Julius Peppers, defensive end, University of North Carolina
-If the
Houston Texans hadn't owned the first overall selection and
didn't land their franchise quarterback, this guy would be a
no-brainer pick. Peppers is a great athlete - after all, he did
play hoops for the Tar Heels - and owns the type of upside
potential that has many scouts calling him the next Lawrence Taylor
or Michael Strahan.
NFL Lookalike: Bruce Smith
David Carr, quarterback, Fresno State - Speaking of
franchise quarterbacks, the Texans are counting on the talented
Carr to lead them to immediate respectability. Houston stockpiled a
monstrous offensive line in the NFL expansion draft, so Carr will
likely be able to get out of bed on Mondays without the aid of
crutches or a forklift.
NFL Lookalike: Peyton Manning
Joey Harrington, quarterback,
Oregon - Once you've appeared
on a building-size billboard in
Times Square, what do you do for an
encore? Well,
Mark Wahlberg (the former Times Square underwear guy)
starred in
Planet of the Apes. Hopefully, Harrington's next step
will be more prosperous. Harrington picked the perfect time to have
his best collegiate game - the 2002 Fiesta Bowl - and was the
comeback kid for the Ducks. Sports marketing directors are drooling
over his prospects.
NFL Lookalike: Joe Montana
Roy Williams, safety,
Oklahoma - Here's a safety who can
cover a fleet-footed receiver and also knock them into next week.
His Superman impersonation against arch rival
Texas (he caused a
game-turning interception off Chris Simms) is an all-time
SportsCenter highlight reel.
NFL Lookalike: Darren Woodson
Bryant McKinnie, offensive tackle, Miami - The best lineman
in the draft, McKinnie isn't going to make the headlines of his
skill-position teammates. But he'll surely keep them out of the
obits. A hulking man with catlike reflexes and better-than-average
speed, McKinnie will be playing in Pro Bowls for the rest of the
decade.