October 15, 2007
Welcome back USFL Fans. It has been just about 10 weeks since we signed off on our coverage with Memphis’s Summer Bowl 2007 victory, and, as is the case each offseason, we have had an intriguing first two months of the offseason. On the cusp of the 2008 Expansion Draft to be held this weekend, where the Portland Stags and Charlotte Monarchs will obtain the majority of their player talent, we have a lot to report. We will preview the Expansion Draft, of course, but first, we want to review the offseason retirements, the early offseason free agent movement, including the one-month NFL-USFL transfer window, and then take a look at the best free agents still unsigned. But before we do any of that, the suspension of Michael Vick by the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons after federal and state charges were brought against the quarterback for engaging in illegal dog fighting for profit have created a question for USFL fans. Should a USFL team make a deal with Vick now that his NFL contract is null and void? Vick could serve up to 3 years in prison, but he insists that he plans to return to football when his sentence is complete. If that is the case, could and should a USFL team make a play on signing the controversial, but undoubtedly talented Vick to a deal for the 2009 or 2010 season? We start with that debate as our Big Story this month.
To Vick or not to Vick, That is the Question.
It is unfortunately not a rare occurrence that pro football teams and leagues find themselves balancing moral quandaries around talented players with issues. Whether it is drug use (prior or during a career), run ins with the law (prior or during a career), issues with violence off the field, or unsavory associates, the world of Pro Football is a reflection of the world we all live in. Men, particularly young men, often make poor choices in life. Throw in issues of poverty, crime, violence at home, broken families, drugs, and the sudden wealth and attention that playing a sport at a high level can bring, and there are plenty of potential pitfalls for players.
We have grown used to seeing drug issues, relationship issues, concerns about “posses” that attach themselves to a successful player, as well as violence away from the game as players are asked to play a violent sport and then turn off that part of themselves when they step off the field. For teams, the question of how to handle past indiscretions, present temptations, and a seemingly constant stream of off the field incidents, is one of the most challenging aspects of player personnel management. For the USFL, just as with the NFL, the issue is even greater when a player is a unique talent. The USFL has faced this some degree with the cases of Rashaan Salaam and Ricky Williams, both of whom served drug and legal issues and both served lengthy suspensions. The NFL has seen even more, with issues around drugs, violence, gang affiliation, and domestic incidents. Now the NFL is dealing with a huge issue as one of their top stars, Michael Vick, is wrapped up in what appears to be a pretty vile situation around dog fighting.
This August Michael Vick was brought up on both Federal and State charges for his role in a dog fighting ring, and the illegal gambling that surrounds it. Gambling is always an issue for pro sports, but in this case, the public outcry about the issue of animal cruelty and the inherently nasty imagery around dog fighting makes the situation particularly heady for the fall league. They have, as you might expect, suspended Vick, without pay, indefinitely, and as we await sentencing on what appears to be a pretty solid case against the former Va Tech QB, the question is already being asked: Can Vick return to pro football after this?
While the question is one the NFL is grappling with, the cancellation of Vick’s contract with the Atlanta Falcons makes it very possible that a return to professional football could include overtures to both the CFL and USFL. Just how would the USFL handle that situation? We asked five USFL executives to weigh in on the matter, and the results were about as muddled as the legal precedent that all of pro football is facing.
Jim Mora Sr: Former USFL Coach and current Advisor for the USFL Competition Committee: “It is tough, because you clearly have a player here who has talent. And while the situation is disturbing, you also have to take into account the culture and context of the player. While many folks in many parts of the country will look at dogfighting as repulsive, there is a portion of the country where it is more accepted, and Vick, while certainly in trouble legally, is coming from a cultural context that we have to consider.”
Al Luginbill, Head Coach of the Ohio Glory: “It is clear that Michael (Vick) is one of the most talented athletes ever to play professional football. What he can do on the field is something you just don’t see, so the temptation is there. From a football perspective, you want the best players on your team to give you a chance to win, but you also have to consider chemistry, and, even the public persona of the team. As outstanding as Vick is on the field, and we assume he would still be good even if he was unable to play for 2-3 years, you also have to think about the impact on the entire team.”
Mark Koncz: Director of Player Personnel for the expansion Charlotte Monarchs: “Right now, it feels like a moot point. We very likely won’t see Vick available to play again for at least 2 years, but if I am fortunate to still be the GM here in Charlotte in two years, it would be something to consider. Honestly, I am a dog lover, so for me personally, I am deeply troubled by what Vick and his associates were involved with. I would hate to have to explain to our fans, many of whom are also disturbed by this, why we would go after Vick if he is found guilty. It would be a tough sell for a large portion of our fanbase, but at the same time, if he did sign with the Atlanta Fire or Jacksonville Bulls, our team would be stuck facing him twice a year, and that would not be great either.”
Anthony Carter: Executive VP of League Relations, USFL Players Association: “I love watching Michael on the field. He is such a dynamic athlete who can do just amazing things, but after this, I don’t know if you can come back after this. I am all for second chances, and if he serves time, he should be able to resume his life in some form after his time, but if I am running a USFL club, I am not eager to deal with the backlash that comes with signing someone with this around him. It just does not lend itself to good PR. Now, I am a player guy, so I want him to have a chance to return if he can, but maybe the best way for him to do that is to remain in the NFL. Is that a cop out on my part? Maybe. But it may also be what is best for Michael.”
William Dunavant: Principle Partner/Owner and President of the 2007 League Champion Memphis Showboats: “Would I sign Vick? No, me personally, I could not do that. I have a granddaughter who would disown me. But I am not every owner and can certainly see why some would consider it. I think Vick will get a second chance, and maybe he should get that chance. Just for me, I don’t see how that helps us as a franchise. Now, I know there are fans of that sort of thing, dogfighting I mean, in our region. I won’t deny it, but that is not the kind of thing you necessarily can sell to a wider audience, and I think, at least for my club, I would not want to try.”
The truth is that we don’t know what will happen over the next few months and years when it comes to Michael Vick. A longer sentence could make a return to pro ball very difficult, a shorter one and teams across the pro football world are going to have to think about it, weight the positives and negatives, and decide if they want to risk the backlash to sign a very talented player with a very dark mark on his record. Fans can be forgiving, especially when they see their team winning games, but some things maybe you don’t come back from. It appears we shall see over the next year or so how this unique case about this unique player moves forward. For now, there is enough immediate business to take care of that most clubs and most player personnel teams are too busy to consider future hypotheticals.
Speaking about business of the moment, we thought we would begin our recap of the first two months of free agency with a quick run down of the retirements we have seen this offseason. Most were known to their teams in advance, but there are always surprises, and always departures that impact a team even when they know it is coming.
Without a doubt the biggest retirement impact was felt by teams that have lost their lead running back. We saw three teams this offseason facing this situation as Ahman Green, Tiki Barber, and Curtis Enis all opted not to return in 2008. Barber’s departure was not a huge surprise to Boston’s management, who breathed a sigh of relief when QB Drew Bledsoe announced he would not be joining his teammate and would be back for 2008. Atlanta had hoped for a 2nd season with Davis in the backfield, but they too could not be too surprised. For New Jersey, it was a bit of a shock. Enis had just finished a very solid campaign, one in which he had a lighter load thanks to the emergence of James Jackson as a viable 2nd option, so it was expected Enis would welcome the lighter carry total and would be back to continue his career. Not so. And, with Terry Glenn also announcing his retirement, the Generals now fully look like a club in a rebuild mode, with a new QB entering what could be his first full season as the starter, and now a new face at WR and HB.
New Orleans was another club hit deeply by retirements, as they lost 4 players, including WR Keenan McCardell, CB Walt Harris, RT Greg Bishop and backup HB Troy Hambrick. Coach Nolan, who suffered through a 1-13 season and was already looking at a considerable rebuild of his roster, now has more holes to fill.
Houston will have some work to do as well, having lost two of their starting LBs in Randall Godfrey and Mike Crawford, and then learning that LG Brenden Stai would also be hanging up his cleats. Atlanta, in addition to Terrell Davis, will have to focus on replacing two more retirees in CB Aaron Beasley and LB Terry Killens. Chicago, fresh off their Summer Bowl appearance, learned that LB Carlos Emmons and DT Brentson Buckner will be filing for retirement, meaning that their defense will have to reload if they hope to remain at the top of their game.
Memphis, the league champion, did not face any retirements this year as Brett Favre has stated that he feels 5 years younger after his title run with the Showboats. So, while his 3rd retirement is certainly not too far off, it does not appear to be something to worry about for 2008. Among other playoff teams, some of the announced retirements include Jacksonville LB Keith Newman, Nashville FB Sammy Morris and backup QB Craig Whelihan, Oakland WR Kevin Dyson, Ohio punter John Jett, and Orlando CB Fernando Bryant.
Familiar faces leaving, and new faces arriving. That is the nature of the offseason in every pro sport, and certainly has been the case this offseason. Even as USFL teams try to minimize free agency, and are hesitant to sign players ahead of an expansion draft, there was still significant action in the opening month of free agency. And while it was a particularly slow NFL-USFL transfer window, there were a few moves there worthy of note. We start with an action-packed first week of USFL Free Agency in late July, the one week when the USFL has first dibs on any players before the NFL can join the frenzy in August.
So, what happened during that first week? How about a mad dash to sign players considered the elite pick of the crop this year? With expansion draft protected lists on their minds, USFL GM’s did not want to make a lot of moves for depth in the early phase of free agency, but if a Top 20 player is available, you do not wait on it. Here is our list of the Dynamic Dozen, the 12 top players who were signed by USFL clubs in the week prior to the NFL-USFL transfer window, signings that in some cases rewrote the salary range at several positions, and in nearly every case, brought excitement to the cities that acquired talent and frustration for fans of the teams they departed.
12—DE Marcellus Wiley (DEN to MEM): The league champions added a sack specialist in Wiley. The 32-year old, may have several good seasons in him, and with Julius Peppers departing Memphis after winning a title, his signing certainly fills the gap in Memphis’s defensive scheme. Not as quick as Peppers, but certainly effective, Wiley will almost certainly take over the LE position.
11—WR Curtis Conway (CHI to CHA): The Eastern Conference Champs new that they would have a hard time holding onto Conway due to cap restraints. The 32-year old wideout jumps to expansion Charlotte, where he is likely to be the undisputed #1 after losing that designation to Donald Driver in Chicago.
10—LT Korey Stringer (PIT to POR): As expected, the two expansion teams, with no salary cap filled yet, were quick to jump on free agency. While Charlotte signed themselves a #1 receiver, Portland looked to protect NFL signing A.J. Feeley by snagging one of the best linemen available. String is 35, so this is not a long term solution at left tackle, but he will bring immediate leadership as well as some level of calm to the Portland offense.
9—DT Jason Fisk (OAK to POR): Let’s highlight a second Stag pick, as they signed their first defensive player, the 26-year old run-stuffer, Fisk. Oakland’s defense will have to fill this gap in their line as Fisk was essential to improving their run defense. Now, in Portland, he will face the Invaders twice a year.
8—C Shaun O-Hara (TEX to STL): The Skyhawks had not named their new head coach yet (they have since named former USFL QB Doug Williams to the position) but it was clear, even without a man at the helm, that the offensive line in St. Louis was not up to snuff. The SkyHawks, now under the direction of Williams, need to improve both in run schemes and QB protection, and adding an outstanding blocker and line-leader like O’Hara is a great first step.
7—DT Leonard Renfro (NSH to MGN): Michigan needs to beef up that D-line if they are going to compete with Chicago and Ohio in the Central, and while DE is still a big need, landing Renfro from the Knights is a great building block. At 34, Renfro might only have a year or two in him, so don’t be shocked if the Panthers also look for a young stud in the draft, but for now we are pencilling Renfro in at the nose in Michigan’s 3-4.
6—DT Sean Gilbert (OHI to BAL): Baltimore has a history of snagging veteran DT’s who were potential retirement candidates. They did it with both Perry brothers, and got two Hall of Famers by doing so. So we were not shocked at all that they convinced Ohio’s Sean Gilbert to stay in the game and relocate to the Charm City.
5—DE Julius Peppers (MEM to CHA): A coup for the expansion Monarchs, who get themselves a dynamic edge rusher who is only 27 and could be a staple in their defense for years to come. It does not hurt that he is a NC native and UNC grad, something that certainly helped him choose Charlotte, but which will also make him an immediate fan favorite for the new Monarchs franchise.
4—DE Jevon Kearse (LA to MGN): We said Michigan needed a DE, and only 2 days after signing Renfro, they make a bigger splash by signing Kearse away from the Express. It helped that Brian Griese’s deal was freshly reworked to free up cap space, but the big selling point for Michigan was the ability for Kearse to shift to a 3-4, his preferred defensive scheme. With 2 new pieces on that D-line, paired up with Ebenezer Ekuban on the other side, and with a young LB corps made up of Andy Katzenmoyer, Shawne Merriman, Odell Thurman and DeMarcus Ware, this defense could be on a par with rival Chicago by season’s end.
3—CB Charles Woodson (WSH to ATL): Washington’s cap woes become Atlanta’s treasure trove. The Fire acquire one of the premier, if not the premier, corners in the league. Woodson will immediately impact the Fire defense, allowing Coach Gruden to lock down one side of the field and take away his opponent’s #1 threat at receiver. Woodson is also an amazing presence in the locker room. The Fire will get immediate impact with Woodson signing on.
2—HB Shaun Alexander (BIR to HOU): Houston wins a bidding war with Arizona, Orlando, and Boston to sign the best back in the free agent pool. Alexander must have liked what he heard from members of the Gambler squad, as well as Coach Phillips, because the rumors had Arizona outpacing Houston in dollars. Of course it may also have been Arizona’s reputation for somehow flubbing the run game, no matter who is lined up behind the QB, that pushed Alexander to sign a 3-year deal to become a Gambler.
1—WR Randy Moss (TBY to OHI): This one had to hurt, not just Tampa Bay, who wanted desperately to reach a deal with their future HOF receiver, but pretty much anyone around the country who was hoping the Ohio dynasty was done. Pairing Moss with Joey Galloway, and giving him to Kerry Collins as a target is exactly what no one wanted to see. No one but Coach Luginbill and the Glory faithful that is. Ohio persuaded Moss to sign despite strong offers from Baltimore, Chicago, LA, and Las Vegas. He now adds a new dimension to an offense that was already scary enough to win 2 titles and compete for a 3rd almost every year.
With many of the biggest names in the USFL free agent pool snapped up in record time, the NFL-USFL window opened with something of an anticlimactic fizzle. We have gotten used to the NFL swooping in every August to raid USFL rosters, with the spring league recouping talent at the end of the NFL season in the late January and early February window. But this year was different. Yes, the NFL managed to snag a good number of players, but the big names were either already signed or passed on NFL offers to remain in the Spring, perhaps hesitant to face the rigors of back-to-back seasons, rigors we have seen many players struggle with in past years. While the NFL haul this year was underwhelming, it does not mean that it had no impact.
Among the players of note who have shuffled off to the NFL we find CB Jimmy Hitchcock (TEX), DT Cedric Harden (PIT), G Bobbie Williams (ORL), SS Torrian Gray (OAK), WR Drew Bennett (STL), OT Mo Collins (JAX), WR Freddie Scott (BOS), and kicker Mike Vanderjagt (LV). Only one QB of note jumped ship this year, a huge departure from last year’s exodus. Former Chicago and Oakland QB Ray Lucas will be joining the Atlanta Falcons as part of their post-Vick strategy. Rumors also have Jeff George in discussion with the Falcons, but there is no contract in place at present, which means that the earliest he could sign would be in February for the 2008 season.
As for NFL players coming to the USFL, we have only a handful. We already reported on former Philadelphia and San Diego QB A. J. Feeley falling outside the transfer window and signing early on with Portland. Of players signed during the NFL-USFL Window, these 5 are the only ones who we see as very likely to make the final rosters come February:
LB Calvin Pace is leaving the Arizona Cardinals to join the New Orleans Breakers.
Safety Gibril Wilson goes from the NY Giants to the Federals.
Wideout D. J. Hackett, formerly of Seattle, signs on with expansion Charlotte.
Defensive End Reynaldo Wynn leaves the Saints to become a New Jersey General.
QB Chris Weinke, the one time starter for the Carolina Panthers finds a home back in Carolina, leaving the 49ers to sign a 3-year deal with the Charlotte Monarchs.
The signing of Weinke makes us wonder if both Portland and Charlotte are not planning on building their QB rooms through the Expansion Draft. Now, it may be that both clubs are planning on having QB competitions in camp, but the somewhat expensive signing of two former NFL quarterbacks may mean that the clubs wanted to lock up the QB position and may look to draft only potential backups from the pool of quarterbacks available in the expansion pool. With every USFL team but one protecting their starting QB in the protected roster list, with Jason Campbell being the one notable exception, any QB signed by the two expansion clubs would be a backup turned starter, whereas signing both Feeley and Weinke might actually be a better solution for the two clubs.
The other impact of these signings is that we may be looking at Charlotte with the #1 rookie pick and Portland at #3 both passing on high value QB’s like Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco and prioritizing other positions. That could be a boon for a team like Texas or St. Louis which also has an early draft pick and may be considering a rookie QB.
Best Free Agents Still Available
After 8 weeks of free agency, and a completed NFL-USFL window, what do we still see as the free agent pool? Well, we fully expect a frantic period of signing as soon as the Expansion Draft is completed. After all, every single team in the league will lose 2 players in the current format, and once the rest of the roster is secure, teams will be addressing not only those 2 roster holes, but the others they suffered from retirement, free agency, and simply a desire to upgrade positions. And while there are a lot of big names already removed from free agency, there are players who could provide real value to their teams. Here is our look, position by position, at the top 3 players available in free agency as soon as the Expansion Draft concludes.
QB: As we said, not likely a clearcut starter here, but some quality depth with Jeff Blake (SEA), Kris Kershaw (HOU) and Todd Boumann (NOR) leading the pack of mid-range quarterbacks. Jeff George is here as well, but rumors have him going to the NFL, so we leave him off our list.
HB: With Shaun Alexander signed by Houston, that leaves several teams looking at the next best options, which are, in order, Sedrick Irvin (ORL), Autrey Detson (TBY), and Kenny Watson (OHI), although a lot of folks look at James Jackson of New Jersey as a 4th prospect in the same range.
TE: Not a particularly deep pool, especially if, as expected, Denver’s Lonnie Johnson is contemplating retirement. The clear #1 is Washington’s Bubba Franks, with Nat Dorsey (BIR) and Daniel Graham (BAL) trailing behind.
WR: A deep list of quality depth here, and even with Korey Stringer signed by Portland, you have potential starters in Stacy Andrews (WSH), Jason Odom (DEN), and Tra Thomas (HOU). Don’t count out a potential bidding war as well for a young up and comer like Nashville’s Joaquin Gonzalez.
OT: A deep list of quality depth here, and even with Korey Stringer signed by Portland, you have potential starters in Stacy Andrews (WSH), Jason Odom (DEN), and Tra Thomas (HOU). Don’t count out a potential bidding war as well for a young up and comer like Nashville’s Joaquin Gonzalez.
OG: Our top 3 are all sign-and-start prospects. Chris Liwienski (MGN), Chad Ward (NJ), and Taylor Whitley (MEM) have all proven they have what it takes to start in the USFL.
C: With O’Hara off to St. Louis, the best option is Houston’s Brad Meester, and All-USFL player at the position this year. Behind Meester you have Jake Grove (NSH) and Alex Stepanovich (ARZ) as solid contributors.
DE: Our top 3 DE’s are all signed: Peppers (CHA), Wiley (MEM), and Kearse (MGN), so is there value left? Among veterans there are still some players with a couple of good years left in them, players like Arizona’s Chike Okeafor, Texas’s Bob Kuberski, and Jacksonville’s Kenny Mixon, but the player likely to get a higher paycheck is 27-year old Derrick Burgess of Atlanta. With potential for 5-6 more years in the league, we could see Burgess getting top dollar.
DT: Another position where the top prospects signed quickly. We still like younger players like Ryan Sims (BIR), and Nick Eason (LV), but a veteran like Oakland’s Jermaine Smith could also get a lot of interest.
LB: None of the top veteran LBs have signed yet, so there is still some real quality here. At the top of the heap is former Blitz MLB Mike Maslowski. Breaker Craig Powell and Star Zach Thomas are expected to sign quickly as well. And don’t forget up and comers like Will Overstreet (MEM) and D. D. Lewis (SEA).
CB: Woodson was the gold standard, so congrats to the Fire for signing him. The next 2 names on our list are both 34 or older, so they are short-term signings, but you could do worse in 2008 to have either Terrell Buckley or Tyrone Poole on your squad. For a younger corner, there is Jason bell (HOU) or Andrew Woolfork (NJ) available.
S: Some very good names out there in the safety pool, both at FS with Brian Dawkins (NJ) and Curtis Fuller (NSH) or at SS with Reggie Tongue (PHI), Lance Schulters (ATL) and John Coady (OAK).
K/P: Always a slow market, with teams hoping to find a gem in the rookie or unsigned pool rather than spending to land a known commodity. With Vanderjagt off to the NFL, the best options at kicker, for a team hoping for veteran poise include Mike Hollis (OHI), Josh Brown (HOU) and Joe Nedney (OAK). Among punters, the pressure to sign a vet is even less, but if someone wants to upgrade, they could look at Michael Barnes (WSH) as a quality player at the position.
2008 EXPANSION DRAFT:
As we mentioned earlier, and as many would assume, free agency is limited in expansion years as teams are already struggling to protect only 15 players from their 53 man rosters, adding a free agent ahead of the expansion draft means one fewer current player has a reserved spot, so that a newly acquired player can be protected. Sure, for Charles Woodson or Randy Moss you do it, but for 2nd team players or depth signings it would not make sense. So, this weekend’s expansion draft will be huge, not just for Portland and Charlotte, but for the other 26 teams waiting to find out who they will lose, what positions they will need to restock, and for the ability to know their rosters on Monday and dive into free agency full bore.
As we look at the talent available to the Stags and Monarchs, we should remind everyone of how the draft will work. Each team will select 30 players from the current USFL squads. The first 26 rounds will require a team to select one player from each of the 26 teams. They do not have to follow each other’s order, and, we suspect, that in most cases they will not. For example, if Charlotte picks an Ohio Glory player in round 1, there is no rush for Portland to pick one, knowing that Charlotte cannot pick another and the 2nd pick will be theirs. So, Portland might opt for an LA Express player, getting first choice from that roster. Once we hit round 14 or so, that is when we should expect the 2nd player from each USFL team to be chosen. Following the first 26 rounds, there are 4 more rounds in which a 3rd player may be taken, but once a team has had a 3rd player chosen, that team is now off limits. So, essentially 8 teams will lose 3 players while the other 18 lose 2.
With that being the scenario ahead for Portland and Charlotte, here is our listing of who we believe to be the best players in each position group once again. Now, we are listing our thoughts on the best three, but we need to remember that there are several factors at work here. First is age, with teams wanting to ensure that they have a blend of veteran experience and youth. You don’t want your entire roster to retire at once, after all. Secondly is the contract terms. Just as you don’t want your entire roster the same age, you also want a combination of players with a different number of years left on their contract. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, the salary cap is still in play, so neither Portland or Charlotte can select the 30 best players available, not without going over the cap. So expect them to mix for age, for contract length, and especially for cost, trying to build a roster that is viable financially and over several years. With that said, if a team values one of these positions and wants to go for the absolute best options at that position, this is where we would look.
QB: With the signing of A. J. Feeley (POR) and Chris Weinke (CHA) from the NFL, it seems that neither club felt there were starting QB solutions in the expansion draft. That is not surprising, considering that every team but Birmingham protected their own starter. So who is available, Well, Jason Campbell, as the only unprotected starter, is one obvious choice. Henry Burris, who filled in for the injured Kordell Stewart this year is another, as is Jeff Lewis, who has bounced around several teams. Other names to consider include Tim Rattay (NOR), Luke McCown (STL), and Mike McMahon (MEM).
HB: Will either the Monarchs or Stags take a stab at revitalizing Cedric Benson’s career? He came out of Texas with a lot of potential but has really struggled in Denver. If Benson’s big contract is a deterrent, there are other options. How about Travis Prentice? Ladell Betts? Ahmaad Galloway? Or Mewelde Moore? A lot here will depend on the style of play the teams are going for. Big backs for a power run game or scat backs and receivers for a more spread style?
FB: A low priority position around the league, so a lot of teams did not protect their fullback. The Stags and Monarchs can all but take their pick. We would recommend they look at outstanding blocker/receiver combos like St. Louis’s Vontae Leach, New Jersey’s Deon Dyer, or Jacksonville’s Madison Hedgecock.
TE: Another position where only about half the USFL protected their starter. Some talent to be had here. If you want a faster, receiver-first TE, how about Houston’s Dan Campbell, Arizona’s Kevin Everett, or All-USFL TE Bennie Joppru of Michigan. For more of a big blocking TE, there is Jeb Putzier in Jacksonville, Roland Williams in Philly, or Anthony Fasano of Chicago.
WR: Very few pure #1’s here, possibly none, but a lot of speed and a lot of good route runners. We are going to list several, since we expect each club will want 4-5 during the draft. For veteran leadership, these receivers over 30 could be a good fit: Joe Jurevicious, Travis Taylor, Dante Hall, Dedrick Ward, Jerome Pathon or Karl Williams. Looking for a longer-term and hungry players hoping to become the #1, these names look like good candidates: Koren Robinson, Roddy White, Brandon Marshall, Donte Do, Javon Walker, and Troy Williamson.
OT: Hard to believe but Memphis is taking a chance that no one notices that All-USFL tackle Wayne Gandy was left unprotected. He is 34, so that could deter a team. Same for 37-year-old Lomas Brown in Seattle. If a tackle under 30 is key, then the best option is likely Kwame Harris (OAK) or Sean Bubin (MGN).
OG: Interior line does not get the attention of the tackles, so there are some good options here. At the top of our list are Jeffrey Fisher (STL), Benji Olson (ARZ), Jamie Nails (BOS) and Sean Locklear (CHI).
C: Some good choices here too. Gene McGuire is a risk at 36 years old, but he is talented. Aaron Graham and Bubba Miller are also somewhat expensive and somewhat older options. For youth, how about Ryan Pontbrian from Houston or Matt Johnson from Washington?
DE: Thirty-six year old Santana Dotson may be the biggest name here, but he is not the only decent outside rusher on the list. You have Dameaion Jeffries from Pittsburgh, Gary Walker from Arizona, and Dimitrius Underwood from the Outlaws. For players under 30 you probably won’t do better than Elvis Dumervil from the Bandits.
DT: A good value position with several starters available. Our top three would be Rocky Bernard (HOU), Kendrick Clancy (PHI) and La’Roi Glover (TBY), but there are also some young up and comers in Kyle Williams, John McCargo and DeMarcus Tyler.
LB: With most teams carrying 6 or 7 linebackers, expect a lot of picks to go to this position. The key is to mix solid run coverage MLBs with speedier coverage and blitzing OLBs. Looking at the position, you also want leadership. For that trait you could go for Kevin Mitchell from Tampa Bay, a perennial tackle leader, or Michael Barrow of Nashville. For speed there is Dat Nguyen (DEN) and Scott Fujita (ATL), and then for a mix of skills how about Corey miller, Chris Draft, Roman Pfifer, Clint Kriewaldt, or Ben Leber?
CB: Hard to believe LA left 25-year-old Carlos Rogers unprotected. He has to be a top pick. Others at the top of this list include James Trapp (BIR), Ray Mickens (SEA0, Chris McCallister (BAL), Deon Grant (OAK) and Ken Irvin (BIR).
FS: We expect both clubs to get their starting free safety from this pool. Strong candidates include Chris Crocker (BAL), Terrance Kiel (LA), Paris Lenon (SEA) and Will Allen (OAK)
SS: Same for the Strong Safety position, a spot to snag a starter for sure. The top safeties here are Terreal Bierria (ATL), Keith Lyle (JAX), Terrance Holt (SEA), and Sammy Knight (CHI).
K: Very few teams protected their kickers or punters, so it is the pick of the crop here, but the problem is that if you pick a kicker/punter that is your only pick from that USFL club, so you cannot snag another position. One or both of our expansion clubs could shy away from both positions and assume they can get good value on the rookie or free agent markets. If they do go for a veteran kicker, the best available are pretty clear: All-USFL kicker Tim Seder, Washington’s Doug Pelfrey, and Denver’s Mason Crosby are all solid choices. Crosby is only 25 and could be a long-term answer at the position.
P: We would be shocked to see a team pick a punter, at least not in the first 26 rounds, but if they do, the best of the bunch are Michigan’s Doug Colquitt, Las Vegas’s Craig Jarrett, and Tampa’s Matt Turk.