Monday, April 23
Quality players available on Day 2
By Mel Kiper
ESPN.com
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Mel's top 50 available
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1. Anthony Henry, CB, So. Florida
2. Brandon Winey, OT, LSU
3. Marques Sullivan, OT, Illinois
4. Matt Lehr, OG, Virginia Tech
5. Chris Weinke, QB, Florida State
6. Jesse Palmer, QB, Florida
7. Kenyatta Jones, OT, So. Florida
8. Robert Garza, C, Tex.A&M-Kings.
9. Kevin Kasper, WR, Iowa
10. Hakim Akbar, S, Washington
11. Bill Ferrario, OG, Wisconsin
12. Ben Hamilton, C, Minnesota
13. Edgerton Hartwell, ILB, W. Ill.
14. Milton Wynn, WR, Wash. St.
15. Mike McMahon, QB, Rutgers
16. Markus Steele, OLB, USC
17. Derrick Blaylock, RB, S.F. Aus.
18. David Warren, DE, Florida State
19. Daleroy Stewart, DT, So. Miss.
20. Alex Bannister, WR, E. Kent.
21. Bill Gramatica, K, So. Florida
22. Nick Harris, P, Cal
23. Arther Love, TE, S. Carolina St.
24. Billy Baber, TE, Virginia
25. Ryan Diem, OG, No. Illinois
26. Jimmy Williams, CB, Vanderbilt
27. Correll Buckhalter, RB, Neb.
28. Karon Riley, DE, Minnesota
29. Jamie Henderson, CB, Georgia
30. Cedric Wilson, WR, Tennessee
31. Cedric Scott, DE, So. Miss.
32. Monty Beisel, DE, Kan. St.
33. Chris Barnes, RB, N. Mex. St.
34. Andre King, WR, Miami (Fla.)
35. Bernard Robertson, C, Tulane
36. Orlando Huff, OLB, Fresno St.
37. Marlon McCree, S, Kentucky
38. Scotty Anderson, WR, Gramb.
39. Reggie Germany, WR, Ohio St.
40. Ken-Yon Rambo, WR, Ohio St.
41. Damien Demps, S, C. Florida
42. Darnerian McCants, WR, D. St.
43. Walter Williams, WR, Gramb.
44. Leonard Myers, CB, Mia. (Fla.)
45. Matt Stewart, LB, Vanderbilt
46. Joey Getherall, WR, N. Dame
47. Sage Rosenfels, QB, Iowa State
48. Dennis Norman, OT, Princeton
49. Chad Ward, OG, Washington
50. Randy Black, S, UNLV
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The second day of the NFL draft is more critical then people may think. To get a gauge on how important it is, take a look at the Denver Broncos: Their three running backs -- Terrell Davis, Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary -- were all selected on the second day, with Anderson drafted in the sixth round a year ago.
Another one, Buffalo quarterback Rob Johnson, was the first overall pick -- on the second day -- at the top of the fourth round. The list of great Day 2 picks goes on and on. In reality, there is a fine line between players selected in the second or third rounds and players taken in the fourth or fifth rounds. And you can bet that some fifth-rounders will outproduce some second-rounders as early as next season.
The teams that do their homework can find valuable players late in the draft. Because this year's draft is deep at receiver, on the defensive line and at cornerback. Many teams are capable of finding starting players in the fourth through seventh rounds.
That is why teams are unwilling to part with fourth- and fifth-round picks when they want to trade up in the draft. Their reluctance shows how valuable their second-day picks are.
Teams often want to trade down for the extra choices. That's the method to their madness. Teams should be able to get good quality at the bottom of the draft. I can easily name 65 solid players available in the final four rounds. Many may be left over to be signed as undrafted free agents.
Not long ago the NFL draft used to be 12 rounds long; before that it was 17 rounds. A lot of of teams that will sign between 15-30 unsigned free agents.
Here are some teams to watch on Day 2 and the number of picks they have:
New England (8) -- two fourths, three fifths, two sixths, one seventh
Seattle (8) -- three fourths, one fifth, one sixth and three sevenths
Kansas City (7) -- two fourths, two fifths, one sixth, two sevenths
Arizona (6) -- one fourth, two fifths, one sixth, two sevenths
Denver (6) -- two fourths, one sixth, three sevenths
Atlanta (5) -- two fourths, one fifth, one sixth, one seventh
Minnesota (5) -- two fourths, one fifth, one sixth, one seventh
NY Giants (5) -- two fourths, two fifths, one seventh
St. Louis (5) -- two fourths, one fifth, two sixths
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ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. breaks down the quality at the top of the draft.