Top underclassmen

Sporting News, The, Feb 2, 2004 by Dan Pompei

The 15 best prospects among the 34 players with college eligibility remaining who declared for the draft by the January 15 deadline:

1. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, 6-51240, Miami (Ohio). Is the most physically gifted quarterback in the 2004 draft, but might not be the complete package that Eli Manning is.

2. Tommie Harris, DT, 6-3/288, Oklahoma. Is a better prospect than Dewayne Robertson, who was chosen fourth overall by the Jets last year.

3. Kellen Winslow, TE, 6-5/230, Miami. Is considered a higher-rated prospect than former teammate Jeremy Shockey. Should have a big impact quickly.

4. Sean Taylor, S, 6-3/220, Miami. By far the best defensive back prospect in the draft, and one of the best at any position.

5. Shawn Andrews, OT, 6-6/340, Arkansas. With his size and power, he should be the second offensive lineman taken, after Robert Gallery.

6. Steven Jackson, RB, 6-1/225, Oregon State. Some teams like Kevin Jones better, but one of the two will be the first back taken.

7. Kevin Jones, RB, 6-01215, Virginia Tech. Has the best combination of athleticism and speed of all the running backs in the draft but isn't as good inside as Jackson.

8. Reggie Williams, WR, 6-4/220, Washington. His skills suggest he should be a top 10 pick, but he'll likely be the third wideout taken behind Pitt's Larry Fitzgerald and Texas' Roy Williams.

9. Kenechi Udeze, DE, 6-3/280, Southern California. Is a high-effort pass rusher with instincts and quickness. Has a nice combination of size and speed. Probably will be the second end drafted, behind Ohio State's Will Smith.

10. Randy Starks, DT, 6-4/299, Maryland. Is ranked slightly ahead of Miami's Mince Wilfork as the best tackle after Harris.

11. Chris Gamble, CB, 6-2/180, Ohio State. Given his physical tools, he is expected to be the first comer selected.

12. Michael Clayton, WR, 6-4/185, Louisiana State. Is a borderline first-round pick who is a more impressive football player than athlete.

13. Vince Wilfork, DT, 6-2/344, Miami. His size and power make him a valued commodity, though weight concerns will prevent him from being taken high in the first round.

14. DeAngelo Hall, CB, 5-11/200, Virginia Tech. Is a very athletic player with the versatility to return kicks and play offense. Has cover skills but is inconsistent.

15. Justin Smiley, G, 6-3/308, Alabama. Is a throwback player who blocks with power and explosiveness. Finishes his blocks. Could be the first guard selected.

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DRAFT DISH

By TODD MCSHAY of The War Room

Some observations from the Senior Bowl: The most intriguing story line of the week might have been the battle between Tulane's J.P. Losman and N.C. State's Philip Rivers for the No. 3 QB spot on draft lists, behind Eli Manning (Mississippi) and Ben Roethlisberger (Miami, Ohio). Though Losman clearly has the better physical package, Rivers owns the advantage in intangibles. Rivers showed great pocket awareness and patience as a drop-back passer, and he was fabulous in the game. Though Rivers' funky, unorthodox release has been criticized, it's quicker than people think. Rivers' arm strength is adequate to good, and he does a great job of finding the open receiver. Rivers also shone in interviews all week. Losman, meanwhile, rubbed some scouts the wrong way in interviews. He also was a lot less accurate and more inconsistent in making reads and getting rid of the ball than scouts had anticipated. Losman also showed little patience in the pocket at times.... We really liked what we saw of USC WR Keary Colbert. On the field, he caught everything in sight, including a 35-yard pass from Michigan's John Navarre for the North's only touchdown. Off the field, Colbert blew scouts away in interviews. Colbert doesn't have great size or speed but probably has an NFL future as a No. 3 receiver because he runs smooth, crisp routes, understands defenses and has exceptional hands.... Syracuse WR Johnnie Morant might have been the most difficult prospect to evaluate. His play in Mobile was a microcosm of his college career: flashes of brilliance but little consistency. Morant has excellent size and speed and isn't afraid to catch the ball in traffic. However, he drops a lot of passes and doesn't always run good routes. Of all the players in Mobile, Morant might be the biggest "boom or bust" prospect.... The five players who helped themselves the most at the Senior Bowl: 1. Rivers. 2. Michael Jenkins, WR, Ohio State. Jenkins lacks great speed, but he consistently showed the ability to separate from defensive backs. He dropped only one pass the entire week of practice and was the North's go-to-receiver in the game. 3. Devery Henderson, WR, LSU. A former running back with just two years of receiver experience, Henderson showed improved route-running skills and hands in practice. He is the fastest receiver in the 2004 class and also showed the ability to go over the middle, take a hit and hold on to the ball. 4. Darnell Dockett, DT, Florida State. The knock on Dockett has been inconsistency, but he had a strong week of practice and an even stronger game. He was the quickest defensive lineman on either team. 5. Ricardo Colclough, CB, Tusculum. The Division II prospect is raw, but his play improved as he gained more confidence. Colclough showed he could cover big-school receivers one-on-one. The five players who hurt themselves most: 1. Michael Turner, RB, Northern Illinois. Perhaps he was worn down after carrying a heavy load for the Huskies, but Turner's lack of explosiveness was a disappointment. He also has limited skills as a receiver. 2. Maurice Brown, WR, Iowa. Brown struggled to catch the football all week, and he also failed to show the separation skills all top receivers must have. 3. Brandon Everage, S, Oklahoma. Of the defensive backs we saw in Mobile, he had the worst technique. That, combined with some off-field baggage, almost ensures Everage will drop to the second day of the draft. 4. Grant Wiley, ILB, West Virginia. Wiley had a solid game, but it was not enough to overcome what he showed in practices. Unlike undersized LBs London Fletcher and Zach Thomas before him, Wiley lacks the speed and overall athleticism to make up for a marginal build. 5. Kris Wilson, TE, Pittsburgh. Wilson is undersized and lacks great speed, but he always had been such a consistent route runner and pass catcher that we thought he might develop into a quality No. 2 H-back type in the NFL. But after watching him fight the ball in practice all week and struggle to get separation, we wonder how he's going to make an NFL roster.