This weekend played host to the NBA Playoffs, the Nextel "Subway Fresh" 500, the Houston Open and the U.S. Clay Court Championship. So why write about the NFL Draft?Two simple reasons: It gives us a significant preview of the coming year in the most exciting and turbulent of professional sports, and unlike the NBA, it's completely unpredictable. Not only is it unpredictable, it's inherently absurd. Take, for example, the first player ever drafted in the NFL: Jay Berwanger. Drafted in 1936 by Philadelphia, his rights were promptly sold to the Bears. Setting a standard for future holdouts, Berwanger demanded a $25,000 salary. He was never signed, taking a job as a foam-rubber salesman instead.
This weekend's draft class was rife with players expected to make an immediate impact on their failing teams. The salary-cap era demands that teams turn around losing streaks in a single off-season, and the league is so saturated with talent that there is little room for error.
Who will the flagging franchises be counting on this season? The top-10 breakdown:
- Alex Smith (QB) to San Francisco.
Prospects: Stingy owner out to prove he's not cheap by splurging on mildly untested Mountain West prodigy. His size, speed and intelligence may be just what the '9ers need, but he's going to need someone to throw to.
John Elway potential: High
Ryan Leaf potential: Low
Jay Berwanger potential:N/A
- Ronnie Brown (RB) to Miami.
Prospects: Serious red-zone scoring threat. Nick Saban has seen Brown measure up against his own national champs and was reportedly looking to trade down. Saban's apparent lack of confidence in the No. 2 overall pick is startling at best.
- Braylon Edwards (WR) to Cleveland.
Prospects: Arguably the best athlete in the pool. An inconsistent franchise without a reliable passer and a new defensive-minded coach could make Edwards' first year a rough one.
- Cedric Benson (RB) to Chicago.
Prospects: Great forward runner officially relegated to NFL's current version of Purgatory. Anyone remember Anthony Thomas?
- Carnell "Cadillac" Williams (RB) to Tampa Bay.
Prospects: More universal back than ex-teammate Ronnie Brown, with a much more promising nickname.
- Adam Jones (CB) to Tennessee.
Prospects: A necessary addition to a depleted backfield. Tennessee addressed a specialized need instead of picking the best player on the board.
- Troy Williamson (WR) to Minnesota.
Prospects: Lightning-fast wide out with an excellent work ethic. The anti-Randy Moss.
- Antrel Rolle (CB) to Arizona.
Prospects: Excellent coverage corner capable of blanketing the best receivers. He will help compensate for the loss of Duane Starks to New England.
- Carlos Rogers (CB) to Washington.
Prospects: Joe Gibbs is looking to Rogers to fill the void left by Champ Bailey's departure two years ago. Should have an immediate impact on a deteriorated secondary.
- Mike Williams (WR) to Detroit.
Prospects: A young athlete with great hands surrounded by talent. He rounds out a promisingly deep Detroit air attack.
Quarterbacks were noticeably absent from the top 10 wrap-up, while three running backs were chosen for the first time ever. Miami appears to have taken the biggest gamble, while Tampa Bay appears to be in line for the quickest impact.
Even if the sight of a few dozen future NFL All-Pros and failures in the same room chatting on cell phones and Sidekicks doesn't excite you, the implications are becoming serious.
When are the Patriots finally going to stop winning? (Or if you prefer: when will the NFC finally stop dropping the big ones?) I'm sure most of you out there are ready for an NFL regime change, and this year's corps of athletes looks ready to do just that.
Should they fail, at least we can hope for a more athletic foam-rubber salesman.
