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Five things I think I think, part III Ravens' risky move to nab Boller could cost them in 2004Posted: Saturday April 26, 2003 4:18 PM
FOXBORO, Mass.-- Wow. That's all I can say about Baltimore's draft thus far, and about the Ravens' risk-taking. I really like that they got two of the top 10 picks on their board. How can you not like it? I love the pick of Terrell Suggs at No. 10. Great value, fills a tremendous need for the Ravens. And getting Kyle Boller at No. 19 is a bonus, obviously. Boller is a guy I was high on after watching his game tapes -- along with those of each of the other top quarterbacks in the draft -- during the past few weeks. Great athlete, excellent arm, questionable accuracy. I'm sure what the Ravens figured was this: We have a big quarterback need, and this is a top-10 player on our board. If we can get this guy in exchange for next year's first-round selection, it's almost certainly a better use of this pick than anything we could get next year. I guess. But the one thing I hate about this deal for the Ravens is that, from everything I hear, next year's draft is going to be a whopper. Let's say the Ravens are a middle-of-the-pack team; I don't expect them to be much better in 2003 than they were last season. They've just moved up 22 spots in this draft by spending their 2004 first-round pick. That is an incredible gamble. Imagine you go 8-8 next season, and the first pick you have in the draft is No. 48. The Ravens got their guy, but no team paid a bigger price for anything in this draft. The rest of the guts-of-the-first-round thoughts: 1. I think, Drew Rosenhaus, that you're above sticking your face awkwardly into the camera shot just to get on ESPN. Come on, fella. That's the silliest bit of self-promotion of the entire day. 2. I think Buffalo's pick of Willis McGahee, unless there's something I really don't know, is the first decision made by the Tom Donahoe/Gregg Williams regime that I absolutely disagree with. The Bills need a pass-rusher. Badly. They have one of the top six or seven backs in football, Travis Henry. They acquired an excellent relief pitcher in Olandis Gary earlier this week. This is their position of lowest need. What in the world are the Bills doing? 3. I think the Broncos, in selecting 338-pound Georgia product George Foster at No. 20, have gone against the Alex Gibbs school of picking offensive tackles. Gibbs is the longtime offensive line coach, now Denver's line consultant, who always, always, always liked quick and smallish guys. I'm sure the Broncos think because Foster's a relatively lithe 5.1-in-the-40-yard-dash guy that he'll be quick enough to play on their active offensive line. 4. I think that's a heck of a pick by Indy, getting a security blanket at tight end in Dallas Clark of Iowa. Peyton Manning now has Clark and Marcus Pollard as safety valves; both are excellent pass-catchers and not just blocking blobs. 5. I think I can do without those mesh hats on the players. Boy, are they ugly. Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL beat for the magazine and will check in throughout the day with his thoughts and observations on the 2003 NFL Draft. |
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