April 21
The 2001 NFL draft has arrived. Here's how draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. rates the available seniors and underclassmen:
1. Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech -- Hangs on to the top spot for now, with his lofty grade based more on potential than production or consistency throwing the football. Drafted by Atlanta, first round (1st)
2. Gerard Warren, DT, Florida -- His recent workout was good, not great, with Warren running in the 5.09 range at 320 pounds. Warren maintained his position at the top part of the draft board, still figuring to prove difficult to pass up for the Arizona Cardinals, who are in desperate need of help at the DT spot. Drafted by Arizona, first round (3rd)
3. Koren Robinson, WR, N.C. State -- Explosive athlete with the talent level to reach Pro Bowl status early in his NFL career. Drafted by Seattle, first round (9th)
4. Kenyatta Walker, OT, Florida -- While he played RT with the Gators, the skill level Walker possesses makes him an ideal candidate for duty at the critical LT spot. That's why he is carrying such a lofty rating. Drafted by Tampa Bay, first round (14th)
5. Steve Hutchinson, OG, Michigan -- With his versatility and dedicated approach, Hutchinson qualifies as one of the safest choices in the early portion of round one. Drafted by Seattle, first round (17th)
6. Justin Smith, DE, Missouri -- Not only is he a gifted athlete, but his productivity matched all that talent over a three-year period with the Tigers. Drafted by Cincinnati, first round (4th)
7. Rod Gardner, WR, Clemson -- One of the fastest risers in recent weeks, enjoying an excellent individual workout that saw Gardner run under 4.5. He's big, has Cris Carter-type natural pass-receiving skills, and his performances in the ACC over the last two years were outstanding. Drafted by Washington, first round (15th)
8. David Terrell, WR, Michigan -- He ran in the 4.45 range and the stress fracture in his foot from last August doesn't figure to negatively affect his draft position. With his skill level, he's back in the top 10. Drafted by Chicago, first round (8th)
9. Leonard Davis, OT, Texas -- With his huge frame and the improvement he's shown as a pass-blocker, Davis is still battling Florida's Kenyatta Walker to see who will end up being the first OT taken off the board. Drafted by Arizona, first round (2nd)
10. Deuce McAllister, RB, Mississippi -- Due to injury concerns, McAllister has lost some ground recently, but I still believe he has the ability to rank as a top-drawer, all-purpose feature back in the NFL. Drafted by New Orleans, first round (23rd)
11. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, TCU -- I've had Tomlinson in the top 25 all year and even had him as high as No. 3 with the senior prospects. After a very productive career, followed by strong performances at the Senior Bowl practices, combine and individual workout, it's easy to see why he's viewed as a possibility for the Cleveland Browns who own the third pick overall. Drafted by San Diego, first round (5th)
12. Andre Carter, DE, California -- Reliable, hard-working football player with the ideal approach. Drafted by San Francisco, first round (7th)
13. Todd Heap, TE, Arizona State -- Not many teams in the top 20 or so are looking closely at a TE as their major priority, which is why Heap could slide down a little further than my rating indicates, despite his impressive talent. Drafted by Baltimore, first round (31st)
14. Richard Seymour, DT, Georgia -- Could figure a little higher if the run on DTs begins in the 10-15 area. Drafted by New England, first round (6th)
15. Dan Morgan, MLB, Miami (Fla.) -- With the LB position so weak this year, both at the MLB spot as well as on the outside, a true warrior like Morgan figures to be taken off the board around the midpoint of round one. By the way, he now has his weight up to 247 pounds. Drafted by Carolina, first round (11th)
16. Santana Moss, WR, Miami (Fla.) -- He's a dynamic play-maker but his lack of ideal size may allow some of the bigger wide-outs to move slightly ahead of Moss on the draft board. Drafted by NY Jets, first round (16th)
17. Jamal Reynolds, DE, Florida State -- Proven outside pass rusher, figuring to be a quality selection if he drops into the mid-later portion of the first round. Drafted by Green Bay, first round (10th)
18. Freddie Mitchell, WR, UCLA -- Has done all the right things since he decided to leave the Bruins with another year of eligibility still remaining. Drafted by Philadelphia, first round (25th)
19. Jeff Backus, OT, Michigan -- Consistency is his forte, with Backus figuring to be a rock-solid LT in the NFL. Drafted by Detroit, first round (18th)
20. 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. Drafted by Atlanta, first round (1st)
21. Chris Chambers, WR, Wisconsin -- With his size and phenomenal athletic ability as well as his strong finish over the last four weeks of the regular season, Chambers has resurfaced as a probable mid-first rounder. Drafted by Miami, second round (52nd)
22. Fred Smoot, CB, Mississippi State -- Supremely confident cover man who thrives on the challenge of going one-on-one with the opposition's top wide-out. Drafted by Washington, second round (45th)
23. Nate Clements, CB, Ohio State -- At a rock-solid 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, Clements posted an impressive 40 time of 4.37 during his individual workout. With his superior physical ability, Clements has a great opportunity to become the first CB selected on draft day. Over the last week, he's been on the rise up the draft board and could end up being an early-mid first rounder. Drafted by Buffalo, first round (21st)
24. Will Allen, CB, Syracuse -- Even though he didn't perform up to the superior level of his junior campaign with the Orangemen, Allen's a fundamentally sound, experienced cover man with 4.35 speed. Drafted by NY Giants, first round (22nd)
25. Adam Archuleta, S, Arizona State -- He will be looking to make the successful transition from a rover/OLB spot to either SS or FS in the NFL. At ASU, Archuleta was a tackling machine, combining with his 4.43 speed and incredible strength (31 reps) to make him a possible late first-round draft choice. Drafted by St. Louis, first round (20th)