DALLAS � In his headquarters just outside of Pahrump, NV, Stephen Jackson was gleaming like a kid on Christmas morning, as he was no doubt about to become heir to the throne as the future running back of the Dallas Cowboys. That is until an unexpected curveball had the Boys trading down, ultimately trading down and taking Notre Dame back Julius Jones at #42 overall, who the organization feels will be a quality value pick. Cowboys addressed their O-line needs nicely with the next two picks, tackle Jacob Rogers followed by LSU tough-guy Stephen Peterman. Word out of mini-camp has Rogers being moved over to guard. I didn't like the idea of them passing up on Jackson but I'm not going to be the one to tell Bill Parcells what to do. Grade: C+

NY GIANTS � Some people are giving this draft an A, no way. Myself, I would have kept Philip Rivers and not look back. A first, a third, and a fifth was way too much to upgrade to Manning, and I�m not sure it�s an upgrade at all. Eli Manning put a ton of pressure on himself pleading not to go to San Diego, and playing in New York adds even more pressure. Incidentally, should Eli win the starting job out of camp, his first game is in Philly, good luck with that. It also turns out that Big Blue has a date in San Diego on the 2005 schedule, that should be fun. It didn�t seem possible that the second round pick could be nearly as controversial, but Big Blue tried. On the surface, it was anything but a surprise that coach Tom Coughlin tabbed a BC guy in guard Chris Snee, who was a good value pick for early in Round 2. But it turns out that the ties run much deeper as it was revealed that Snee knocked up none other than Coach Coughlin�s daughter. That could create a no-win situation, if Snee were not to pan out how does Coughlin cut his future son-in-law?? Nothing much to say about the late round picks though small-school standout DE Isaac Hilton (Round 7) could be an interesting project. Hefty Kentucky QB Jared Lorenzen was the most notable Free Agent. Grade: C

PHILADELPHIA � Another team that seemed to be in the market for a running back, and it appeared the Eagles were looking that way after trading up to #16. Instead Arkansas road-grader Shawn Andrews was the call. In the war room�s defense, there was a time where Andrews was just a half-notch behind Robert Gallery on the draft boards. But that�s before Shawn really went bariatric after the season, reportedly weighing as much as 401 lbs, with a sinus condition as the alleged culprit. Some were also turned off by Andrews decision to blow off the Razorbacks bowl game, where his sinus condition was also blamed. I think the Eagles best pick was UCLA safety Matt Ware late in round 3. The later rounds brought the best fullback in the draft in Minnesota tough guy Thomas Tapeh along with Ohio State guard Adrien Clarke. Grade: B-

CHICAGO � Most mocks had DT Tommie Harris falling to #14, and the Bears are very fortunate that no one traded up. Harris fits coach Lovie Harris� one-gap scheme much better than the next DT on the board (Vince Wilfork). The next two picks were gambles, featuring underachieving Washington DT Terry Johnson along with oft-injured Fresno St. receiver Bernard Berrian. If just one of the two pan out it should bode well. The second-day picks were solid including Texas corner/kick returner Nathan Vasher, undersized (but quick) Maryland linebacker Leon Joe, and Pittsburgh DE Claude Harriott who should project as a situational pass rusher. Ohio State�s Craig Krenzel went in Round 6, who sounds like the prototypical Bear QB. A better prospect may be Boise State�s Ryan Dinwiddie who was picked up as a free agent, who Packer fans were clamoring to see picked as a possible Brett Favre successor. Dinwiddie�s biggest downfall is his height (6� even) and not being able to throw the deep ball. Grade: B

DETROIT � Big ups to GM Matt Millen hijacking the Browns out of an extra pick, then taking the best receiver in the draft in Texas WR Roy Williams, who will proved to be much better at #7 than Charles Rogers with the #2 overall pick last year. With the Browns pick as extra ammunition, the Lions traded up to #30 overall and got the second best back on the board in Virginia Tech�s Kevin Jones, who should make the biggest impact of any rookie back. Oklahoma LB Teddy Lehman (#37) and McNeese St. cornerback Keith Smith completed the first day haul. Also scored on their second day picks with intriguing Wisconsin linebacker Alex Lewis along with OT Kelly Butler, who was projected as a first-day pick on many boards. The onus is now on QB Joey Harrington, who now has no more excuses. Best draft of anyone. Grade: A

GREEN BAY - So you think you can be a punter in the NFL??? Have you ever tried selling your wares on the internet??? In a pre-draft on-line chat session with a Packer representative came the following: �I hear your in the market for a punter, I would be honored to wear the Green and Gold� � signed B.J. in Columbus. Obviously the Sasser Worm missed the Ohio St campus. Sure enough, the Pack trades fourth and fifth round picks for the rights to select B.J Sander, becoming only the 15th punter to be drafted third round or higher in draft history. Sander also becomes the 14th Buckeye selected, a league record. Please excuse Packer fans for being a bit jittery right now, they have seen this movie before. The Pack spent the final pick of the third round on kicker Brett Conway in 1997. He was last seen pulling quads and missing every 32-yard FG in sight. The team was forced into plan B, going with a free agent brought in just in case. Ryan Longwell remains Green Bay�s kicker to this day. Fans with longer memories also recall punter Ray Stachowicz, another spectacular drafting disaster from the early 1980�s. For the record, Sander did win the Ray Guy award last year, but it took until his senior season to finally become the starter in Columbus. The Packer camp will like to tell you that Sander being a left-footer will be an extra advantage. There was also plenty of complaining in Packerland over corner Ahmad Carroll being a possible reach in Round 1. Perhaps, but not nearly as much a reach than I thought Nick Barnett was last year, and that turned out all right. Myself, I had Ahmad going #18 in my mock. I like the upside, and Batman is as fast as anyone in this draft this side of DeAngelo Hall. Only problem is Ahman Green already has that moniker. With the other two third round picks, the Pack got I think their best pick in Montana St corner Joey Thomas (Mike McKenzie are you getting this message??) along with Clemson DT Donnell Washington. Some had Donnell going late in Round 1, but it was disclosed that he had a Wonderlic score of all of 8, thence the slide. If DW doesn�t click, then the Pack has sixth-round pick Corey Williams to fall back on. It�s not that Green Bay�s draft was awful, it�s just that the other teams in the division had better drafts. Grade: C+

ATLANTA � Michael Vick and DeAngelo Hall both got their wish with the Falcons tabbing the Virginia Tech corner at #8 overall. Falcons cannot possibly go wrong with D. Hall. Team then traded up and got a badly needed receiver in Michael Jenkins. Another critical need was addressed with Virginia AB Matt Schaub in Round 3, who should fill the void of backup QB which single-handedly killed the team last year. The second day picks were sensational, including Nebraska LB Demorrio Williams, LSU NT Chad Lavalais., and Southern Miss safety Etric Pruitt. West Virginia RB Quincy Wilson completed the haul in Round 7. Grade: B+

CAROLINA � Everyone said that Chris Gamble would be the biggest Gamble of Round 1, but a necessary one for the Panthers, who traded up three spots to take him at #28 overall. He should fit right in with Ricky Manning Jr., you�ll either love them or hate �em. USC receiver Kerry Colbert will probably turn out to be the best value pick, and will fill a need as Jake Delhomme�s #2 man. Panthers then addressed the offensive line with tackle Travelle Wharton in Round 3. Second day picks include Ohio St receiver Drew Carter, coming off a torn ACL but has fantastic speed, along with massive TE Michael Gaines, who was a one-time highly touted Alabama recruit before being caught cheating on his entrance exam. Grade: B-

NEW ORLEANS � I was expecting anything out of the Saints in Round 1, but they actually made a sensible selection taking DE Will Smith, who was projected a few spots higher on most boards. LSU receiver Devery Henderson may be a popular pick in Round 2 locally, but receiver was not a need area. There wasn�t much to talk about after those two picks, with the headliners being Notre Dame LB Courtney Waston (late second round) along with run-stopping DT Rodney Leisle in Round 5. Grade: C+

ARIZONA � Have you seen the leagues latest promo, what if Nathan Poole had NOT caught that TD pass. Then the Manning family would have told the Cardinals to go to hell, and Arizona would had been getting Philip Rivers and a ton a draft picks from the Giants. As it is, AZ settles with Larry Fitzgerald. With Anquan Boldin and Bryant Johnson already in the fold, the argument can easily be made that the Cards could had (a) taken a QB or another need position and trade down (as they did last year) for additional picks. And even if the Cards insisted on another receiver, Roy Williams graded out better. However with all that in mind there is the long-standing relationship between Fitzgerald and new coach Dennis Green, so you can�t really criticize the pick. Look for plenty of three-receiver sets in Zona this year, and look for QB Josh McCown to be a true fantasy sleeper. They�ll still lose, but they�ll be exciting. Defense did get addressed with the other picks in Day One, OLB Karlos Dansby along with D-tackle Darnell Dockett. Cards went with not one, but two centers on the second day, tabbing Ohio State�s Alex Stepanovich along with K-State�s Nick Leckey. Michigan QB John Navarre was taken 202nd overall with the first pick of Round 7, three picks later than Tom Brady was selected four years earlier. Grade: B

ST LOUIS � The organization often takes it for zeroing in on skill position players during the early rounds, but you can�t blame them for trading up and getting the BPA with Stephen Jackson still available with the 24th overall pick. Running back was not the #1 need, but the end of the line for Marshall Faulk will be sooner rather than later. Coach Mike Martz is on record saying that Jackson is currently battling Lamar Gordon for the #2 position, but look for Steve Jax to contribute some on first and second downs as soon as this year (with Faulk specializing more in third down situations). Georgia Tech DE Tony Hargrove, who has not played since 2002 due to academic reasons, had great workout #�s and was selected late in Round 3. A pass rushing specialist suddenly became a need area when Leonard Little was arrested on a repeat DUI charge seven hours before the draft. On day two the Rams went mainly with defense in LB Brandon Chillar along with safety Jason Shivers, who are expected to help a revamped special teams unit. Michigan St QB Jeff Smoker (suspended for substance abuse in 2002) an interesting pick considering the PR backlash the team will endure over the Little situation. Grade: B

SAN FRANCISCO � The 49ers have been harshly criticized this off-season, but their draft game plan should be commended, with ten new players coming onboard. After trading down twice in Round 1, the Niners got a quality, polished receiver Raushan Woods, who should step in right away and become a #1 receiver with a lot less headaches than his predecessor. Also like the other Day One selections, including Alabama guard Justin Smiley, Clemson receiver Derrick Hamilton, and Pittsburgh cornerback Shawntae Spencer, whose stock soared in the final month before the draft. Round 4 brought powerful DT Isaac Sopoaga along with talkative, high-energy linebacker Richard Seigler. Just to show how quickly opinions change in a year, seventh-round QB Cody Pickett was once thought of to be one of the top overall picks in this draft. Grade: B+

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