22 Players to Watch On Draft Day
By Rich Campbell
Special to Redskins.com
March 18, 2005
With the NFL Draft little more than a month away, Redskins decision-makers have started to intensify their preparations in recent days.
Many draft entrants showcased their skills at last month's NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, giving front office officials around the NFL a clearer idea of who may best satisfy their teams' needs for the upcoming season and beyond.
Head coach Joe Gibbs has said that he'd like fill each of the Redskins' holes through free agency, but he will certainly look to upgrade certain positions with draft picks. Exactly which areas the Redskins will target remains an open question, although Gibbs has mentioned cornerback and wide receivers as possible positions of need.
This year, the Redskins have the ninth overall pick. The San Francisco 49ers hold the No. 1 pick overall, followed by the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Looking at our football team, certainly [cornerback and wide receiver] are two spots where we would entertain something," Gibbs said. "The other thing is, you might even consider moving back in the draft. If there are high-quality players who would be available later in the first round, then you could pick up an extra pick. You could pick up a second-round pick or maybe a third and a fourth and still get a quality player in the first round. So that's a consideration."
Here's a look at 20 intriguing players (in alphabetical order) who are likely to be key factors in the NFL Draft. Check back in the coming weeks for a series analyzing draft-eligible players position-by-position in the draft.
Alex Barron, OT, Florida State
Barron is a two-time consensus all-American and last season was a finalist for the Outland Trophy, awarded annually to the country's top offensive or defensive lineman. At approximately 6-7, 320 pounds, Barron can be a tremendous force as a run blocker. He allowed only one sack as a senior.
Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
Benson, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his four collegiate seasons, is widely considered to be one of the most complete running backs in this year's draft. His combination of power and speed helped him rush for 1,834 yards and 19 touchdowns in 12 games as a senior. He reportedly cut his dreadlocks before the scouting combine to downplay any similarities to former Longhorns running back Ricky Williams.
Darryl Blackstock, DE, Virginia
As a freshman, Blackstock led all college rookies with 10 sacks and was named National Defensive Freshman of the Year. Since then, Blackstock has developed into more of a complete player, solid at stopping the run and pressuring the passer. He had 11 sacks last year and 27 for his collegiate career, the second-most in Virginia history. He could fit in the NFL as a defensive end or a linebacker; in fact, he hopes to pattern his NFL career after Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor.
Jammal Brown, OT, Oklahoma
As a senior last season, Brown won the Outland Trophy, the award given to the nation's best collegiate offensive or defensive lineman. During his career at Oklahoma, Brown blocked for a Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Jason White and a Heisman finalist in running back Adrian Peterson. He is known as a solid pass blocker.
Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn
Despite being a backup to Carnell "Cadillac" Williams at Auburn, the 5-11, 231-pound back combines impressive power and speed. Last season, he rushed for 445 yards and four touchdowns on 96 carries. At last month's NFL Scouting Combine, Brown posted sensational numbers, running the 40-yard dash in the mid 4.4-range. He also impressed scouts as a pass-catcher. Expect Brown to be a top-10 pick.
Dan Cody, DE, Oklahoma
Cody has had success rushing the passer from both a three-point stance and a stand-up position. One of his team-leading 10 sacks last season came in the national championship game against Southern Cal. Cody also had 10 sacks as a junior. His upfield playmaking ability makes him one of the best defensive ends in this year's draft.
Dustin Colquitt, P, Tennessee
Colquitt was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given annually to the nation's best punter, twice in his college career. He placed 17 of his 26 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line last season.
Thomas Davis, S, Georgia
Davis, an all-American as a junior last season, is generally considered to be the top safety in this year's draft. He led the Bulldogs in tackles in 2004 with 81 (57 solo). He also had three sacks and three forced fumbles last season. Davis has been compared to Sean Taylor in that both players could be mistaken for linebackers.
Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan
Edwards is widely regarded as the most complete wideout in this year's draft. At approximately 6-3, his size and speed make him an explosive threat downfield. Edwards has tremendous athletic ability and can make the difficult catch. After returning to school for his senior season, Edwards amassed 1,330 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, helping the Wolverines to a Rose Bowl berth.
Anttaj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin
Hawthorne is an athletic interior lineman with good size and often faced double-teams in college. His six sacks as a senior last season were second on the team to Erasmus James. Hawthorne's strong upper body helps him shed blockers.
Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin
After a hip injury caused James to miss the 2003 campaign, he had a solid senior season in 2004 and led the Badgers with eight sacks. Although he is considered a pass rushing specialist, James can hold his own against the run as well. He uses his long arms to his advantage, particularly in pass rushes.
Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas
Johnson is one of those linebackers who makes his presence felt all over the football field. It's to the point that college offenses had to know his whereabouts before calling a play. He led the Longhorns in tackles each of the last two seasons and had 130 (73 solo) as a senior last year. Last season, Johnson won the Butkus Award, the honor bestowed upon the nation's best collegiate linebacker. He is considered to be a true playmaker who should make an instant impact in the NFL.
Travis Johnson, DT, Florida State
Johnson led the Seminoles as a senior in 2004 with 18 tackles for losses. Observers like his quick, explosive release off the line of scrimmage. He weighs less than 300 pounds, which could make him vulnerable to bigger offensive linemen. A first team all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection as a senior, Johnson is expected to be one of the first defensive linemen selected.
Adam Jones, CB, West Virginia
Affectionately know as "Pac Man," Jones is an outstanding cornerback and punt returning threat. His quickness and overall speed are his best attributes. As a junior last season, Jones led the Mountaineers with three interceptions and also had the team's only punt return for a touchdown. He also had two sacks and led the team with 69 tackles (50 solo).
Shawne Merriman, LB, Maryland
As a junior last season, Merriman led the Terrapins with 17 tackles for losses. His 8.5 sacks were also a team high. Many observers believe Merriman could play either defensive end or outside linebacker, depending on the defensive scheme in which he plays. He never missed a game in his three seasons at Maryland.
Heath Miller, TE, Virginia
Miller's 541 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions led the Cavaliers last season. He won the Mackey Award, which is given to the nation's best tight end and it is widely thought that he will be the first tight end selected in the draft. Many draft experts consider him a first-round talent. In only three collegiate seasons, Miller set Atlantic Coast Conference records for most receptions (144), receiving yards (1,703), and touchdowns (20) by a tight end. His blocking ability complements his pass-catching talents nicely.
Mike Nugent, K, Ohio State
Nugent started all four years for the Buckeyes and as a senior won the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the best collegiate kicker. In 2004, he made 24 of 27 field goals, including five of six from 50 yards or beyond. One of those kicks was a 55-yarder that beat Marshall at the final gun.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, California
Rodgers passed for 2,566 yards, 24 touchdowns and 8 interceptions as a junior last season. He played one season at Butte Junior College in Chico, Calif., before joining the Golden Bears in 2003 and leading them to a 7-3 record as starter. He is considered one of the best quarterbacks in this year's draft partly because of his superb arm strength and accuracy.
Antrel Rolle, CB, Miami
Rolle is a bigger cornerback at about 6-0, and he uses he size to match up well with bigger wide receivers. As a junior in 2003, he held Larry Fitzgerald (formerly of the University of Pittsburgh, now with the Arizona Cardinals) to three catches for 26 yards in a game. His speed nicely complements his size, and he is widely considered to be one of the best cornerbacks in the draft.
Alex Smith, QB, Utah
Smith quarterbacked the Utes to a 12-0 record last year as a junior. He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting before throwing for 328 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-7 victory over Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl. A very accurate passer, Smith threw for 2,952 yards, 32 touchdowns and four interceptions last season and also rushed for 631 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Carnell Williams, RB, Auburn
Nicknamed "Cadillac," Williams rushed for 1,165 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior last season as Auburn finished 13-0. He is known more for his shifty, elusive running than his power. One draft pundit compared him to Clinton Portis. Williams' suffered season-ending clavicle and fibula injuries in 2001 and 2002, respectively, but rebounded to rush for 1,307 yards in 2003.
Mike Williams, WR, USC
You'll recall that Williams tried to enter the NFL Draft a year ago (along with Ohio State's Maurice Clarett) following his sophomore season but was denied entry after an appeals court overturned a federal judge's decision to allow underclassmen into the draft. Thus, Williams spent last season out of football. His performance as a sophomore at USC, however, will likely merit a first-round selection. In 13 games, he caught 16 touchdowns and averaged more than 101 receiving yards per contest. Williams stands about 6-4, 230 and used his size and great hands to make several spectacular catches in college. A downside to his size is a slight drop-off in speed.
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