2000 NFL Draft - Mock Draft

By Richard C. Harris

April 14, 2000

1. Cleveland – With only one year passed since the expansion draft, it is easier to say what the Browns don’t need than what they do need. With last year’s top pick Tim Couch proving to be the real deal, it is very safe to say that Cleveland will not be using the first pick on a quarterback. Offensively, their most glaring weakness is at running back. Defensively, end and cornerback should be their top priorities. However, it is reasonable to assume, using NFL argot, that they will "take the best available athlete." That would narrow the list to WR Peter Warrick, DE Courtney Brown, and LB LaVar Arrington. Up to now, the Browns have been rather surreptitious about whom they will choose with this pick. The thinking around the league is that they are trying to bait the Redskins, who covet Arrington, into trading with them. Considering their needs and depth of this draft at WR, DE and LB, logic dictates that Cleveland will take Brown. Pick: Courtney Brown, DE.
2. Washington (from New Orleans) – The Skins will breathe a huge sigh of relief if Cleveland drafts Brown. Linebacker is their weakest position, and if they were forced to draft Brown (which they would do), the signing of free agent Bruce Smith would have been a waste. Washington’s other needs include replacements for the aging Andy Heck and Darrell Green at left tackle and cornerback respectively. Two positions that the Skins have well fortified are at quarterback, where they recently signed Jeff George to back up Brad Johnson, and at running back, where Adrian Murrell was signed as a reserve behind Stephen Davis. Pick: LaVar Arrington, LB.
3. Washington (from San Francisco) – Pick: Chris Samuels, OT.
4. Cincinnati – Surprise, surprise, the Bengals have multiple concerns going into this draft. They are badly in need of help at defensive end and cornerback, and their offensive line could use some upgrading. In addition, two of their more talented players, RB Corey Dillon and WR Carl Pickens, have publicly stated that they want out of Cincinnati. The Bengals have been desperately trying to unload Pickens, but so far there have been no takers because the asking price is too high. Look for them to lower their demands and unload Pickens and use this pick to take Warrick. Pick: Peter Warrick, WR.
5. Baltimore (from Atlanta) – The Ravens will be mostly looking to upgrade their offense in this draft, with their biggest needs at running back and wide receiver. They solidified the quarterback and tight end positions in the offseason by re-signing QB Tony Banks, and acquiring free agents Trent Dilfer and Shannon Sharpe. On defense, they will need to consider taking a tackle because of the pending suspension of Larry Webster, and taking a middle linebacker due to the legal problems of All-Pro Ray Lewis. Rumors are that Baltimore is trying very hard to trade this pick, but assuming they keep it, they will likely go with a running back. Pick: Thomas Jones, RB.
6. Philadelphia – The Eagles are another team with quite a few holes. To their credit, they signed RT Jon Runyan from Tennessee this winter, which bolsters one of the up-and-coming offensive lines in the league. The Birds’ most glaring weaknesses are at wide receiver and defensive tackle. Their other needs include defensive end, outside linebacker, strong safety, and running back. The logical pick would be to take either WR Plaxico Burress or DT Corey Simon. Since Burress blew off his interview with the team to go to the Final Four, it is reasonable to think that Simon is the frontrunner. Pick: Corey Simon, DT.
7. Arizona – The top priority in Arizona should be getting a top running back to relieve some of the pressure on QB Jake Plummer. At this position, they should have several good options. The Cards’ other priorities are at linebacker and the offensive line. They will also be looking for a replacement for the chronically injured DT Eric Swann and seeking a cornerback to pair with All-Pro Aeneas Williams. Pick: Jamal Lewis, RB.
8. Pittsburgh – The Steelers will likely have a very difficult decision to make at this point in the draft. Do they take a quarterback or a wide receiver, two very big areas of need for the club. Other areas they will be looking to improve at are tight end and defensive end and defensive tackle. They are financially committed to QB Kordell Stewart, but it is obvious that they have lost faith in him. At wide receiver, the field is so deep that taking Chad Pennington would appear to be the best move. Pick: Chad Pennington, QB.
9. Chicago – The Bears are an up-and-coming team that has fewer holes to fill than most people might imagine. The signings of DE Phillip Daniels and CB Thomas Smith were very good moves by the club, but their biggest concerns remain on defense, especially at linebacker. At this slot, they will have plenty of good choices to get a quality linebacker, who can not only rush the passer but also cover RBs out of the backfield. Their lesser needs include depth for the defensive line, a free safety, an offensive guard, a kicker, and a punter. Pick: Brian Urlacher, LB.
10. Baltimore (from Denver) – Now they will go with a wide receiver, and they appear to be in love with Travis Taylor. Pick: Travis Taylor, WR.
11. NY Giants – The Giants are another team where it is easier to say where they do not need help. They are committed to Kerry Collins at quarterback and signed Jason Garrett to be his backup. At linebacker, they are very solid with the addition of Michael Barrow from Carolina, and quality young players man the wide receiver and safety positions. The two areas they will likely concentrate on are improving at running back and offensive tackle. Pick: Ron Dayne, RB.
12. NY Jets (from San Francisco through Carolina through Washington) – Thanks to the Keyshawn Johnson trade with Tampa Bay, the Jets are in the unprecedented position of having four first round draft picks. There is talk that they will try to package some or all of those picks to trade up to get Courtney Brown or Peter Warrick. Assuming that they do not, they will be looking to fill several slots, starting at wide receiver. Their other high priorities include tight end, offensive tackle, defensive end, and free safety. Pick: Plaxico Burress, WR.
13. NY Jets (from San Diego through Tampa Bay) – They will take either tight end Bubba Franks or a defensive end. Pick: Bubba Franks, TE.
14. Green Bay – The Packers top priority will be to improve their defensive line and linebacker corps, but the recent arrest of Mark Chmura also makes tight end a potential trouble spot. Lesser concerns in Green Bay are improving depth at wide receiver and running back. The players that they will likely chose between for this selection are DT Chris Hovan, DE Shaun Ellis, OLB Julian Peterson, and MLB Rob Morris. Pick: Shaun Ellis, DE.
15. Denver (from Baltimore) – In order for the Broncos to get back into the Super Bowl race they will have to come away with several impact players in this draft. They lost a number of key players this winter, including TE Shannon Sharpe, QB Chris Miller, QB Bubby Brister, S Tyrone Braxton, DE Neil Smith, and DE Alfred Williams. The team did sign free agents QB Gus Frerotte, DE Kavika Pittman, and DE Lester Archambeau, and traded for S Billy Jenkins, so the impact of those departed players has already been lessened. Another concern the Broncos have is the impending drug suspension of cornerback Dale Carter. If Carter does not win his appeal, he will miss all of the ’00 season, which would leave the team with a big hole in the secondary. With Bubba Franks likely to be gone and no franchise cornerback in the draft, Denver could use this pick to improve their depth at wide receiver, at safety, or along the offensive line. Pick: Ahmed Plummer, CB.
16. San Francisco (from New York Jets through New England) – Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Where do we start here? They need an eventual, if not an immediate, replacement for QB Steve Young. They have the worst secondary in the NFL, and are especially desperate for help at cornerback. Their needs do not end there because they also have deficiencies at defensive end, linebacker, and along the offensive line. With Pennington gone and not a superstar corner in this draft, look for them to take an impact player at linebacker or defensive end. Pick: Keith Bulluck, LB.
17. Oakland – The Raiders have been looking for a wide receiver to compliment Tim Brown for years, and in this draft, they should be able to meet that need. Coach Jon Gruden would love to grab a physical receiver like Plaxico Burress, but he may have to trade up to get him. The team also badly needs playmakers at the outside linebacker position. Oakland’s lesser needs include depth at safety and defensive tackle. Given the respective depth at OLB and WR, the wise choice would be to go for defense, but Gruden is an offensive-minded coach. Pick: Dez White, WR.
18. NY Jets – Ah, these guys again. With WR and TE taken care of, they will be looking for a defensive end, an offensive tackle, or safety. Pick: John Engelberger, DE.
19. Seattle (from Dallas) – Even though the Seahawks lost a number of starters -- WR Joey Galloway, G Brian Habib, DE Phillip Daniels, LB Darrin Smith, and S Darryl Williams -- they do not have any dire needs. Free agent Reggie Tongue will replace Williams, the re-signed Derrick Mayes will start in place of Galloway, and youngsters Lamar King and DeShone Myles should fill in nicely for Daniels and Smith respectively. The team also signed center Robbie Tobeck from the Falcons, and he will likely start at center with Chris Gary sliding over to replace Habib. The team is not expected to resign DT Sam Adams, and they are not overly pleased with the play of cornerback Willie Williams and offensive tackle Grant Williams, so the team will be looking to improve at those three positions. Pick: Chris Hovan, DT.
20. Detroit – The Lions were a team ravaged by injuries last season. With some better luck and a few wise draft choices, the Lions think that they can be a Super Bowl contender in ‘00. Through free agency, they filled one major void by signing running back James Stewart. If Stewart and OT Aaron Gibson, last year’s top pick who missed all of his rookie season due to injury, can produce, their offense should be very explosive. With Gus Frerotte departing for Denver, the Lions will add a backup quarterback to their wish list, in addition to added depth for the offensive line. On defense, the team’s biggest concern will be replacing free safety Mark Carrier, who was signed by Washington. He was the veteran leader of a young secondary. He will be replaced by free agent Kurt Schulz, but the team will still be looking to upgrade at this position. Pick: Deon Grant, S.
21. Kansas City – The Chiefs seem to enter every draft looking for a running back, and this year is no different. The club appears to be enamoured with Ron Dayne, whose running style would fit nicely in their offense. If Dayne would be gone by this pick, as I am predicting, the club would probably not be too disappointed to settle for Shaun Alexander. Kansas City’s other major offensive need is a speed receiver. Via free agency, the Chiefs signed LB Lewis Bush to replace the deceased Derrick Thomas, and added DT Steve Martin and DE Duane Clemons to add depth to the defensive line. These moves leave the team looking to upgrade their secondary, where cornerbacks Cris Dishman and James Hasty are past their prime, and strong safety Reggie Tongue departed for Seattle. Pick: Shaun Alexander, RB.
22. Seattle – They will consider an offensive tackle and cornerback, but they probably will not be able to resist taking a speedy receiver to replace Galloway. Pick: Jerry Porter, WR.
23. Carolina (from Miami) – By re-signing wide receivers Muhsin Muhammad and Patrick Jeffers during the offseason, the Panthers kept intact an offense that was very effective in ’99. Their defense is another story. They could use help at every position on this side of the ball, especially at linebacker where Michael Barrow was released for salary cap reasons and Kevin Greene retired. Pick: Julian Peterson, LB.
24. San Francisco (from Washington) – They will likely go with another defensive player with this selection -- either a cornerback or defensive end. Pick: Darren Howard, DE.
25. Minnesota – After watching head coach Denny Green let QB Jeff George slip away to Washington, many fans in Minnesota probably think their most dire need is a new coach/GM. With George jumping ship, the team is left with the inexperienced and raw Daunte Culpepper as their starting quarterback. Randall Cunningham, who began last season as the starter, is expected to be released after June 1 for salary cap reasons, and the recently signed Bubby Brister will back up Culpepper. Besides the quarterback problems, the Vikings will be looking to replace Pro Bowlers C Jeff Cristy and G Randall McDaniel, both of whom left via free agency for Tampa Bay. Their problems do not stop there because the team’s defense continued to be the weak link in ’99. The Vikes’ biggest defensive concerns are at cornerback and end, but all the positions on this unit could use a boost. Pick: Chris McIntosh, OG/OT.
26. Buffalo – The Bills are another team that made a series of curious moves this winter. Strapped by the high-priced contracts of their two quarterbacks, Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie, the Bills released veterans DE Bruce Smith, RB Thurman Thomas, and WR Andre Reed. They also chose not to resign CB Thomas Smith and FS Kurt Schulz. Of all these moves, the loss of Smith hurts the most, so the Bills will certainly be looking for a starting corner in this draft, in addition to replacements for the other departed players. Also, the team will be seeking an impact player at outside linebacker and to add depth to their offensive line. Pick: John Abraham, LB.
27. NY Jets (from Tampa Bay) – They’re back. According to my scenario, offensive tackle and safety would be their two remaining major needs. Pick: Stockar McDougle, OT.
28. Indianapolis – The Colts’ major concerns are on defense, specifically at inside and outside linebacker. Their only significant offseason addition was DE Bernard Hosley, a former backup for the Giants. With their high-powered offense remaining intact, their needs are few on this side of the ball. In the later rounds, they will likely be looking for depth at the skill positions and to add a starting fullback. Pick: Rob Morris, LB.
29. Jacksonville – The Jaguars are a team with few weaknesses, and going into this draft, they will be looking mostly for depth. They made a huge coup by signing MLB Hardy Nickerson away from Tampa Bay, solving a long-standing problem at that position. The only major loss was RB James Stewart, and with Fred Taylor on the team, he was a player that they could afford to lose. The positions they will most likely concentrate on fortifying first are wide receiver and cornerback. Pick: Dennis Northcutt, WR.
30. Tennessee – The Titans will not find it easy to have success similar to what they experienced last season. For starters, they must replace Jon Runyan, one of the best right tackles in the league. Through free agency, they were able to sign Fred Miller to replace him, but there is a drop-off in talent between the two players. Another concern is that DT Josh Evans is expected to miss the entire ’00 season because of a drug suspension. Evans was quickly becoming known as one of the better young tackles in the league and was an impact player for the team during their playoff run. Besides shopping for offensive and defensive tackles, the Titans will be looking for an eventual replacement for the venerable Bruce Matthews (guard), an impact wide receiver, and reserves at H-back and free safety. Tennessee did manage to lure free agent MLB Randall Godfrey away from Dallas, which immediately improved their linebacker corps. Pick: Sylvester Morris, WR.
31. St. Louis – The World-Champion Rams, not so surprisingly, have few holes to fill. Their most pressing need is to replace the aforementioned Fred Miller at right tackle. As for the rest of the draft, they will look to add depth at all defensive positions and along the offensive line. Pick: Travis Claridge, OG/OT.

32. Cleveland – They will likely go for a running back or cornerback. Pick: J.R. Redmond, RB.
33. New Orleans – The Saints have been very active in the free agent market, but most of the players that they have signed have marginal ability. The most significant newcomers are QB Jeff Blake and DT Norman Hand. They also lost one key player, cornerback Ashley Ambrose. Ambrose, the team’s best coverman last season, defected to Atlanta, and he will have to be replaced immediately. Besides cornerback, linebacker is another position where the team is in desperate need of help. The Saints will also be shopping for a fullback and a physical receiver. Pick: Deltha O’Neal, CB.
34. Cincinnati – The Bengals will look at defense with this pick, specifically end or cornerback. Pick: Adalius Thomas, DE.
35. San Francisco – Bill Walsh will be very tempted to go with a quarterback with this pick, but Chris Redman does not have the mobility that he likes, and he will probably gamble that he can get Giovanni Carmazzi with a later pick. If he does pass on a quarterback, the pick will be for a corner. Pick: Ike Charlton, CB.
36. Philadelphia – If they pass on a wideout in the first round, they will grab one here. Pick: R. Jay Soward, WR.
37. Atlanta – The Falcons think that a healthy Jamal Anderson at running back and Chris Chandler at quarterback will vault them back into the playoff picture. However, for this team to contend again, they will have to improve dramatically at several positions. Free agency robbed them of their two starting defensive ends, so that is a position that requires attention. Also, aging free safety Eugene Robinson needs to be replaced. On offense, Atlanta added free agent Shawn Jefferson at wideout, but he is not the impact receiver that this team truly needs. Considering how often Chandler is injured, a backup quarterback would be a wise investment, and finally, the offensive line has marginal talent, so infusion of talent here would be welcomed. Pick: Byron Frisch, DE.
38. Pittsburgh – If they pass on a wide receiver in the first round, they’d better grab one here. Pick: Todd Pinkston, WR.
39. Chicago – The Bears could go in several different directions with this pick -- free safety, guard, or another linebacker. However, they do not want to re-experience the nightmares their place kickers caused them to have in ’99. Pick: Sebastian Janikowski, K.
40. Denver – They will go with a tight end, a wide receiver, or an offensive lineman. Pick: Marvel Smith, OT.
41. Arizona – After running back, outside linebacker is their biggest need, but cornerback, defensive tackle, guard and center are possibilities. Pick: Na’il Diggs, LB.
42. NY Giants – The Giants lost left tackle Roman Oben to Cleveland and released right tackle Scott Gragg. Their replacements, Lomas Brown and Glenn Parker, are aging veterans with little left in their tanks. Pick: Todd Wade, OT.
43. San Diego – How can so bad a team never have a pick in the first round? The answer is a series of ill-fated deals orchestrated by GM Bobby Bethard. The stench of the Ryan Leaf deal still looms over this team, and the adolescent quarterback is showing no signs of even being a reliable backup. Bethard better find some hidden gems in this draft, or he could find himself looking for a new job. This past winter, the Chargers lost more than they gained. DT Norman Hand left for New Orleans, LB Lew Bush is now a Chief, G Aaron Taylor retired, and RB Natrone Means was released. The team did make one significant move, signing WR Curtis Conway. All of this leaves the Chargers with a rather lengthy shopping list, with the highest priorities likely to be running back, guard, defensive tackle, linebacker and cornerback. Pick: Steve Warren, DT.
44. Green Bay – At this point in the draft, the talent at linebacker will start to get thin, so the Packers may opt to go with a defensive tackle or a tight end. Pick: Raynoch Thompson, LB.
45. Denver (from Baltimore) – They could go for a tight end, wide receiver, or possibly a quarterback. Pick: Danny Farmer, WR.
46. New England – The Pats have either released or lost (via free agency) a slew of players, including TE Ben Coates, RB Terry Allen, and OT Bruce Armstrong. At the same time, they have made no significant signings. Most of the departed players were on offense, including three starting linemen. In retrospect, this may be a positive development, considering how this unit struggled last season. New England will concentrate on rebuilding this unit, with special emphasis given to running back, tackle, and tight end. On defense, the team is fairly solid, but cornerback is another position of need. Pick: Adrian Klemm, OT.
47. Oakland – Linebacker is definitely their biggest need. Pick: Barrett Green, LB.
48. San Francisco (from New York Jets) – Thanks to the trade with the Jets, they are able to grab the quarterback they want. Pick: Giovanni Carmazzi, QB.
49. Dallas – The impending release of cornerback Deion Sanders for cost-cutting reasons makes cornerback a top priority for the Cowboys. The team did sign free agent Ryan McNeil this offseason, but he is not in the same class as Sanders. Also, the loss of Randall Godfrey and the release of Quentin Coryatt has created a void at linebacker. Youngsters Dat Nguyen and Darren Hambrick may be able to fill their shoes, but at a minimum, depth is a concern there. The team’s other needs include a free safety and depth for the offensive line. One area the Cowboys have certainly solidified is wide receiver, where newcomer Joey Galloway joins Rocket Ismail and the emerging Jason Tucker. The team made one very curious move, signing defensive end Dimitrius Underwood. The irony here is that meddling owner Jerry Jones passed on WR Randy Moss in the ’98 draft because of his off-the-field troubles, which pale in comparison to Underwood’s misdeeds. Pick: Rashard Anderson, CB.
50. Detroit – They need a backup QB, and Charlie Batch is no Bobby Layne. Pick: Chris Redman, QB.
51. Carolina – Need mostly defensive help. Pick: Cornelius Griffin, DT.
52. Seattle – Likely to go with an offensive tackle or a cornerback. Pick: Michael Thompson, OT.
53. Miami – The Dolphins will be looking to add some life to their listless offense. With Dan Marino retiring, the Dolphins are left with the trio of Jay Fiedler, Damon Huard, and Jim Drunkenmiller at quarterback. While drafting another quarterback is a possibility, do not look for the team to use this pick on one. At running back, the Dolphins released the often-troubled Cecil Collins and signed Buffalo’s Thurman Thomas and New Orleans’ Lamar Smith for depth, while second-year player J.J. Johnson inherits the starting job. The receiving corps is in need of an overhaul, with the team releasing tight end Troy Drayton, and starting wideouts O.J. McDuffie and Tony Martin both being in their thirties. Miami’s defense remains one of the best in the league, but help is needed at strong safety. Pick: Anthony Becht, TE.
54. Kansas City – The Chiefs will likely use this pick to upgrade their secondary. Pick: Aric Morris, SS.
55. Minnesota – The Vikings will use these next two picks to bolster their defense and/or offensive line. Pick: Erik Flowers, DE.
56. Minnesota (from Washington) – Pick: Lewis Sanders, CB.
57. Tampa Bay – The Bucs have made three offseason moves that should significantly improve their offense. They added former Vikings Randall McDaniel (guard) and Jeff Cristy (center) to their offensive line, and recently traded with the Jets for WR Keyshawn Johnson. Johnson gives the team the dependable, physical receiver that they have sorely needed. On defense, they lost MLB Hardy Nickerson to free agency, but the talented youngster Jamie Duncan is more than an adequate replacement. Assuming that QB Shaun King continues to develop, the team is left with few weaknesses. The Bucs will likely use this pick to add depth at offensive tackle, linebacker, or cornerback. Pick: Darnell Alford, OT.
58. Buffalo – The Bills need a cornerback and depth at offensive line, wide receiver, and defensive end. Pick: Mario Edwards, CB.
59. Indianapolis – They need a back to give Edgerrin James a breather. Pick: Travis Prentice, RB.
60. Jacksonville – The Jags will likely use this pick on a cornerback. Pick: Hank Poteat, CB.
61. Tennessee – The Titans need depth at offensive guard and tackle. Pick: Cosey Coleman, G.
62. St. Louis – The Rams will probably take the best defensive player available. Pick: Darwin Walker, DT.