MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / April 14, 2000

The Cleveland Browns will have a decision to make with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft today.

Haven’t we heard this before. Wasn’t it just last year that the Browns had todecide between drafting Tim Couch or Ricky Williams or trading the pick for more picks? Like last year, what the Browns decide to do will have an impact on the entire first round. Do they take Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington? Or hisNittany Lion teammate, defensive end Courtney Brown? Do they go the offensive route and give Couch a target to throw to in Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick. Or do they trade the picks and get multipleselections.

The Browns are not the only team with decisions to make. Cincinnati at thefourth pick can go a number of routes. Baltimore can either go for a widereceiver like Michigan State’s Plaxico Burress or a running back like Virginia’s Thomas Jones. The New York Jets have four first round picks and could moveup.

And what about our hometown heros? The Saints will have a relatively quiet first day, not having a pick until the 33rd overall thanks to the Williams fiasco last year. But general manager Randy Mueller was known for making anumber of draft-day trades when he was in Seattle in order to acquire more picks so look for the Saints to be on the move either late Saturday or on Sunday.

The River Parishes will also have an eye on this year’s draft as former Destrehan and LSU running back Rondell Mealey is projected to go in the third round.

Trying to predict which way the draft will go is a shot in the dark. Look formore trades like the ones done between the Jets and Buccaneers and Ravens and Broncos to further shake up an already wide open draft. A player likeJevon Kearse could slide down the board while another may go higher than anybody expected. And there is always that one team that throws the restof the league a screwball.

So hoping with the same success I had with the NCAA Tournament, here goes my mock draft.

As commissioner Paul Tagliabue steps up to the podium in New York today around 11 a.m., he will announce, “With the first pick overall, the ClevelandBrowns select…Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State. The team suffered throughout last yearwith a lack of a pass rush. Brown will immediately upgrade that area, similarto what Jevon Kearse did for Tennessee last season.

No. 2, Washington Redskins, LaVar Arrington, LB, Penn State. Arringtonmakes it back-to-back picks for Joe Paterno’s bunch. The Redskins havealready upgraded their defensive line with the signing of Bruce Smith. Theyupgraded their secondary last year by drafting Champ Bailey. Now, it’s timeto turn to the linebacking corps.

No. 3, Washington Redskins, Chris Samuels, OT, Alabama. With their secondstraight pick, the Redskins will look to improve their offensive line. Samuelscould be a dominant lineman who will at least add depth his rookie season.

No. 4, Cincinnati Bengals, Peter Warrick, WR, Florida State. Warrick had beenprojected to go with the first pick overall before disappointing scouts with his time in the 40. But remember, Randy Moss also slid and the Bengals needdepth at wide receiver.

No. 5, Baltimore Ravens, Thomas Jones, RB, Virginia. Jones really stepped itup last, gaining over 1,800 yards in a season. The Ravens are building a goodteam and Jones will give them the workhorse back they need.

No. 6, Philadelphia Eagles, Plaxico Burress, WR, Michigan State. When CharlesJohnson and Torrance Small are your top two receivers, you know you need an upgrade at the position.

No. 7, Arizona Cardinals, Shaun Alexander, RB, Alabama. The Cardinals need aback to take pressure off quarterback Jake Plummer. Alexander has therunning skills to go with the receiving abilities the Cardinals have liked in the past (remember Larry Centers?).

No. 8, Pittsburgh Steelers, Corey Simon, DT, Florida State. The Steelersdesperately need help on the defensive line, especially after losing Orpheus Roye to free agency.

No. 9, Chicago Bears, Brian Urlacher, LB-SS, New Mexico. Urlacher fits twoneeds for the Bears, help at linebacker and in the defensive backfield.

No. 10, Baltimore Ravens, Chris Hovan, DT, Boston College. The Ravensaddressed the offense with their first pick, now they try to fill a hole on the defensive side.

No. 11, New York Giants, Jamal Lewis, RB, Tennessee. The Giants releasedGary Brown during the offseason and need someone to continue the team’s tradition of workhorse backs.

No. 12, New York Jets, Travis Taylor, WR, Florida. Look for the Jets topackage this pick and one or more of their other three first round picks to move up to grab Burress or even Warrick.

No. 13. New York Jets, Bubba Franks, TE, Miami (Fla.). It’s amazing that youget what you want when you have this many picks. With the Jets having FredBaxter starting at tight end, you know this is a need.

No. 14, Green Bay, Shaun Ellis, DE, Tennessee. The Packers need help on thedefensive line.

No. 15, Denver, John Abraham, DE, South Carolina. What is it with recentSuper Bowl champions and their troubles on the defensive line? No. 16, San Francisco 49ers, Chad Pennington, QB, Marshall. How many moreconcussions can Steve Young sustain? Even if Young does come back, it’s time to start grooming his successor.

No. 17, Oakland Raiders, Sylvester Morris, WR, Jackson State. Coach JonGruden wants a wide receiver. He gets one to take the pressure off TimBrown.

No. 18, New York Jets, Julian Peterson, OLB, Michigan State. The Jets aregetting old at this position.

No. 19, Seattle Seahawks, Chris McIntosh, OL, Wisconsin. The Seahawkswould love to grab a receiver but picking one at this point would be a reach unless one of the top ones should fall. Instead, they fill another area hurt byfree agency.

No. 20, Detroit Lions, Stockar McDougle, OL, Oklahoma. The Lions need depthalong the line, especially with quarterback Charlie Batch prone to injuries.

No. 21, Kansas City Chiefs, Rob Morris, MLB, BYU. The Chiefs need to findsomeone to fill the shoes left by the late Derrick Thomas.

No. 22, Seattle Seahawks, Keith Bullock, LB, Syracuse. Another area wherethe Seahawks need to find depth.

No. 23, Carolina Panthers, Deon Grant, S, Tennessee. The Panthers sufferedmightily in their secondary last season.

No. 24, San Francisco 49ers, Ahmed Plummer, CB, Ohio State. And if youthought the Panthers’ secondary was bad, just look at the 49ers’.

No. 25, Minnesota Vikings, Rashard Anderson, CB, Jackson State. One of theVikings’ top corners left in free agency and the other is a converted wide receiver. Enough said.No. 26, Buffalo Bills, Cosey Coleman, OL, Tennessee. Ruben Brown left in freeagency, leaving a big gap on the line.

No. 27, New York Jets, John Engelberger, DE, Virginia Tech. Haven’t we heardfrom these guys before. The Jets’ pass rush was nearly non-existent lastseason.

No. 28, Indianapolis Colts, Darren Howard, DE, Kansas State. One of the fewweak areas on the Colts’ team.

No. 29, Jacksonville Jaguars, Raynoch Thompson, LB, Tennessee. A reach butTennessee showed the need for the Jaguars to improve here last season.

No. 30, Tennessee Titans, Dez White, WR, Georgia Tech. See the Super Bowlas to why the Titans need to upgrade this position.

No. 31, St. Louis Rams, Deltha O’Neal, CB, California. Teams exposedweaknesses in the defensive backfield last season.

No. 33, New Orleans Saints, Lewis Sanders, CB, Maryland. The Saints lostAshley Ambrose to Atlanta and need to fill his shoes.

So where’s Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne? I see him going to Cleveland with the 32nd pick. Hey, remember, both Thurman Thomas and Terrell Davisslipped in the draft too.

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