The Daily Cardinal revisits Wednesday's AFC Draft Preview with a look at the NFC and its needs and wants. The NFC will need to capitalize on its early picks to take advantage of the young talent that this year's draft provides.
Carolina has a lot of work to do with an offense and defense that both finished last in the NFL. With the second overall pick in the draft, the Panthers will more than likely go with defensive end Julius Peppers of North Carolina, considered by some to be the best player in the draft. New Head Coach John Fox has targeted the secondary as one of the most important parts of the defense to fix, so look for the Panthers to take a cornerback or two.
With such an early pick, the Lions only have to wait on one team to see who is still available. With that said, the Lions' first- round draft choice is still hard to predict. Easily one of the worst teams in the league last season, the Lions have that exclusive \luxury"" of choosing the best player available. The only thing this team does not need is offensive linemen and wide receivers. A quarterback looks like the logical choice, presuming Carolina takes Julius Peppers, and Oregon's Joey Harrington will most likely fill that slot.
The 'Boys carry one of the more potent defenses in the NFL, and add the likes of La'Roi Glover to the mix. However, the most likely route that owner Jerry Jones will take is that of the defensive backs. The two names that come to mind for first-round picks are Texas CB Quentin Jammer and Oklahoma safety Roy Williams. The Cowboys would also be wise to start searching for the next Emmitt Smith in this year's draft, as the ageless one is beginning to wear out.
The Vikings may be the most flexible team in the early rounds. They could use either an offensive tackle or a defensive tackle, depending on who is selected in front of them. If either of the top offensive tackles' Mike Williams or Bryant McKinnie'fall that far, that will most likely be their selection. With the receiver problems in Minnesota, the Vikings will need to pick one up later in the day.
The Cardinals are in desperate need for some defense in the draft. Ranked towards the bottom of nearly every defensive category, the Cardinals need help all around. Starting up front, the 12th pick overall could be used to get Albert Haynesworth of Tennessee or Wendell Bryant of Wisconsin, among others. Outside the defense, the offense, although capable of great numbers, is often quite shaky. A solid running back and tight end would help out Jake Plummer and David Boston a lot.
The Saints will use the extra first round pick they received from trading running back Ricky Williams to the Dolphins to take the best impact player available at the time. If defensive tackles John Henderson of Tennessee or Bryant are not available, look for the Saints to take a high-impact wide receiver or offensive tackle. After that, the offensive and defensive lines 'along with speed in the secondary' are New Orleans' biggest priorities.
The Giants need a great deal of help in nearly all areas. Free agency, in addition to management-player disagreements, has led to the departure of several key players, including linebacker Jesse Armstead. With specific areas in mind, the two tight end/wide receivers considered to be No. 1 candidates to be drafted are Miami's Jeremy Shockey and Colorado's Daniel Graham. Known for their strong blocking, either of these two would be a good fit for the Giants' weak offensive line. Drafting an offensive lineman is a necessity for their running attack.
The main concern for the Falcons is to improve a defense that was 30th in the league last year. However, in the first round, look for Atlanta to pick a playmaking receiver or upgrade the offensive line. Wide receiver Ashley Lelie of Hawaii would be a nice compliment to Falcons' starting quarterback Michael Vick. The middle of the offensive line is hurting Atlanta the most right now, so look for the Falcons to draft a guard or center.
The biggest story out of the nation's capital is not who the team will select, but whether new Head Coach Steve Spurrier will succeed in his unique run-and-gun offensive scheme. Clearly, the focus of the Redskins' draft should be aimed towards improving their weak quarterback position because it is certain that Danny Wuerffel will not be the same quarterback Spurrier had in Florida. With David Carr more than likely going to Houston, Patrick Ramsey of Tulane would be another option.
The new member of the NFC West, the Seattle Seahawks, are a player or two away from having a huge season. Drafting a tight end such as Jerramy Stevens of Washington would be in the best interest of Head Coach Mike Holmgren. Going with offense has always been Holmgren's Achilles' heel, so going with a tight end is a safe bet. However, defensive backs are also a dime a dozen in Seattle, so do not rule out adding friends to Shawn Springs and the newly-acquired Doug Evans.
The Eagles lost a defensive and team leader in Jeremiah Trotter, and look to pick a new defensive presence in this year's draft. Saleem Rasheed of Alabama has the quickness and strength to put running backs across the league in their place. Napoleon Harris of Northwestern is also NFL material and his speed would fit well in Head Coach Andy Reed's defense. Although not many big-name receivers fill the draft list, the likes of an Andre Davis could be a great late second-round pick who could help out as a second or third wide out.
The Niners are coming off an impressive year in which they put up a good challenge to the Rams for the conference title. The biggest area of concern for the 49ers is matching up with the big Rams receivers, which is in effect what they are looking at in the draft. Mike Rumph from Miami and Lito Sheppard are names many people are looking at. The offensive line is also a concern for Coach Steve Mariucci's team. Levi Jones of Arizona State is a good second round pick that has the strength and agility to move around with such a potent offense.
The Packers have added a lot in the off-season and will most likely look to draft a linebacker or a defensive tackle in the first round. However, with the loss of two of Green Bay's top three receivers in the off-season, that position is scarce even with the addition of Terry Glen. With the possibility of injury in the forecast, the Packers may look to draft a back-up running back or a quarterback as well.
The Bears have three main needs to improve on their playoff form from last year. With the loss of Walt Harris, the Bears will look to add depth in the secondary. Additionally, they will need to grab an offensive tackle for the left side, a position that may be extremely hard to fill in the draft. Last, a major concern is the position of defensive end. Most likely, Chicago will spend its first round draft pick on this position, especially if one of the top ends are around.
The defending NFC champs return much of the team from a year ago that fell just short of winning the Super Bowl. The team is filled with quality players from head to toe and anyone picked in the draft would fit nicely on this team. With the loss of Az Hakim in the off-season to free agency, the Rams would love to pick up a nice third receiver and the name they have in mind is Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch, who is projected to be either a wide receiver or running back in the pros.
New Head Coach Jon Gruden will have his first test as a Buccaneer in the NFL draft. However, the Bucs won't even get to pick until the third round, since they traded away their first two picks for the right to sign Gruden. The Buccaneers need help at just about every position except quarterback and kicker. They need a wide receiver with speed, a running back to replace Warrick Dunn, who signed with Atlanta, a tight end to replace Dave Moore, who signed with Buffalo, help on the offensive line and depth at virtually every defensive position. Look for them to start out at the tight end or running back positions.
