be stepping away from the game. Garcia had his best year in Baltimore in 2001, when he threw for 3,652 yards and 24 touchdowns, but his 2002 season was marred by injuries and interceptions. In 2003 he threw 17 picks to only 13 touchdowns for the Blitz, and was sent to Seattle last year, where he spent the year on the bench.
Other offseason retirements include guard Eric Mahlum, who had signed on for a year with the Federals, but later opted out and stepped away from the game, and LB Allen Aldridge, who was all set to leave Jacksonville for the Stars, but failed the physical with Philadelphia, prompting his retirement announcement.
Among those who have signed new deals, we find former Machine DT Darwin Walker, who will be joining the Tampa Bay Bandits as a pressure DT in their 4-3 scheme. Memphis finally landed the player they had coveted all offseason, 2004 breakout player, WR Robert Ferguson, formerly of Boston. With the Showboats, Ferguson is likely to start the year at the #1 spot, fulfilling his desire to prove that he could be a true #1 after breaking out this season as the #2 option in Boston, opposite Chad Ochocinco, the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. Another big signing this offseason was Nashville landing Denver’s Chris Cowart. The Weakside LB will be a welcome addition to a defense that had lost a bit of its swagger the past two seasons.
Duce Staley found a new home this past month, home in a crowded backfield as Staley signs on to share carries with Larry Johnson in Arizona. Johnson was traded by the Stars earlier this offseason, and will likely serve as the big inside runner, allowing Staley to get perhaps 12-15 carries a game as the speedier and more elusive alternative.
Pittsburgh hopes it has added some edge threat by signing Cedric Harden away from the Ohio Glory, while Memphis made another move, this time on defense, locking up DT Leon Bender to help solidify the interior of their line. Wideout Bobby Engram found himself a home in New Orleans, where he may take on the flanker role, allowing New Orleans to move Az-Zahir Hakeem back inside to the slot, where he is most effective.
Two veteran QBs were also taken off the free agent list as both Brian Griese and Rick Mirer signed on to be backups. Griese, who initially was insisting that he remained a viable starter ended up returning to his college home in Michigan, signing with the Panthers, where he is almost certainly going to play second fiddle to Drew Brees. Mirer, who made no claims to be a starter, seems quite content to back up Daunte Culpepper in Tampa Bay. Perhaps the chance to be part of a likely championship contender was enough to inspire the former Golden Domer to sign on the dotted line.
Other late free agent signings include: WR Eddie Kennison in Baltimore, LB Akin Ayodele with the LA Express, CB DeShea Townsend in Ohio, LB Zach Thomas with the Philadelphia Stars, WR Freddie Scott with the Boston Cannons, and DE Corey Sears, who will be asked to do his best Phil Hansen imitation, signed with the Breakers after Hansen’s retirement announcement.
With camps about to open, the remaining free agent pool is pretty shallow, at least for potential starters, but a few big names remain unsigned. Chief among these is former Bulls FS Joe King, Texas WR Kirby Dar Dar, LA center J.P. Machado, Feds’ WR Bobby Shaw, Arizona LB Steve Tovar, and Denver DT Mark Bouette.
Ricky Williams Reinstated
The news Oakland had been hoping for became official this week as the League Office announced that HB Ricky Williams had been cleared to resume his career as one of the newest members of the Invaders’ squad. Williams, who had moved out to the bay 2 months ago, has been unable to attend mini-camps or to practice at the league facilty, but now can join the team in full standing. Getting Williams from “training on his own” shape into “football shape” will be the primary focus of the next few weeks for the former Breaker.
We Have a Winner
Well, at least a winning design, as the Atlanta Fire this week announced that the winning helmet design has been determined. The team’s Pick the Helmet Contest got more than 173,000 votes, and the winner, but a reasonably large margin was a return to the 2002 look that the team wore for only one season. The helmet dubbed “The Old Flame” includes a navy shell and mask, with the team’s stylized flame patter emerging from the front and flowing to the rear of the helmet.
The helmet will be part of a new uniform, revealed at this week’s press event, which brings back a lot of the elements of the 1995 look as well as the 2002 update. The home jersey remains bright “flame orange” with blue sleeves and white numbers outlined in navy. The white jersey also features navy sleeves, with orange numbers outlined in navy and athletic gold.
The newest feature of the Atlanta look is the use of ombre effect side panel and pant stripes. The side panels on both the home and road jerseys begin with two navy stripes, which are interrupted before beginning again as an ombre-effect set of orange and gold stripes. These stripes continue to the pants, where they run almost the full length of the leg before ending just above the knee. The team has both navy and white pant sets, both using the same orange ang gold dual stripe pattern. The team’s new secondary logo, two axes over a fireman’s shield, did not end up on the helmet, as was one of the options but will appear on each sleeve and as a small sticker just above the rear bumper on the team’s navy helmets.
Cities & Owners Lining Up for 2008 Expansion Bids
Speaking of expansion clubs, things are beginning to take shape as the league prepares for the first round of proposals for the two 2008 expansion clubs. It seems clear that there are 5 serious contenders for the two spots, and with the league already outlining that they would be adding one team to each of the two conferences, which are separated by geographical designations of East and West, it seems like we have 2 contenders for the West and a three-way battle in the East. Here is a brief breakdown of each potential bid.
DFW Football Group: A group seeking to put a club in the largest metro area without USFL representation, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Led by oil man Robert Bass, this is an interesting bid. While the Dallas metroplex might seem a shoe in as a huge market and a football town, what makes this bid interesting is the Bass family’s, and particularly Robert’s, emphasis on Ft. Worth over Dallas. Bass resides in Ft. Worth, and seems very much interested in removing the city’s somewhat secondary status in relationship to Dallas. What does that mean for the USFL? It means that in all likelihood this team would not be playing at Texas Stadiu, or at Jerry Jones’s proposed new Arlington stadium, not even at the Cotton Bowl, but in Ft. Worth at Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus of TCU . While a good-sized facility at 47,000 capacity, the focus on Ft. Worth, even the possibility of naming the team Ft. Worth instead of Dallas, could be seen as a negative by the league. Is it enough to submarine the bid? Seems unlikely, but with several owners already proving they have a mindset for restoration projects after approving both St. Louis and Atlanta for franchises as replacements for lost clubs, and with Portland being the other primary western bidder, we could see any glitch in the Dallas proposal being a possible tipping point away from the bid.
PDX Football Group: Portland’s bid to return to the USFL fold after the Thunder suffered an ownership crisis and departed for Las Vegas in 2003. With a new state of the art stadium already under construction, the city has an appeal. Adding in ownership interest from some of the region’s big hitters, primarily Columbia Sportswear’s Tim Boyle, there is significant financial and governmental support behind the PDX bid. There are a lot of owners who are still very much unsatisfied with how the Thunder sale and relocation went down, essentially feeling strongarmed into approval because of the circumstances of the sale. The question for Boyle and his associates is where were they a few years ago when the Thunder were on the market and needed to be saved? Coming in now, with an expansion bid, seems like closing the barn door after the cows have left, but, with that said, we could see a potential push to restore a team in Portland, as certainly the ownership of both Seattle and Oakland, who counted themselves as rivals of the Thunder, are already on board in trying to return football to the Rose City.
Charlotte Football For Carolina (CFFC): This investment group, led by Charleston, SC, based Ben Navarro is hoping to parlay the NFL’s success in the “Queen City” into year round football by bringing a USFL team to the Charlotte area. With a deal in hand to share Charlotte’s recently-renamed Bank of America Stadium with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, the Charlotte group is hoping that the Panthers’s success in the box office, and the perception of Charlotte as a rapidly-growing, financial and corporate hub in the South, will attract the USFL’s attention. Navarro is an interesting figure in the ownership group. The founder of Sherman Financial Group (which in turn owns Credit One Bank), Navarro has very few ties to Charlotte itself. Born and educated in New England, Navarro now lives in Charleston, South Carolina, but sees Charlotte as a city with great potential, and that includes the potential to support two clubs in the most expensive sport to operate. Will his vision of sharing Bank Of America Stadium with the NFL Panthes be a plus for the USFL or will it be seen as a missed opportunity to reach a new market in the Southeast?
Triangle Football Group: This group, whose awkwardly ambiguous name represents the North Carolina triangle region of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, is an interesting bid in that they essentially are making the case that while Charlotte has the NFL, the triangle area of North Carolina is equally attractive, with strong financial and corporate resources, while also having the advantage of having 3 viable USFL stadia, with the collegiate homes of UNC, Duke, and NC State all located within the metro area. The fact that the group does not have an active agreement with any one stadium at this point seems a deterrent, but the RDCH team seems to be trying to use it as an advantage. Tim Sweeney of Epic Games fame, is the lead owner, and that in itself is intriguing, as the USFL has been working with rival California-based 2k for its popular USFL2k video game series. Would Sweeney as an owner be considered both a serious money man and a possible internal asset in the gaming sphere, much as Phil Knight of Nike was when he held the majority share of the then Portland Thunder?
Tidewater Football Group: Perhaps the long shot in this race, this group, representing the combined communities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and the larger Hampton Roads or Tidewater region of Southeast Virginia is laying claim to one of the largest metro areas with no Big 4 professional teams. Whether the USFL sees the novelty of putting a team in an “unclaimed” region as a big plus is unknown. There are times where being the only game in town can be advantageous, but we have also seen more than a few cases over the years where a USFL team struggled with local authorities around the concept of stadium refurbishment and renovation when they were the only tenant in town. The fact that the largest stadium currently in place in the region is the 30,000 seat William “Dick” Price Stadium on the campus of Norfolk State University, is clearly a concern. If the Virginia group hopes to have any staying power in this three-way Eastern battle for a club, they will need to demonstrate plans and finances to potentially expand that facility to a minimum of 45,000 seats, or to construct a new facility.
A lot of news, to be sure, but the past 10 days the buzz has been all about the USFL Draft, and the players who are potentially coming to a franchise near you. As we all have come to understand over the past 22 years, the drafts, both USFL and NFL are only the first half of a story of direct competition between the two leagues. The question always on the table is whether a player will sign with the USFL or the fall league, and while the numbers in the past half decade show that the USFL is able to sign about 50% of their draftees, the reality is that this number is skewed by the lower rounds of the Open Draft and the T-Draft bringing in higher rates of return. USFL first round picks are only signing with the spring league over the NFL about 30-35% of the time, while rounds 5-8 in the Open Draft, and the T-Draft tend to do better, with an almost 68% rate of return. What does that mean? It means that while we may focus our attention on the 1st round and the biggest names in the draft, the real meat of the success for the USFL is later on. So, we are going to look at that first round as we look over each club, but we would remind you all that only 1 in 3 of these top picks is likely to sign on with the USFL, a reality that will unquestionably impact clubs across the league as they try to finalize their camp rosters and prepare for the season ahead.
With our team by team review, we will look at the first round, but also highlight a player or two who we think could help the squad from the T-Draft and later rounds, and a possible sleeper, someone you may not know by name but who has the stuff to make an impact in the USFL. We will follow the draft order, the one based on record, prior to trades impacting the actual draft.
TEXAS OUTLAWS
FIRST ROUND: We all know what the Outlaws did with their first round pick. They swapped the pick with Oakland for the right to draft with the Invaders #1 T-Draft selection, and that pick was none other than Cal QB Aaron Rodgers. So, now the Outlaws have to wait and see where Rodgers goes in the NFL Draft this week. Many have Rodgers as a potential #1 pick there as well, with the San Francisco 49ers. That may be a problem for the Outlaws, as the prospect of staying in the Bay Area after playing at Cal may be very appealing to Rodgers. Does Texas have the ability to sway Rodgers if that is the case, or will the QB head to the NFL and leave the Outlaws not only without a true 1st round talent in the draft, but with a very unhappy Jeff Lewis as their QB?
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: With their own T-Draft selections, Texas is hoping to sign former Longhorns Derrick Johnson (OLB) and Bo Scaife (TE) to the roster. Both are positions of need. Johnson will be the more expensive to sign as he is seen as a potential 1st round NFL pick, while Scaife is more of a project or developmental pick, unlikely to be drafted by the NFL, so a good potential addition.
LATER ROUND GEMS: Looking back at the open draft, we love the selection of Luis Castillo, Northwestern’s big DT in the 2nd round, but perhaps the most intriguing pick is DE Trent Cole out of Cincinnati in the 5th round. Cole has some skills, but is raw and will need to be coached up. And, if you are wondering if the Outlaws did the typical USFL thing and doubled up on a position of need, yes, they did, with QB Dan Orlovsky of UConn taken in the final round. We expect that the Orlovsky pick is both not as high risk as trading to choose Rodgers, and also not seen by Jeff Lewis as a challenge in quite the same way.
MICHIGAN PANTHERS
FIRST ROUND: Coach LeBeau could not resist going for the most aggressive and disruptive defensive player in the draft with his 2nd overall pick. If they can sign him, LB DeMarcus Ware has the potential to be the next John Corker for the Panthers, a fast, instinctive, and hard-hitting linebacker capable of playing the run and rushing the passer. Ware played at Troy, which is not exactly top flight, but he dominated, so we don’t see any issues with him taking his game to the USFL if the Panthers can get his name on a contract.
But wait, the Panthers also had the 4 pick in the draft and the #10 pick thanks to a series of trades the past two years. Did LeBeau add offensive weapons for Drew Brees with those two picks. Well, don’t tell Drew, but no, he didn’t. He shocked everyone with pick #4, going with a second LB, essentially doubling down on his chance to land one big impact defender but with the chance to actually add two in the same draft. Shawne Merriman of Maryland was the pick, and the images fans in Michigan must be having of Merriman and Ware teaming up in the Panther LB corps must be almost too much to imagine. It is an interesting strategy, and if Michigan is willing to throw some major cap room into the signings, could make for a great story, but it is risky to draft both as both players could see the dual signing as a negative. Oh, and yes, with #10 the Panthers did help Drew Brees, but not with a skill position, they added guard Evan Mathis of Alabama. A solid pulling guard who could help the Panther’s somewhat troubled run game.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: The Panthers surprised a lot of pundits by passing on wideout Braylon Edwards in the T-Draft, but Edwards has already made it clear he is waiting for the NFL offer before negotiating with the USFL, and that clearly sent bad vibes to the Panther front office. The Panthers played it conservatively overall, selecting more mid-round options like center David Baas (Michigan) and DT Kevin Vickerson (Michigan State), passing on higher ranked players like CB Marlin Jackson, or OT Adam Kieft of CMU.
LATER ROUND GEMS: The Panthers’ draft was top heavy, which is fine if they can sign their top picks, but we still like one particular choice in the later rounds. Keep an aye on Wisconsin safety Jim Leonhard, taken in the 7th round. This guy is all motor. His skill set is not pro-ready, but there are flashes of potential in his film. What is clear from his time in Madison is that this guy has heart and a drive that won’t quit.
MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS
FIRST ROUND: The Boats picked third and we all knew it had to be either WR or HB to help Coach Mora rebuild an offense that collapsed. They did not disappoint, but they did surprise a few pundits. Having their choice of both Auburn halfbacks, the Showboats did not go with the general consensus pick of Ronnie Brown, but instead opted for Cadillac Williams, a top tier back in his own right. What made them pick one over the other? Many are saying it was signability, with Williams looking more favorably on the USFL or on the ability to stay in the region with a southern city as his home. The back, a Gadsden, Alabama native, grew up with the Memphis-Birmingham rivalry in his blood, so playing for the Showboats, while perhaps annoying to his many Stallion fan relatives, could be very appealing.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: The Showboats doubled down on the much-needed HB position by drafting Louisville’s Lionel Gates with their first T-Draft pick. We like Gates as an option, though not likely a starter, especially if Williams signs. The other interesting choice was another Cardinal, Louisville safety Kerry Rhodes. Rhodes has some issues with pass coverage, often going for the big play at the expense of the sure tackle, but he has speed and is an aggressive player, something Jim Mora likes.
LATER ROUND GEMS: Our favorite late round pick for Memphis is 5th round tackle David Stewart out of Mississippi State. Another local kid who is thrilled to have a chance to play close to his family, Stewart is a traditional run-blocking right tackle type, perfect if the Showboats are going to showcase the run game, something they have been unable to do in years.
OAKLAND INVADERS
FIRST ROUND: The Panthers ended up with this pick at #4, but Oakland, thanks to their trade with Texas, ended up as the actual #1 overall pick. Not in the QB market after trading for Joey Harrington and with Trent Green already in house, the Invaders hoped to add some defensive muscle at #1. They passed on the aggressive LBs and went for the best receiver in the eyes of most pundits, Michigan’s Braylon Edwards. Edwards will challenge Plaxico Burress for the top spot if he signs with the Invaders, giving Oakland a duo that is capable of winning 50/50 balls, going deep or over the middle, and providing opposing defenses with an impossible choice on who to cover. Rumors had been that Oakland would draft Texas HB Cedric Benson here, but when Michigan passed over Edwards in the T-Draft, it meant Oakland had the big receiver as an option.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Having traded their top pick to Texas (Aaron Rodgers), the Invaders opted for HB J.J. Arrington out of Cal (another reason Cedric Benson did not go #1 overall) and then guard Logan Mankins out of Fresno State. Both could be nice additions to the Invader offense.
LATER ROUND GEMS: While not exactly a late round choice, we love the pick of Colorado State TE Joel Dreeson in the 2nd round. Both Trent Green and Joey Harrington tend to move quickly from their primary receiver to a drop down option, and with Christian Fauria now a member of the Las Vegas Thunder, a quality TE was essential for the Invaders.
LAS VEGAS THUNDER
FIRST ROUND: Speaking of the Thunder, they did not stop with signing a top TE in free agency, they added another weapon for Coach Jerry Glanville and OC Jim Tiller to put into what we expect to be a wide open offense. With the #5 pick, the Thunder went a bit off the predictions that had QB Alex Smith possibly going here, and chose South Carolina speedster Troy Williamson. Williamson could be an immediate fit at the slot, with Muhammad and Hatchette outside. Now, if Las Vegas only had a QB, this offense could be scary. We are not sure if Coach Tiller just loves Aaron Brooks as a prospect in the position, but the Thunder did not sign a veteran to challenge Brooks, and did not draft a QB until the last round, when they took Brock Berlin from “the U”, who we don’t see as a starter anytime soon. So, who will throw the ball to Williamson, a question he and his agent are likely to ask of the Thunder.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Las Vegas retained Oregon and picked up BYU in the T-Draft reshuffle of protected schools this year, and while we like the choices of LB Brady Poppinga (BYU) and WR Marcus Maxwell (Oregon0, we are still trying to figure out why they did not protect and pick guard Adam Snyder, as O-line has been a concern for the Thunder.
LATER ROUND GEMS: We mentioned the Brock Berlin pick, and he is clearly a project for Joe Tiller, but the best later round pick in our minds is that of guard Will Svitek of Stanford. I guess his selection is the reason why Vegas did not go for Snyder in the T-Draft. Svitek is a solid performer and by all accounts a very smart player. Will he take his chances with the Thunder, or is he headed to the NFL? That is a question the Biochemistry major at the Pac-10’s Harvard has to answer.
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS
FIRST ROUND: Having dealt with their QB crisis in the T-Draft, selecting Auburn star Jason Campbell, the Stallions did not double down by selecting Alex Smith here, a move that started to clearly worry the Smith camp, as he was expected to be a Top 1-2 selection and was passed over by #6. The Stallions instead continued to try to deal with the departure of Deion Sanders, who just won a Summer Bowl title in his first season in New Jersey. Adding West Virginia CB Adam Jones in the first round of the Open Draft. Jones has all the skills you want, and could be a shut down corner. “Pac Man” as he is known, has some off-field issues, which might worry Coach Franchione, but on the field he is dynamic. Expect to see him on special teams and in the nickel at first, if he signs, and if he does not win a starting spot right out of the gate.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Picking Jason Campbell, who seems amenable to staying in Alabama to play pro ball, all but ended any speculation on Alex Smith coming to the Stallions. If Campbell signs, he comes to camp as the clear frontrunner to be the starter from day one. After all, no one in Birmingham really wants to see the Stallions roll out Eric Zeier or Danny Kanell on opening day.
LATER ROUND GEMS: The Stallions have a pretty good track record for finding talent in the later rounds, and we think they have hit on another sleeper in Alabama OT Wesley Britt. They did not opt to sign Britt in the T-Draft, but were able to pick him up early in the 6th round. He was not a full-time starter for the Crimson Tide, but when he did play he showed talent in the run game. A bit of seasoning and we could see him contributing for the Stallions.
ORLANDO RENEGADES
FIRST ROUND: Alex Smith could stop sweating, when the Renegades, with the 7th pick, brought his name up to the podium. After trading away Joey Harrington, the speculation was that Orlando was going to go after veteran Brian Griese, but when Griese signed with the Panthers, it seemed clear that Orlando had to look for a QB in the draft. Many had them waiting until the 2nd round and looking at a prospect like Akron’s Charlie Frye, but the front office decided to go for the home run and draft Smith in the first round. Now we wait and see what the NFL does. If Smith falls in the NFL draft, Orlando and Coach Thomas have a good shot at signing him, but if he is a top 5 pick, with the guaranteed money that entails for an NFL draftee, Orlando could be looking at another season with Jeff Blake or Koy Detmer under center.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: The ‘Gades focused on defense with their three T-Draft picks. We love the potential of first pick LB Channing Crowder of Florida. He is a solid linebacker from a big program, used to taking on the best running backs the SEC can throw at him. CB Justin Miller of Clemson is another solid defensive player, one who could have been a 2nd round pick had he been available in the Open Draft.
LATER ROUND GEMS: Talk about a longshot, that is what USC’s Matt Cassel is. Not even a starter for the Trojans, somehow Cassel got the eye of scouts and Orlando used their last pick to select the QB, who is almost certain to be on the practice squad this year. But, hey, if Smith does not sign with the ‘Gades, Cassel could be the #3, which keeps him on the practice squad, but lets him dress for games and potentially see some mop up action, just like his time at USC.
PHILADELPHIA STARS
FIRST ROUND: After going defense with their T-Draft, Philadelphia addressed another huge area of concern, the receiving corps, with their #1 pick. Steve Smith and Amani Toomer are solid, but the Stars needed an inside option, and Roddy White of UAB seems perfect to be that 3rd option for the Stars. Stars fans were, of course, giddy to watch Alex Smith fall, hoping he would be here at #8, but Orlando crushed those dreams. White is a very good receiver, and should fit well into Jim Harbaugh’s offensive scheme (what little we know of it), but the question still remains, who is going to throw him the ball? We suspect that there is a plan to snag an NFL QB when the transfer window opens up, because they did not draft anyone at the position, and there is no way they go with either Will Furrer or David Garrard as their starter. So, will it be Vinny Testaverde or recently released former Super Bowl MVP and failed NY Giant QB Kurt Warner? That decision could be the difference between White signing with the Stars or going to the NFL himself.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Philadelphia always suffers in the T-Draft when Penn State is not producing top flight players. They got a bit lucky this year in that the protected team reshuffle allowed them to land Iowa as another option. From that pick came DT Jonathan Babineaux, a very interesting prospect from the Hawkeyes, who are always well coached and ready for the pro game. But, don’t pass on another defender, this one from in town at Temple, as LB Rian Wallace could very well make this squad if he signs with Philly.
LATER ROUND GEMS: Not a lot to be excited about in the later rounds for Philly. WR Rasheed Marshall from West Virginia is a bit of a reach in round 5, and OT Doug Nienhuis from Oregon State will have to battle to make the team as the 7th round pick.
LOS ANGELES EXPRESS
FIRST ROUND: Don’t ask us why Birmingham passed on Auburn CB Carlos Rogers and then went out and drafted a CB in the first round. Maybe they just liked Pac-Man Jones’s skill set better. Good news for LA, it meant Rogers was available at the #9 pick. The Express have most of their needs on the defensive side of the ball, and if Rogers signs with them he could very easily find himself lined up opposite 35-year old Aeneas Williams, and maybe only 1 season away from taking over from Williams as the #1 CB. That may be an attractive prospect for the young corner out of Auburn.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: When you have USC and UCLA in your protected camp, you are always going to find talent to pick. This year, LA stuck with those two schools (sorry San Diego State players), selecting UCLA’s Tab Perry (WR) and Manuel White (FB), but the most interesting pick was USC’s Lofa Tatupu, and not just because the Samoan’s name is fun to say. The son of former NFL halfback Mosi Tatupu, Lofa has skills, and has the spirit of a warrior. He could be a real find for the Express.
LATER ROUND GEMS: Our favorite later round pick for LA is not going to get his name called on the TV broadcast, but OT Erik Pears could have the potential to be a starter with just a bit of seasoning. The Colorado State prospect, taken with LA’s final pick (153rd overall) is strong, like farmer strong, but he needs to work on technique if he wants to stay at LT. We could see him as a right tackle more quickly.
BALTIMORE BLITZ
FIRST ROUND: The Blitz would have picked here but they had traded away the choice to Michigan last year, so no first rounder for the Blitz. We still want to review their draft, so we put them here, in the spot where Michigan had their 3rd pick in the Top 10 (amazing!). Baltimore’s top pick, in round 2, was Missouri DT Atiyyah Ellison, a player most figured as a 4th rounder, perhaps mid-3rd. We are not sure why the Blitz felt they had to reach to land Ellison, but the early draft of the DT almost certainly means he will sign here, instead of for the NFL, where he still retains a mid-round rating.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Baltimore’s draft gets even weirder when you realize they did not opt to protect LB Shawne Merriman, who ended up being a Top 5 pick. They went with Va Tech CB Eric Green with their first pick, then added Maryland CB Domonique Foxworth, and Va Tech safety Vincent Fuller. Guess Coach Coughlin is really concerned about the secondary.
LATER ROUND GEMS: There is a lot to critique about Baltimore’s decisions this Draft Week, but landing WR Craphonso Thorpe in the 4th round is not one of the bad choices. Baltimore needs WR help and while he is not a 1st round talent, it is bizarre that Thorpe fell this far. He will make plays for the Blitz.
JACKSONVILLE BULLS
FIRST ROUND: While the fans of the Bulls in Tampa, where this year’s draft was held, clearly wanted the Bulls to snatch up Auburn HB Ronnie Brown, the team felt otherwise. Rather than throw Sedrick Irvin to the curb, they drafted a player who would help QB Jake Delhomme instead. Arkansas wideout Matt Jones was a surprise pass-over by Memphis in the T-Draft, but did not get bypassed by the Bulls. Jacksonville, having already signed Donald Hayes away from New Jersey, continue to try to build a receiving corps for Delhomme. Jones will certainly get looks in the 1st round of the NFL draft as well, which could be a concern, because playing for Gunther Cunningham in what will almost certainly be a conservative offense, may not be what the Arkansas wideout hoped for.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: LB David Pollack is the gem of the T-Draft for the Bulls. The projected 1st rounder could be a great addition to a LB corps led by Lavar Arrington and defensive MVP Mike Vrabel. That would be quite a brutal LB group to get through.
LATER ROUND GEMS: The Bulls needed a fullback, and we think they may have gotten the best one in the draft with their 6th round pick, Madison Hedgecock of UNC. A blunt force trauma waiting to happen, Hedgecock will be Sedrick Irvin’s best friend in no time.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS
FIRST ROUND: You knew the Feds would go defense with this pick, they always seem to go defense first. It was just a question of which position was the highest need. D-line was a safe bet, and D-line it was, with the Feds selecting Wisconsin’s big edge rusher Erasmus James. The consensus #1 DE in an admittedly off year for the position, James is a potential Week 1 starter for the Federals.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Uva tight end Heath Miller is a solid pick up for the Feds if they can sign him. He is not the fastest, not the biggest, but he is perhaps the most well-rounded TE prospect available, so snagging him as a protected player was a good move for Washington.
LATER ROUND GEMS: An interesting pick in the 7th round. Philadelphia had noted Penn State LB Cameron Wake as a player of interest during scouting, but did not select him in the T-Draft, so he was there for Washington in Round 6, and the Feds picked him, hoping he has potential to serve as a swing linebacker just behind the starting 3.
DENVER GOLD
FIRST ROUND: Early on it was Alex Smith who was getting nervous, and at this stage in the draft it has to be Auburn HB Ronnie Brown. After Cadillac Williams was taken by Memphis, Brown looked to Denver as the next best option, but the Gold went another way, selecting Texas’s big back, Cedrick Benson, instead of the Auburn product. Benson is a great match for Denver’s style of offense. He can be the next Harry Sydney, Rashaan Salaam, or Robert Holcombe. A big back with the ability to shed tacklers, Benson is perfectly suited for the early season snow and ice that impacts so many Gold games. Will he sign with notoriously frugal Denver? A lot depends on where he goes in the NFL Draft. The pundits say Chicago is a possible landing spot, and that would be good for the Gold, because the McCaskeys are also notoriously thrifty, or perhaps stingy is the best word, when it comes to first round pick compensation.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: We think Denver missed by not protecting TE Joel Dreessen of Colorado State, but we like the pick of Barrett Rudd, the Nebraska linebacker. Rudd could be a good addition for a Gold defense that does not need much help.
LATER ROUND GEMS: An intriguing pick for the Gold, with Mark Brunell reaching senior citizen status in football terms, as Denver used a mid-round pick on a traditional pocket passer in Oregon State’s Derek Anderson. Anderson is in no way ready to play pro ball right now, but if he has a year or two behind Brunell, he could be someone to watch for in the future.
NASHVILLE KNIGHTS
FIRST ROUND: Seen as a bit of a reach, there is no doubt that Nebraska CB Fabian Washington is a risky pick for the Knights, but there is also no doubt that the corner position is also a position of need for Nashville. Not the best ball skills, but a physical corner who fits well with Nashville’s “take no prisoners” style of hard-hitting defense, we could see Washington being a starter, if nothing else in the nickel, this year.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: The Knights went with HB Cedric Houston of Tennessee with their first T-Draft pick, and we like the choice for them. They are still reeling from the Ahman Green departure, and while Houston is no Ahman Green he is potentially a year one contributor.
LATER ROUND GEMS: Having taken Houston in the T-Draft, Nashville doubled down, taking another big back in the 3rd round of the open draft. U. of Miami star HB Frank Gore could be a steal for the Knights if they can sign him away from the NFL. The question we have is whether Gore would sign with Nashville if they sign Houston first. Could he be happy with what could be a 1-2 rotation of rookie backs instead of a shot to be a true lead back?
CHICAGO MACHINE
FIRST ROUND: The Michigan Panthers passed on Marlin Jackson, but Chicago did not. Jackson becomes the 4th corner taken In the first round, which says everything you need to know about how the USFL plays football. Expect Chicago to go hard on trying to sign the Wolverine corner, as they are very shallow behind R.W. McQuarters, and R.W. is 31 and slowing down a bit. Missing on this pick would not be good for a club that lives and dies on its ability to shut down opposing offenses.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Jeff George is not going to play forever, which makes the pick of Purdue’s Kyle Orton a smart one for Coach Mornhinweg. That said, Orton is something of a George clone. Big arm, questionable decision-making with the ball. At the least it allows Coach Mornhinweg to stick with a similar offensive scheme should George go down again. Switching to Ray Lucas and his more run-pass style was clearly not ideal for the Machine last year.
LATER ROUND GEMS: The most intriguing pick for Chicago, perhaps for any team in this year’s draft, is the 4th round selection of Ohio State HB Maurice Clarett. The sophomore will be the first true underclassmen taken by a USFL team in a long time. There are very clear concerns about Clarett’s readiness, but not of his football skills. Is this a steal or is this a bomb that can blow up in Chicago’s face? That is the question of the day for the Machine.
PITTSBURGH MAULERS
FIRST ROUND: The Maulers had an obvious need after Andre Rison took off for the NFL, and they made an obvious pick, taking USC wideout Mike Williams here. Williams can fill the Rison role very much in the same way as the departed vet. He is a good 50/50 receiver, a solid route runner, and a taller receiver, which we know Charlie Batch likes as his accuracy is not always right on target. Williams will wait out NFL offers but if he opts for the Maulers, he is almost guaranteed a chance to start the year on the field and not on the bench.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: The Maulers shied away from Pac-Man Jones, but opted to draft another WVU product with their first t-draft pick, looking for more receiver help with Mountaineer WR Chris Henry. With Pitt having few top flight players available, the other Mauler pick who could stick is Marshall LB Johnathan Goddard, though his spot on the roster will likely depend on his ability to help on special teams.
LATER ROUND GEMS: The Maulers went all in on receiver, with the picks of Williams, Henry, and 2nd round choice Vincent Jackson from Northern Colorado, but later in the draft they looked at other positions, and one of the intriguing choices was HB Brandon Jacobs out of Southern Illinois. A big back who can break tackles, we could easily see Jacobs serving as a filler for those times when Terrell Davis is dealing with migraines, which seem to be more frequent in recent years.
HOUSTON GAMBLERS
FIRST ROUND: The wait is over for Ronnie Brown. Houston made Brown the 17th pick in the Open Draft. Another big back, which is interesting for a club that already has Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell on the roster, but too good of a back to pass up. Most folks looked to Houston to land a 3rd down back, either in free agency or the draft, but Brown is just too good of a player to pass over. The Gamblers have decent, but not great cap space. They have not spent big on free agents, so the money should be there to compete with whichever team drafts Brown in the NFL Draft, but even that is no guarantee they can land the big back. Going 17th is not going to sit well with Brown, and while that is not Houston’s fault, if he goes Top 5 or even Top 10 in the NFL draft, that could sway him towards the fall league.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: The Gamblers did not gamble much with their T-Draft picks, focusing on mid-range players like guard Dylan Gandy, WR Terrence Murphy, and DE Michael Montgomery, but they also did not have any clear top flight options from Texas A&M, Texas Tech or Houston this year.
LATER ROUND GEMS: Our favorite later pick for the Gamblers is DT C.J. Mosely in the 5th. The physical DT out of Missouri is a decent pivot man, but is best suited to the 4-3 that Houston likes to run. He is not getting into the starting lineup ahead of either Richard Seymour or Leonard Renfro, but he could be a valuable rotation player for either to sub out for.
NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS
FIRST ROUND: With all the attention around the DE position in New Orleans, folks seemed to forget that they basically did not have a center on the roster after Chukki Okobi headed to the NFL. The pick of center Chris Spencer from Ole Miss is a smart pick if not a glitzy one. He could be the starter from Week 1, although there have also been rumors that FA pickup, guard Paul Zakauskas from the Maulers, could also be moved into the pivot position.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: If there is one T-Draft player that the Breakers absolutely must sign it is DE Marcus Spears of LSU. When Phil Hansen opted to retire, it spoiled the Breakers’ plans to bring the league’s all-time sack leader to town, so now they have to move to plan B. In addition to Spears, New Orleans selected CB Travis Daniels, also from LSU, and WR Roydell Williams of Tulane.
LATER ROUND GEMS: The Breakers only had 4 picks in the Open Draft due to earlier trades, so finding a gem in their late round picks is a bit tricky. 5th Rounder Jerome McCune of Louisville is a potential roster spot at LB, but mostly because of his special teams play. That is about all we can say at this point.
BOSTON CANNONS
FIRST ROUND: The Cannons had several players leave in free agency and through retirement, but they still looked at their offensive line and saw it as their primary area for improvement. They opted to use their first pick to address that need, selecting OT Alex Barron of Florida State. Barron projects as more of a run-blocking RT than as a pass-protecting LT, but his presence may allow Boston to move Either Stockar McDougal or Maurice Williams over to the left side, putting Barron on the right side, though we would not be surprised if Barron begins the year behind 2 year veteran Jon Stinchcomb on that side.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Boston had an interesting T-Draft, first selecting HB Marion Barber from Minnesota as their first pick, a potential backup for Eddie George. They then turned to defense, selecting LB Pat Thomas of NC State, and finishing with safety Chris Colmer, also of NC State. And yes, both Minnesota and NC State ended up as Boston protected schools because outside of BC there simply are not schools in New England who would qualify for protected status.
LATER ROUND GEMS: There are a few interesting picks for Boston after Round 1, including the selection of Toledo WR Lance Moore in the 7th round, or HB Clatrick Fason from Florida in the 4th, but the one everyone is talking about is QB Adrian McPherson of Florida State in the 2nd round. Not many had McPherson going before the 5th round, and even then there was talk of him converting to either TE or safety. We will see what Coach Fox has in mind for him when camp opens and he gets a number assigned.
OHIO GLORY
FIRST ROUND: Just one pick after Boston’s selection, Ohio made it back to back tackles by drafting Oklahoma’s Jammal Brown. Many pundits had figured that New Jersey would protect Brown in the T-Draft, since they had Oklahoma as a protected school, but the league champs went a different direction, leaving Brown available, and Ohio pounced on the chance to help protect their franchise QB. Like Barron in Boston, Brown will likely begin his career at RT, though in his case, he could find himself starting this year. Whether Brown remains on the right side will depend on the ongoing development of Jerry Wunsch, Boston’s current starting LT.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: To be honest, this was not a particularly deep class from Ohio State, and as we have seen for several years, as OSU goes, so goes the T-Draft for the Glory. Ohio selected only 1 Buckeye with their 3 picks, picking Buckeye CB Dustin Fox before adding Kentucky DE Vincent Burns and Cincinnati LB Tyjuan Hagler. Hagler could be a player to watch as he has a lot of athleticism but will need time to adjust to the pro game.
LATER ROUND GEMS: Of all of Ohio’s picks, perhaps the most intriguing is Nebraska center Richie Incognito. Ohio desperately needs an athletic center so we could see Incognito on the field right away. Paired with Brown, Incognito could be part of a very differently arranged O-line for the Glory in 2005.
SEATTLE DRAGONS
FIRST ROUND: Following trades with Nashville, Birmingham, and Boston, Seattle managed to get back under the salary cap and have room to sign rookies, which is good since their trades brought them 4 more picks between this year and next. They did not pick up a 1st rounder, so the 21st pick was their only 1st rounder, and they did what most thought they would do, try to find a receiver who can be the ying to David Boston’s yang. O.J. McDuffie filled that role in 2004, but he is not a long term solution. Seattle is hoping that Georgia product Reggie Brown can be. Brown is a solid route runner, a big body, and has decent hands, all good traits for a receiver many would expect to spend a lot of time in underneath and middle-of-the-field routes.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Seattle focused on line help with their T-Draft, first selecting OT Khalif Barnes out of Washington and then DT Bill Swancutt from Oregon State. No shame in picking players for depth, and that is what Seattle did with these picks.
LATER ROUND GEMS: With several late round picks due to trades, Seattle was able to land some interesting prospects. We like 3rd round pick, LB Adam Seward of UNLV, and landing their kicker in the 7th round in Michigan State’s Dave Rayner, was essential, but the pick that could be the most fun to watch is one they got from Nashville and used to select scatback Darren Sproles of Kansas State. Sproles is tiny by pro football standards, measuring only 5’6”, but he is electric with the ball in his hands. Expect the mighty mite to spend a lot of time on kick returns, punt returns, and in 3rd down situations.
TAMPA BAY BANDITS
FIRST ROUND: The Bandits began the offseason with 2 first-round picks and 2 in the second as well, but after trading away one of each to acquire Ross Verba and Autrey Detson from Michigan, the Bandits ended up with a pretty routine set of picks. Having already lined up potential contributors to the club with a strong T-Draft pool, the Bandits took something of a home run shot by drafting Eastern Washington OT Michael Roos. Roos is a bit of an unknown, as he plays well outside of the bigger programs and even the higher exposure markets for smaller school players. Tampa must have seen film that showed them something in order to have Roos go well ahead of projections.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: It seems like year in and year out the Bandits have a strong pool of talent to choose from in the T-Draft, mostly due to the ongoing success of the U. of Miami program. This year is no different as Tampa Bay struggled to whittle down their choices to 3 players, two from “the U”. Safety Antrel Rolle was a pretty easy choice, but now the issue of whether or not he will sign with the Bandits becomes key. They also selected Hurricane wideout Roscoe Parrish to possibly take on a slot receiver role, and South Carolina DT Darrell Shropshire to help them with run defense.
LATER ROUND GEMS: our favorite late round pick for the Bandits is another DT, Auburn’s Jay Ratliff. He only started sporadically for the Tigers, but he is a physical specimen and with the right coaching he could develop into a truly solid nose tackle.
ARIZONA WRANGLERS
FIRST ROUND: Arizona wanted depth on the D-line, and they think they have found it with USC DT Sean Cody (not to be confused with OU DT Dan Cody, chosen by NJ). Cody will likely sit behind Jason Peter on the depth chart, but Coach Fassel likes to rotate his line so even if Cody is also behind Kenard Lang at first, he could still see some snaps. Of course, this assumes that Cody is fine with the short trip to relocate to Tempe.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: Is Arizona preparing for Jake Plummer’s eventual retirement? That was the discussion after the Wranglers used their first T-Draft pick to select another ASU QB, Andrew Walter. Walter is a very different style of QB than Plummer (but who isn’t?), but he could be just the kind of QB Arizona can turn to if anything happens to their starter or if Plummer opts out of the last year of his contract and retires from the game.
LATER ROUND GEMS: of all the later picks for the Wranglers, the one who could stand out in camp is LB Boomer Grigsby of Illinois State. Hard to say, since Grigsby has played very few games agains top collegiate talent, but what we have seen seems to indicate that he comes to the game with good instincts and a strong work ethic.
NEW JERSEY GENERALS
FIRST ROUND: The Quest to try to replace or at least reimagine the position that Phil Hansen owned for over a decade has begun in New Jersey. Cap issues found the league champion selling off players this year, not adding them, so the draft was essential for the Generals. They ended up with 2 first round picks thanks to their trade with Tampa Bay, so what did they do with them? “They balked” seems to be the general interpretation after New Jersey selected two players who were considered fringe 2nd round picks, much less 1st rounders. They first picked OG Nick Kaczur of Toledo. Guard was a position of need, but even so, Kaczur was not considered the best remaining guard on the board. They then made a very similar calculation, selecting safety O.J. Atogwe from Stanford with their second pick in the round. Again, a position of potential need, especially with little depth behind Anthony Becht, but Atogwe was also not considered first round grade. The joke, of course, is that the Generals were a bit preoccupied with the post championship festivities and revelries, and simply did not draft well. A more favorable interpretation is that they went for these two players primarily because they were convinced they could sign both and not risk losing out on a 1st round pick with a player who ends up in the NFL.
T-DRAFT ROUNDUP: While there has been a lot of criticism of New Jersey’s open draft, their T-Draft was about as solid as a 3-pick draft can be. The Generals started by selecting Oklahoma DT Dan Cody, an athletic player who can occupy blockers or shed them and pursue a ball carrier. They followed up this pick by selecting another Sooner, wideout Mark Clayton. Clayton could see considerable action this year after the departure of Donald Hayes in free agency. They capped it off by selecting Syracuse’s Adam Terry, an interesting prospect at tackle.
LATER ROUND GEMS: Our favorite late pick for the Generals is that of safety Donte Nicholson, another Oklahoma player, but one they had not protected with one of their three T-Draft picks. Clearly in visiting OU to scout players something about Nicholson stood out. With the retirement of Jason Sehorn, there will be a position group battle to be sure at safety, and New Jersey feels good that Nicholson will be part of that position group when all is said and done.
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