TEAM-BY-TEAM DRAFT CAPSULES
NEW YORK (AP) - Team-by-team capsules for this weekend's NFL
draft:
1. INDIANAPOLIS (3-13)
LAST YEAR: Lost first 10 games before finishing 3-13. Replaced GM
Bill Tobin and coach Lindy Infante with Bill Polian and Jim Mora.
STRENGTHS: Running back.
NEEDS: Quarterback, defense.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: OT Tarik Glenn (1) reported late. Finally
produced toward end, but Colts like OT Adam Meadows (2) better.
DRAFT HISTORY: Bad luck with career-ending injuries to Steve
Emtman, No. 1 overall in 1992, and Trev Alberts in 1994. Also
misjudged Jeff George's personality problems (No. 1 overall,
1990).
THE PICKER: Polian, successful in Buffalo and Carolina.
PROBABLE NO. 1: Peyton Manning, QB, Tennessee. Or maybe Ryan
Leaf, QB Washington State.
2. SAN DIEGO (4-12)
LAST YEAR: Started 4-4 under rookie coach Kevin Gilbride, lost
last eight after QB Stan Humphries was injured. Humphries
subsequently retired.
STRENGTHS: Not many. Even LB Junior Seau wilted late. RB Natrone
Means and OT John Jackson, both free agents, are fingers in the
dike.
NEEDS: Everything.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: No first-rounder, but TE Freddie Jones (2) was
outstanding.
DRAFT HISTORY: General manager Bobby Beathard, who often trades
away No. 1s, is lucky he kept it this year. His system worked in
Washington, but has fizzled recently with picks like Bryan Still
and Isaac Davis.
THE PICKER: Beathard, who traded up one spot to take a
quarterback. He gave up two players and three picks, including a
No. 1 in 1999, to move up. Beathard is more comfortable with low
picks, although Seau was fifth overall in 1990.
PROBABLE NO. 1: Leaf or Manning.
3. ARIZONA (4-12)
LAST YEAR: Just bad enough to lose -- six of 12 losses were by
one TD or less.
STRENGTHS: Defensive line if they take Andre Wadsworth. WR Rob
Moore, CB Aeneas Williams.
NEEDS: Offensive line, which allowed a league-leading 78 sacks;
running back, although acquisition of Adrian Murrell will help.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: DB Tom Knight (1) was bothered by injuries.
But QB Jake Plummer (2) is starter. DT Mark Smith (7) had six
sacks.
DRAFT HISTORY: Great picks like DT Eric Swann (1991) and DE
Simeon Rice (1996), but a long history of busts like Kelly
Stouffer, Clyde Duncan, et al. Haven't made playoffs since 1982.
THE PICKERS: Bob Ferguson and Rod Graves, the personnel men, plus
coach Vince Tobin. But Bill Bidwill is still owner and reportedly
wants to trade down to save money.
PROBABLE NO. 1: Andre Wadsworth, DE, Florida State.
4. OAKLAND (4-12)
LAST YEAR: Projected Super Bowl contender, collapsed on defense.
Coach Joe Bugel was fired and 34-year-old Jon Gruden became
fourth coach in five seasons.
STRENGTHS: Offense led by Jeff George, Tim Brown and Napoleon
Kaufman.
NEEDS: Offensive line and defense, particularly secondary, where
Raiders started two 36-year-old cornerbacks.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: DT Darrell Russell (1) showed signs of
becoming impact lineman.
DRAFT HISTORY: Often gamble, miss more often than they hit, like
QB Todd Marinovich, first in 1991.
THE PICKERS: Owner Al Davis.
PROBABLE NO. 1: Charles Woodson, DB, Michigan.
5. CHICAGO (4-12)
LAST YEAR: Injuries hurt (WR Curtis Conway, both starting running
backs) and so did failure of QB Rick Mirer, for whom Bears gave
up last year's No. 1.
STRENGTHS: Perhaps the least-talented team in the NFL.
NEEDS: Everything.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: TE John Allred (2) is a good prospect,
DRAFT HISTORY: No. 1s in '90s include Stan Thomas, Rashaan
Salaam, Walt Harris and John Thierry, all ordinary or worse.
THE PICKERS: Personnel director Mark Hatley and coach Dave
Wannstedt. Blame may lie with owner Mike McCaskey, whose
frugality has hurt.
PROBABLE NO. 1: Fifth in a four-player draft. Seeking to trade
down with someone who likes troubled WR Randy Moss of Marshall or
Curtis Enis, RB, Penn State. If no trade, Enis.
6. ST. LOUIS (5-11)
LAST YEAR: Dick Vermeil returned to coaching after 14 years and
struggled along with team, particularly on offense.
STRENGTHS: Offensive potential with WRs Isaac Bruce and Eddie
Kennison, who slipped from his rookie year. Decent defense,
particularly secondary.
NEEDS: Running back, linebacker, offensive line, defensive line.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: OT Orlando Pace, top overall pick, held out
and didn't come around until late. But he has tremendous
potential. G Ryan Tucker (4) looked good.
DRAFT HISTORY: In 1996, they traded Jerome Bettis and picked
Lawrence Phillips, whom Vermeil cut last season. Enough said.
THE PICKER: Vermeil.
PROBABLE NO. 1: Georgia Tech LB Keith Brooking or Enis. They'd
shy away from Moss (the Phillips syndrome); perhaps Tra Thomas,
OT Florida State.
7. NEW ORLEANS (6-10)
LAST YEAR: Mike Ditka, in his first year, played musical
quarterbacks with Heath Shuler, Danny Wuerffel, Doug Nussmeier
and Billy Joe Hobert as Saints led league with 55 turnovers.
STRENGTHS: Defense, led by DT Wayne Martin, ranked fourth in NFL,
although the loss of LB Winfred Tubbs hurts.
NEEDS: Offense. Even OT William Roaf has slipped as talent around
him has deteriorated.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: Best rookie was free agent S Sammy Knight. G
Chris Naeole (1) missed most of the season with injuries.
Wuerffel (4) and RB Troy Davis (3) were 1-2 in 1996 Heisman
voting, but mediocre in NFL.
DRAFT HISTORY: Bad all decade except for Roaf.
THE PICKER: Ditka.
PROBABLE NO. 1: Thomas, Enis, or Moss.
8. DALLAS (6-10)
LAST YEAR: Started 3-1, lost nine of last 12. Coach Barry Switzer
stepped down before he was fired and was replaced by Chan Gailey,
Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator.
STRENGTHS: A core of stars -- QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, WR
Michael Irvin, G Larry Allen, S Darren Woodson, DT Leon Lett and
CB Deion Sanders. Smith and Irvin are slipping.
NEEDS: Receivers, offensive linemen, defensive linemen.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: Best since Jimmy Johnson left, although no
major stars. TE David LaFleur (1) came on at the end of the
season; LB Dexter Coakley (3) was instant starter; and DT Antonio
Anderson (4) and S Omar Stoutmire (7) are keepers.
DRAFT HISTORY: Bad since Johnson left in 1994 -- Allen is only
impact player.
THE PICKERS: Owner-GM Jerry Jones, Gailey, personnel director
Larry Lacewell.
PROBABLE NO. 1: Thomas, Kyle Turley, OL, San Diego State, DE
Grant Wistrom, Nebraska, or DE Greg Ellis, North Carolina.
9 and 25. JACKSONVILLE (11-5)
LAST YEAR: Made playoffs as wild card and was beaten, 42-17, by
Denver, whom Jags upset the previous year.
STRENGTHS: Offense, led by QB Mark Brunell, offensive line led by
T Tony Boselli, and WRs Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith.
NEEDS: Running back to replace departed Natrone Means; defensive
linemen.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: DTs Renaldo Wynn, (1) and Seth Payne (4)
started when front-line players were hurt. Mike Logan (2) is
long-term safety.
DRAFT HISTORY: First three drafts outstanding.
THE PICKER: Coach Tom Coughlin.
PROBABLE NO. 1s: First pick from Buffalo for QB Rob Johnson.
Might package picks for Enis or take Fred Taylor, RB, Florida;
Wistrom or Vonnie Holliday, DT, North Carolina. Depending on
first choice, second might be Robert Holcombe, RB, Illinois.
10. BALTIMORE (6-10)
LAST YEAR: Started 3-1, faltered as Vinny Testaverde was benched
and Eric Zeier replaced him at QB.
STRENGTHS: Offensive line led by T Jonathan Ogden, LBs Ray Lewis
and Peter Boulware.
NEEDS: Running back, wide receiver, defensive backs.
LAST YEAR'S PICKS: Boulware signed late, but had 11 1/2 sacks and
was defensive rookie of the year; LB Jamie Sharper, No. 2, also
started. RB Jay Graham (3) and DB Kim Herring, second No. 2,
showed promise.
DRAFT HISTORY: Excellent recently -- two years ago, got Ogden and
Lewis 1-2.
THE PICKERS: General manager Ozzie Newsome and coach Ted
Marchibroda.
PROBABLE NO. 1: Ellis; Wistrom; Holliday; Taylor; Kevin Dyson,
WR, Utah; Robert Edwards, RB, Georgia. Could trade down. |
