The 2001 NFL draft is slated for April 21-22. With the NFL combine completed, here's how draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. rates the available seniors and underclassmen -- his Top 25 prospects:
1. Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech -- Checked in at about 6 feet tall. He has scheduled his individual workout for March 22 at Virginia Tech. If San Diego doesn't take him with the first overall pick, he'll go at that spot in a trade, with Atlanta the most viable option since they have the fifth overall pick and San Diego wouldn't be dropping down that far. Right now, though, indications are that new Chargers GM John Butler will likely make Vick the first pick and the cornerstone of the Chargers' anticipated resurgence in the coming years.
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TOP FIVE BY POSITION
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Mel Kiper Jr.'s breakdown of the top prospects by position:
Quarterbacks
1. Michael Vick, Va. Tech
2. Drew Brees, Purdue
3. Chris Weinke, Florida St.
4. Jesse Palmer, Florida
5. Mike McMahon, Rutgers
Running Backs
1. Deuce McAllister, Miss.
2. LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU
3. Michael Bennett, Wisc.
4. Kevan Barlow, Pittsburgh
5. Anthony Thomas, Michigan
5a. James Jackson, Miami
Fullbacks
1. Heath Evans, Auburn
2. Moran Norris, Kansas
3. Ja'Mar Toombs, Tex. A&M
4. Dan Alexander, Nebraska
5. Pat Conniff, Washington
Wide Receivers
1. Koren Robinson, N.C. State
2. David Terrell, Michigan
3. Santana Moss, Miami
4. Chad Johnson, Oregon State
5. Freddie Mitchell, UCLA
5a. Reggie Wayne, Miami
5b. Rod Gardner, Clemson
Tight Ends
1. Todd Heap, Arizona St.
2. Alge Crumpler, N. Carolina
3. Brian Natkin, UTEP
4. Arther Love, So. Carolina St.
5. Jabari Holloway, Notre Dame
Offensive Tackles
1. Kenyatta Walker, Florida
2. Leonard Davis, Texas
3. Jeff Backus, Michigan
4. Maurice Williams, Michigan
5. Brandon Winey, LSU
Offensive Guards
1. Steve Hutchinson, Michigan
2. Mike Gandy, Notre Dame
3. Ryan Diem, N. Illinois
4. Chad Ward, Washington
5. Bill Ferrario, Wisconsin
Centers
1. Dominic Raiola, Nebraska
2. Robert Garza, Texas A&M-Kingsville
3. Ben Hamilton, Minnesota
4. Casey Rabach, Wisconsin
5. Chukky Okobi, Purdue
Defensive Ends
1. Justin Smith, Missouri
2. Andre Carter, California
3. Jamal Reynolds, Florida St.
4. DeLawrence Grant, Ore. St.
5. Karon Riley, Minnesota
Defensive Tackles
1. Gerard Warren, Florida
2. Richard Seymour, Georgia
3. Marcus Stroud, Georgia
4. Damione Lewis, Miami
5. Willie Howard, Stanford
Inside Linebackers
1. Dan Morgan, Miami
2. Kendrell Bell, Georgia
3. Jamie Winborn, Vanderbilt
4. Torrence Marshall, Okla.
5. Edgerton Hartwell, W. Illinois
Outside Linebackers
1. Quinton Caver, Arkansas
2. Tommy Polley, Florida St.
3. Sedrick Hodge, N. Carolina
4. Morlon Greenwood, Syracuse
5. Eric Westmoreland, Tenn.
Cornerbacks
1. Fred Smoot, Miss. St.
2. Will Allen, Syracuse
3. Ken Lucas, Mississippi
4. Andre Dyson, Utah
5. Tay Cody, Florida St.
Safeties
1. Adam Archuleta, Arizona St.
2. Derrick Gibson, Florida St.
3. Hakim Akbar, Washington
4. Jarrod Cooper, Kansas State
5. Gary Baxter, Baylor
Placekickers
1. Bill Gramatica, So. Florida
2. Jamie Rheem, Kansas St.
3. Owen Pochman, BYU
4. Vitaly Piseteky, Wisconsin
5. Scott Westerfield, Miss. St.
Punters
1. David Leaverton, Tenn.
2. Nick Harris, California
4. Matt Allen, Troy State
4. Dan Hadenfeldt, Nebraska
5. Jason Baker, Iowa
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2. Koren Robinson, WR, N.C. State -- After what figures to be an outstanding individual workout on March 23 at N.C. State, Robinson will have solidified a spot as one of the elite players in the draft.
3. Gerard Warren, DT, Florida -- With his individual workout set for March 14 at Gainesville, all the talk right now centers around the possibility of Warren becoming the second overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals. I've also heard that the Seattle Seahawks, who are in desperate need of a big time DT, may have an interest in dealing up to acquire Warren's services.
4. Kenyatta Walker, OT, Florida -- With the focus now on Walker possessing the skill level to operate at left tackle in the NFL, his value definitely increases. Remember, he worked at left tackle during fall practice this past August and was a starter at that spot during his prep days.
5. Deuce McAllister, RB, Mississippi -- Didn't run at the combine, but he enjoyed a solid overall workout. But some questions are arising as to whether McAllister belongs among the elite prospects at the top of Round 1. Durability is the primary concern. Obviously, it will be critical for McAllister to deliver an eye-catching performance during his individual workout.
6. Steve Hutchinson, OG, Michigan -- With the talent level he displays, both in workouts and on game day, the possibility is opening up that Hutchinson could become a factor at right tackle in the NFL. I've been saying all year that Hutchinson isn't a pure guard only but brings with him the versatility and talent to move outside if that's where he's needed the most.
7. Justin Smith, DE, Missouri -- With his awesome computer numbers working together with his productivity and dominance on the football field, Smith has begun his move back up into the top part of the draft. Right now, he's the No. 1 defensive end prospect on the board.
8. Leonard Davis, OT, Texas -- While he worked at left tackle with the Longhorns, some may view Davis as more of a natural right tackle in the NFL. I've been hearing that the Cincinnati Bengals are intrigued with his overall ability.
9. Todd Heap, TE, Arizona State -- Checked in at 252 pounds in Indy, with his individual workout set to take place on March 9 at Arizona State. Heap is such a factor in the pass offense that his impact in the NFL could easily be viewed in the same regard as what Tony Gonzalez has meant to the Chiefs.
10. David Terrell, WR, Michigan -- Of late the news that surrounds Terrell has to do with a minor stress fracture in his foot that he reportedly played with all year. It's not viewed as a serious injury, but with that said, it has yet to be determined whether or not he will be able to work out prior to the draft. Remember, the only question with Terrell centered around his true 40 speed. If he isn't able to run, that question will still be unanswered on draft day if he's not able to work out. Stay tuned.
11. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, TCU -- On the heels of a great senior year with the Horned Frogs, then an impressive showing early in the week at the Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Tomlinson wowed the NFL brass with his superlative showing at the combine. He showcased home-run-hitting speed, caught the ball well and showed an exceptional approach during the interview sessions. With some clubs I spoke with, he's either caught or passed Deuce McAllister as the top RB on the draft board.
12. Santana Moss, WR, Miami (Fla.) -- While he lacks ideal size, Moss is a multi-dimensional threat, able to beat the opposition as a dynamic, play-making WR and incredibly dangerous punt returner.
13. Fred Smoot, CB, Mississippi State -- With his coverage skills and supreme confidence level, Smoot has the necessary mettle to move right in as a starter during his rookie campaign and perform at a solid level.
14. Jeff Backus, OT, Michigan -- Any time you have a steady, consistent veteran like Backus, the team that brings him into the fold knows that he is capable of becoming an immediate hole-filler at LT during his rookie campaign.
15. Chad Johnson, WR, Oregon State -- After impressing so much during the regular season at Oregon State and also at the Senior Bowl practices -- where I thought he was one of the best players on the field -- Johnson failed to post the computer numbers that were expected. He only ran a 4.59 and had just a 32-inch vertical jump. The explosive qualities he displayed with the pads on unfortunately weren't evident during parts of his workout. How much does this affect his draft position? He'll slide down, but how far remains to be seen. There is no question that his individual workout will be of major consequence.
16. Freddie Mitchell, WR, UCLA -- At 5-foot-11¼ and 185 pounds, Mitchell came through with an exceptional effort at the combine. Now we can refer to him as Fast Freddie Mitchell. He ran in the 4.43 range and was on top of his game during the positional drills. To say he's on the rise is an understatement.
17. Reggie Wayne, WR, Miami (Fla.) -- With Mitchell delivering such an impressive workout, the pressure now shifts to Robinson, Terrell, Moss, Wayne and Gardner to post the type of numbers that are expected during individual testing. As a true football player, Wayne is top-notch. He's a skilled route-runner, knows how to utilize positioning against the CB and has the strong hands necessary to just snatch the ball out of the air.
18. Rod Gardner, WR, Clemson -- The run on WRs figures to be fast and furious around the midway portion of round one. Gardner has scheduled his individual workout for March 15 at Clemson.
19. Richard Seymour, DT, Georgia -- With his upside potential, look for Seymour to figure in the middle of round one.
20. Marcus Stroud, DT, Georgia -- Has been getting lots of favorable commentary over the last week or so. Stroud has the imposing frame to jam things up along the interior, making life a great deal easier for the MLB, who can then flow freely to the football.
21. Andre Carter, DE, California -- After checking in at just 249 pounds in Indy, Carter has lost some ground, especially with the strong effort turned in by Justin Smith.
22. Jamal Reynolds, DE, Florida State -- Clubs know he can rush the passer, but the concern is how effective Reynolds will be when it comes to holding up at the point of attack versus the run.
23. Damione Lewis, DT, Miami (Fla.) -- Outside of two games that he missed, Lewis played through the toe injury in his right foot this past season which was originally sustained against Washington in early September. When at full strength, he was a major force at DT since his redshirt freshman season in '97, when he led the Hurricanes' defensive linemen with 72 stops.
24. Dan Morgan, MLB, Miami (Fla.) -- After a super-productive final campaign where he worked at MLB for the first time, Morgan will be looking to solidify a first-round grade during his individual workout, which is slated for March 1.
25. Willie Howard, DT, Stanford -- With his versatility to play both DT and DE at 6-foot-3¼ and 296 pounds, Howard presents a great deal of value during the latter stages of round one. In order to land in that general area, he'll need a strong performance during individual testing. That workout is scheduled for March 6 at Stanford.
25A. Will Allen, CB, Syracuse -- Has moved up steadily of late, then showcased his top recovery speed at the combine. Allen should be either the second or third CB selected, meaning the opportunity definitely exists for Allen to push his way into the latter portion of round one.