But I digress because crapshoots don�t come any bigger than Willis McGahee. Back in January, a first round selection seemed a mere fantasy days after his devastating Fiesta Bowl knee injuries. However, thanks to a strong recovery (so far) along with some car-salesman like talk from his agent, a first round selection was suddenly again a possibility. It even seemed possible that Willis would surpass my projection of being the final pick of the first round.

But the Buffalo Bills were about last on my list of potential suitors for McGahee. Perhaps when that against made that final phone call of about five feet to Willis, being beemed to TV sets around the globe � it made the Buffalo Brass just a bit nervous, as if to say �Better draft him before the Pats trade up�.

With that, the team acquired a back who will go down in Bills lore in the same vain as Orenthal Simpson or Thurman Thomas, or will become a bust that the organization took an un-necessary risk on. But then again, the entire draft is a crapshoot.

BUFFALO (C-) � The drafting of Willis McGahee was strange on a couple of fronts. The obvious point being that the Bills already have RB depth with Travis Henry and Olandis Gary. If McGahee continues to rehabilitate, that would relegate Henry to lame duck status no matter how well he does this season. The team can release Henry after the �03 season, with only a cap hit of $445,000. But even then, no one will have an idea of how McGahee stacks up compared to Henry until sometime during the �04 season. It was a gamble Buffalo did not have to really make. Not to mention the team currently plays on rock-hard artificial turf. Hopefully for McGahee�s sake, the team will invest in the newer �Field-Turf within the next year. I think the team made good moves with DE Chris Kelsey (48th pick) along with LB Angelo Crowell (94th pick). Fourth-round WR Sam Aiken should give the team a solid third receiver to help take pressure off Eric Moulds.

MIAMI (D+) � Coach Wanny always likes his defense, and did not let the recent acquisition of Junior Seau prevent from getting more D, taking a major reach on Tennessee OLB Eddie Moore, projected as a 5th-6th rounder on most draft boards, with the 49th overall pick. Ditto with OT Wade Smith (Memphis) in the third round. They may have a nice sleeper in Round 5 with San Diego St. receiver J.R. Tolver, who caught a mind-boggling 128 catches for 1785 yards and 13 scores last season.

NEW ENGLAND (C+) � Originally had 13 selections, but did some trading up to get the likes of DT Ty Warren and CB Eugene Wilson (36th). Warren is a minor reach but was the best interior D-lineman on the board. WR Bethel Johnson (45th pick) is a huge reach. Word is Bethel is fast, but is only 5'11" and has a bit of a tude. Reviews are mixed on 4th round DT Ryan Klecko, but at the very least he�s a high motor player. QB Kliff Kingsbury was taken in the sixth round (201st overall), Tom Brady was 199th overall three years ago. The biggest find may be Tully Banta-Cain, as the undersized DE out of Cal slid all the way into round seven, and could be utilized as a situational speed-rusher. Un-addressed were the Patriots running game needs.

NY JETS (B) � Jets trade 13th and 22nd picks to acquire the #4 overall, which was used to select �three-technique�, collapse the pocket stud Dwayne Robertson. Team continued to stress defense with the selections with LB Victor Hobson (2nd) round before turning to Michigan teammate B.J Askew in the third to add a west-coast type fullback to the mix. Some feel QB Brooks Bollinger (Wisconsin) has some potential as a sixth rounder, I just don�t see it.

BALTIMORE (A) � Mel Kiper Jr. constantly lauds the efforts of Raven personnel director Phil Savage, and after this trade who can blame him??? Organization was able to obtain players projected as the sixth and tenth overall picks with the tenth and 19th � first bypassing QB Kyle Boller to grab sack specialist Terrell Suggs when he slid down to #10, then trading up (2nd rounder and '04 first rounder) to select Boller at #19. Also got great value in the 3rd/4th rounds with RB Musa Smith, DE Jarrett Johnson, and FB Ovie Mughelli. Fifth round o-tackle Tony Pashos has an injury history but also goes 6'6" 337, he could be a steal. Ravens even score late in the seventh round with speedy Utah DB Antwoine Sanders. A fantastic draft all around.

CINCINNATI(A-) � Berman had to make it a point on TV to say that Carson Palmer should fare as well as the last #1 overall Heisman Trophy pick who also went to what was then one of pro football's least desireable venues. Berman made sure that he meant that in a football sense. Not like I was expecting Palmer to be involved in a slow-speed Bronco chase through LA come 2029. Bengals get some O-line help with second rounder Eric Steinbach (G), then rolled the dice a bit with WR Kelley Washington and CB Dennis Weathersby. Washington (projected late first-rounder in some circles) is the bigger risk since he�s coming off a neck injury and another incident could force him into retirement. Weathersby was projected as a second-rounder before being shot in an incident the previous week in suburban LA and lost approximately half his blood, which could not be immediately replaced. Early reports have him ready to go come training camp. Weathersby should be a good fit for coach Marvin Lewis. Also look for Palmer to do well eventually with Washington in addition to emerging wide-out Chad Johnson. Team also obtained a couple of solid fifth-rounders with FB Jeremi Johnson along with small-school (Mars Hill College) standout LB Khalid Abdullah.

CLEVELAND (C) � The jury will be out on the Browns draft for a while. Center Jeff Faine�s stock had been steadily rising all winter, but 21st overall may just be too high. Some also feel LB Chaun Thompson (West Texas A&M) may had been a reach, but his speed/strength workout numbers are absolutely freakish. However, it wasn't like Chaun's production helped his team at the collegiate level, West TAM-U was 0-11 in 2002. Browns also got speedy RB Lee Suggs (Virginia Tech) in round four. The reason for Suggs falling that far was evidenced soon after when full disclosure came on a rotator-cuff injury that was discovered during the combines. Look for Suggs to spend the year on IR, which will not be a biggie with incumbents William Green and James Jackson still around.

PITTSBURGH (C+) � Steelers needed speedy defensive help in the worst way, so they traded up to obtain the best safety in the draft in USC�s Troy Polamalu. DE Alonzo Jackson (2nd round) and raw but talented CB Ivan Taylor (Louisiana-Lafayette, 4th round) were also nice pick-ups. Also took a flier on BC QB Brian St. Pierre in Round 5, a wise move considering there will still be some questions concerning QB Tommy Maddox after his scary injury on an inconsequential hit last year.

HOUSTON (C) � Is there something we do not know about David Carr??? First the Texans spend a late third-round pick on Louisville QB Dave Ragone, which perhaps would make sense in terms of an eventual solid 2nd string option. But then the team threw a sixth-round choice on one-time Michigan QB Drew Henson. I simply don�t see Drew aborting his floundering baseball career a year early to sit behind Carr and Ragone. We do know that the Texans will now have a Pro-Bowl caliber receiver for years to come in yoked-up Andre Johnson with the #3 pick overall. Second round pick was used on Michigan TE Bennie Joppru, whose stock sky-rocketed late before taking Cincinnati LB Antwan Peek in the third.

INDIANAPOLIS (C) � Iowa TE Dallas Clark was a surprise at #24 overall, although he should give Peyton Manning yet another target while providing some interesting double-TE sets with Marcus Pollard. Team then grabbed yet another of the bounty of D-linemen coming out of Penn State with DT Anthony Adams before turned to safety Michael Doss of Ohio State, who should immediately become a Dungy favorite. Undersized, but speedy CB Donald Strickland (Colorado) offers some potential in the fourth-round.

JACKSONVILLE (B) - Turns out the Jags didn't even have to trade up to ensure the services of QB Byron Leftwich, that should be a seemless transition with Leftwich becoming the starter in '04. Small college star CB Rashean Mathis went around exactly as projected, and should also be a good pick. Team also gets O-line help as Vince Manuwai slides (as expected) into the third round. Bruising fourth-rounder LaBrandon Toefield (5'11" 233) should project at the very least as a nice change of pace to Fred Taylor. Jags then get O-lineman Marques Ogden (younger brother of Jonathan) in Round 6, who goes 6'4" 317.

TENNESSEE (B-) � CB Andre Woolfork was the first round selection (#28 overall), which was in the neighborhood of where most mock drafts had him. It was the following three picks that are more intriguing, including 2nd round WR Tyrone Calico who will give the offense an entirely new dimension. The possible successor to RB Eddie George came in the third with Colorado�s Chris Brown. Myself I would had gone with Justin Fargas as a change of pace option. And did anyone�s stock fall as far as Outland Trophy winner Rien Long, as the one time projected top-ten selection went to the Titans late in Round 4, #126 overall. Long had 13 sacks with Washington State last year but questions linger about a trick knee.

DENVER (B+) � The Broncos consistently turn out tremendous drafts every season, and this year should be no exception. OT George Foster (21st pick overall) comes off an injury-plagued season but should be solid. Inside backer Terry Pierce (2nd round) should be a contributor while DE Nick Eason could be a steal in Round 4. Broncos got Oklahoma RB Quentin Griffin with their earlier fourth round pick, and people are already equating him with the other running back steals the team had acquired in recent years (Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary et al). He won�t quite reach that status, be should be a factor as a speedy Warrick Dunn-like change of pace to spell Clinton Portis. Team even added RB depth afterwards, inking Cecil Sapp (move-the-chains back projected as a fourth-rounder) as an undrafted free agent.

KANSAS CITY (B) � Have a feeling full disclosure has not quite come out yet on the condition of Priest Holmes hip, as the Chiefs acquire the first healthy RB available at #27 overall with Penn State�s Larry Johnson. South Florida ILB Kawika Mitchell may be a reach in some circles, but he�s a diamond in the rough who I look to pan out big-time. Third round DB Julian Battle (Tennessee), along with Florida State OT Brett Williams (4th round) will also be contributors.

OAKLAND (B) � Bill Romanowski did cartwheels on TV over the Raiders selection of Colorado DE Tyler Brayton with the final pick of the first round. The emotional Brayton fits beautifully in the Raider/Romanowski mold. With the previous pick (31st overall) the team went in their backyard for Cal DB NNamdi Asomugha. Both picks were considered moderate reaches (does the organization ever make a safe pick) but chances are good they will work out. Raiders then stayed in the area to select Stanford hybrid TE/WR Teyo Johnson in Round 2. I look for Justin Fargus to be a great late Round 3 value. Despite his injury history, he should be a great successor to Charlie Garner two years down the road. Look for South Florida DE Shurron Pierson to be another find in Round 4. Sixth-round OT Dustin Rykert (BYU) will be worth a look with his 6�7� 300 lb frame. Receiver Ryan Hoag from Gustavus Adolphus (MN) was the final pick of the draft. Mr. Irrelevant always has to be a player no one�s ever heard of from a place no one has ever heard of. It just wouldn�t had been right to select say, Jason Gesser with that pick.

SAN DIEGO (B-) � Chargers made sure they were going to address the secondary with Rodney Harrison now gone. Selected in the first two rounds were Texas A&M D-backs Sammy Davis and Terrence Kiel, along with small-college star Drayton Florence. All three will join Quentin Jammer, the #5 overall pick from last year. Other interesting picks include rugged Ohio State linebacker Matt Wilhelm (4th round), who plans to play in the league ten years. South Carolina fullback Andrew Pinnock is also highly regarded in some circles and was taken in the seventh round.