Draft King NFL Mock Draft exclusive insight decades of experience insider pro football college prospects

Lou Pickney's 2024 NFL Mock Draft


2004 NFL Draft Mailbag

April 5, 2004
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com

Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@hotmail.com.


From: MrTiger345@aol.com
Sent: Monday, April 5, 2004 6:06 PM
To: LouPickney@hotmail.com
Subject: 4/4 Draft

Do you realize you just gave the Pats the top two players on their wish list? They can't be that fortunate can they. I heard Seattle wants Vilma anyway.

Lou: Let's consider the relative possibility of the two players I have slated for the Patriots to end up with as of 4/5/2004:

21) Steven Jackson, RB, Oregon State
This would require no running backs to go in the first 20 picks. On the surface this might seem unlikely, but consider that of the teams currently occupying spots 1-20, only one of them, Detroit at #6, has a strong need for a franchise RB. Some people have said that the Bucs might try to pick up a RB at #15, but if you look at Jon Gruden's track record, that would go against the grain of everything he's done up to this point. Plus Tampa Bay already signed Charlie Garner this off-season to offset the loss of Thomas Jones.

The only risks for New England that I perceive are Detroit trading down from #6 and getting Jackson at a more reasonable spot (say, Pittsburgh's first rounder at #11) or another team (like Dallas) leapfrogging them into the Top 20. It actually wouldn't surprise me if New England traded up to be able to secure Jackson, particularly if he's there still in the 18-19 range.

32) Jonathan Vilma, LB, Miami
Perhaps it is a long shot to see this happening here, but remember Georgia LB Boss Bailey's unlikely fall into the second round last year (where Detroit snagged him as a major bargain). Seattle's decision at #23 will play a role in the linebacker battles. The Seahawks fixed their DE needs by signing (and perhaps overpaying) for former Rams DE Grant Winstrom. Now do they plug the middle with an athlete like Florida State DT Darnell Dockett (which I currently project), or would they draft Vilma at that #23 spot? Either way the team fills a need. My thought is in a tie, go with a DT. But if Seattle chooses to take that approach remains to be seen (perhaps it's not a tie in the Seahawks' eyes).


From: Cainhouse@aol.com
Sent: Monday, April 5, 2004 6:33 PM
To: LouPickney@hotmail.com
Subject : I love the Browns!

What do you think they will do in this draft? Not only first pick but first day picks.

Lou: The Browns have a number of needs, including OT, WR, TE and CB. But the need for a solid offensive tackle should be a top priority.

Cleveland could really use an offensive tackle that's the calibre of Arkansas' Shawn Andrews. But Andrews has had weight problems this off-season, and #7 is much too high to be taking chances like that. Especially if Texas WR Roy Williams is on the board, as I presently project him to be. The ability of the Cleveland WR corps has been the subject of debate in this space before, but any way you slice it, Roy Williams would be an outstanding addition to that Cleveland receiving crew.

Since Cleveland is sitting at #37, they could also get a solid WR there, but let's say for the sake of argument that they take Roy Williams at #7. And let's say that, along with Robert Gallery (who Cleveland almost for sure won't ever get a chance at), Shawn Andrews and Vernon Carey (an OG/OT hybrid type) are gone. At #38, I see Cleveland taking an OT, either Georgia Tech OT Nat Dorsey or perhaps USC OT Jacob Rogers.

With their third round choice (#68 overall), if Cleveland has satisfied its OT and WR needs, it has a number of options. If somehow Georgia TE Ben Watson (who performed very well on his Wonderlic test) is there, I could see the Browns taking him at that spot. Or the Browns could look to bolster their secondary, perhaps with a CB like Arkansas' Ahmad Carroll, Tusculum's Ricardo Colclough, or Maryland's Curome Cox.


Draft King NFL Mock Draft

NFL Draft Prospect Profiles

Draft King is owned and operated by Lou Pickney. © 2003-2024, all rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, the views expressed here are those of Lou Pickney alone and do not necessarily reflect those of any media company.