Dr. Z's Top Five Drafts
1. SEAHAWKS Only vegetarians are unhappy. Seattle ordered up a
hot dog and a pork chop: first-round pick Koren Robinson, a
wideout with unlimited ability but an attitude that belongs on a
bun, and 345-pound guard Floyd (Pork Chop) Womack, a
fourth-rounder out of Mississippi State. Jerry Rice could be
brought in as Robinson's babysitter, much in the manner that
Cris Carter mentored Randy Moss in Minnesota. Womack will pick
up pointers from the Seahawks' other first-round pick, guard
Steve Hutchinson, technically one of the draft's finest linemen.
At least nine of Seattle's league-high 12 selections should make
the roster.
2. LIONS They had a blue-collar draft, taking linemen with their
first three picks. The crop of overachievers and high-energy
guys bears the stamp of new president Matt Millen: bruising
Michigan tackle Jeff Backus; Nebraska center Dominic Raiola,
short (at 6'2") but mighty, and the best collegian at his
position last year; Texas defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, a
second-round steal if he recovers from an ankle injury; and
another gamble, Texas A&M linebacker Jason Glenn, who was having
a terrific season last fall until he suffered a knee injury.
3. CHARGERS For the second time in seven years they had a No. 1
choice, and what a game-buster they got in TCU's LaDainian
Tomlinson, the finest college runner in 2000. To top it off,
they fell into Purdue quarterback Drew Brees (page 56) at the
top of the second round. Yes, he's the quarterback San Diego
preferred over Michael Vick.
4. RAMS The first five picks were for defense, with an emphasis
on speed. Top selection Damione Lewis, out of Miami, was one of
the few defensive tackles in the draft with a sub-five-second
clocking in the 40. The most intriguing choice came in the sixth
round, a 5'9", 180-pound wideout from Northern Arizona named
Francis St. Paul, who has been timed at 4.31. He could be a
perfect fit for coach Mike Martz's devastating four-receiver
package.
5. JETS Top pick Santana Moss of Miami will have an immediate
impact returning punts. Tailback LaMont Jordan, after running in
neutral for much of his senior year at Maryland, put on a show
in the Senior Bowl, was a second-round pick and seems to be on
the rise. Penn State tackle Kareem McKenzie, a third-round
selection, has untapped potential. It was a gambling draft, but
it could pay big dividends.
--Paul Zimmerman
COLOR PHOTO: BOB ROSATO Moss can go deep, but his first impact with the Jets should be in the return game.