Bryan's Draft Preview: WR's & TE's

Time for everybody’s favorite draft picks, the Wide Receivers. There are so many of them that are drafted, and you can usually find some good serviceable ones in the later rounds. But really, who cares about them? Everyone wants to know about the ones that are going on the first day. Let’s look at the top five. To save time, I will also do the tight ends as well, a position that is getting a heck of a lot more important.

1.) Mike Williams, USC: He is 6’4’’ and very strong. This guy can maybe out muscle your great cornerbacks in the NFL. Put up HUGE numbers in his short time at USC. He was always looked at in the red zone, and that is where he made his money. I know some might look away and say he’s been off a year, but he has been off a year able to work on the things that were missing from his game before.

2.) Braylon Edwards. Michigan: A lot of people who are smarter than me have him ranked number one. I put him at two because he can be inconsistent at times, and does drop some catchable balls. Maybe I am being unfair about that and putting Williams number one. But still, the number one thing a wide receiver should do is catch a ball.

3.) Troy Williamson, South Carolina: Explosive and can stretch the field. Ran a 4.38 forty yard dash at the combine. He is not the size that Edwards or Williams is, but above average at 6’1’’. This draft will be his reward for putting up big numbers in a tough conference, while playing for an average team.

4.) Mark Clayton, Oklahoma: Good runner, good hands and runs excellent routes. He doesn’t have the greatest size being under six foot, but I think he may have a decent rookie year and develop into a good second or maybe third threat for an offense.

5.) Roddy White, UAB: Excellent speed, and very physical. The only downside to him is that he was really only a deep threat. He is going to need to know how to run routes in the NFL.

Teams in Need

1.) Bears: My Bears have needed a good wide receiver for years, Rex really needs the help. The pick I want is Ronnie Brown, but it looks like they won’t get him, so I guess I’ll settle for Mike Williams. Getting Mushin Muhammad in the off-season helps, but what will also help is a veteran like Muhammad tutoring a young rookie.

2.) Vikings: They got rid of the cancer in Moss, now it is time for some healing. Culpepper will need a speedy deep threat he can throw to. Burleson and Robinson are veterans that can help whomever they bring in.

3.) Ravens: They got Derrick Mason, but who else can Boller throw too? They still need to get some work done here.

4.) Giants: Eli is going to need some deep threats. They got Plaxico, but like Baltimore they have to get more threats to make Eli comfortable in the position he’s been put in.

5.) Buccaneers: The other Mark Clayton was a huge success for them, but they aren’t going to take another with the spot they have.

Other teams who could benefit: Kansas City, San Diego, Tennessee, Philadelphia, Washington

Top Five Tight Ends

1.) Heath Miller, Virginia

2.) Alex Smith, Stanford

3.) Joel Dreessen, Colorado St.

4.) Kevin Everett, Miami

5.) Garrett Cross, California

I’m going to choose not to write too much about the tight ends. It seems that this position is getting a lot more important with they way the league is going, but I still can not find much to say about these guys. Miller is in the top of this class, but he is not Jeremy Shockey or Kellen Winslow. I ask this question though…is Miami becoming Tight End U? Another thing, I really can’t find many teams that have tight ends as a glaring hole that needs to be fixed. The only real teams that I could say are Pittsburgh, and the Jets. Big Ben could benefit from a good tight end in the short game, and Becht left the Jets in the offseason.