Mock Draft (February)

By Arlo Vander

With this year’s Pro Bowl in the books, it’s time to turn our thoughts to the 2004 season, and what better way than with the year’s first mock draft? Valentine’s Day may have been devoted to those all-important significant others, but the day after was all about football for the ten intrepid fantasy veterans who met at the Cafe for an afternoon draft.

LaDainian Tomlinson was chosen first overall, Billy Miller went last, and a number of very interesting strategies became apparent in between as the drafters attempted to outmaneuver each other. Naturally, much will change between now and the beginning of the season, but it’s never too early to start thinking football…

Pick #	Player	Round	Team
1.	LaDainian Tomlinson – RB, SD	1	Wease
2.	Priest Holmes – RB, KC	1	aww
3.	Ahman Green – RB, GB	1	Guttpuppy
4.	Deuce McAllister – RB, NO	1	kashikis
5.	Clinton Portis – RB, Den	1	shatner8
6.	Shaun Alexander – RB, Sea	1	Arlo
7.	Jamal Lewis – RB, Bal	1	roseman
8.	Ricky Williams – RB, Mia	1	petey
9.	Edgerrin James – RB, Ind	1	terpfan
10.	Fred Taylor – RB, Jax	1	C-Hawk
11.	Kevan Barlow – RB, SF	2	C-Hawk
12.	Randy Moss – WR, Min	2	terpfan
13.	Stephen Davis – RB, Car	2	petey
14.	Daunte Culpepper – QB, Min	2	roseman
15.	Marshall Faulk – RB, StL	2	Arlo
16.	Domanick Davis – RB, Hou	2	shatner8
17.	Travis Henry – RB, Buf	2	kashikis
18.	Torry Holt – WR, StL	2	Guttpuppy
19.	Rudi Johnson – RB, Cin	2	aww
20.	Peyton Manning – QB, Ind	2	Wease
21.	Michael Vick – QB, Atl	3	Wease
22.	Marvin Harrison – WR, Ind	3	aww
23.	Hines Ward – WR, Pit	3	Guttpuppy
24.	Terrell Owens – WR, SF	3	kashikis
25.	Chad Johnson – WR, Cin	3	shatner8
26.	Tiki Barber – RB, NYG	3	Arlo
27.	Anquan Boldin – WR, Ari	3	roseman
28.	Santana Moss – WR, NYJ	3	petey
29.	Brian Westbrook – RB, Phi	3	terpfan
30.	Donovan McNabb – QB, Phi	3	C-Hawk
31.	Eric Moulds – WR, Buf	4	C-Hawk
32.	Laveranues Coles – WR, Was	4	terpfan
33.	Joe Horn – WR, NO	4	petey
34.	Tony Gonzalez – TE, KC	4	roseman
35.	Darrell Jackson – WR, Sea	4	Arlo
36.	Steve McNair – QB, Ten	4	shatner8
37.	Derrick Mason – WR, Ten	4	kashikis
38.	Todd Heap – TE, Bal	4	Guttpuppy
39.	Steve Smith – WR, Car	4	aww
40.	Justin McCareins – WR, Ten	4	Wease
41.	New England Defense	5	Wease
42.	Matt Hasselbeck – QB, Sea	5	aww
43.	Trent Green – QB, KC	5	Guttpuppy
44.	Jeremy Shockey – TE, NYG	5	kashikis
45.	Corey Dillon – RB, Cin	5	shatner8
46.	Baltimore Defense	5	Arlo
47.	Warrick Dunn – RB, Atl	5	roseman
48.	Marc Bulger – QB, StL	5	petey
49.	Aaron Brooks – QB, NO	5	terpfan
50.	Michael Bennett – RB, Min	5	C-Hawk
51.	Koren Robinson – WR, Sea	6	C-Hawk
52.	Anthony Thomas – RB, Chi	6	terpfan
53.	Chris Chambers – WR, Mia	6	petey
54.	Andre Johnson – WR, Hou	6	roseman
55.	Brett Favre – QB, GB	6	Arlo
56.	Plaxico Burress – WR, Pit	6	shatner8
57.	Amani Toomer – WR, NYG	6	kashikis
58.	Marcel Shipp – RB, Ari	6	Guttpuppy
59.	Peter Warrick – WR, Cin	6	aww
60.	Peerless Price – WR, Buf	6	Wease
61.	Mike Vanderjagt – K, Ind	7	Wease
62.	Keenan McCardell – WR, TB	7	aww
63.	Javon Walker – WR, GB	7	Guttpuppy
64.	Lee Suggs – RB, Cle	7	kashikis
65.	Charles Rogers – WR, Det	7	shatner8
66.	Jimmy Smith – WR, Jax	7	Arlo
67.	Curtis Martin – RB, NYJ	7	roseman
68.	Eddie George – RB, Ten	7	petey
69.	Shannon Sharpe – TE, Den	7	terpfan
70.	DeShaun Foster – RB, Car	7	C-Hawk
71.	Ashley Lelie – WR, Den	8	C-Hawk
72.	David Boston – WR, Ari	8	terpfan
73.	Onterrio Smith – RB, Min	8	petey
74.	Charlie Garner – RB, Oak	8	roseman
75.	Steven Jackson – RB, Rookie	8	Arlo
76.	Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Rookie	8	shatner8
77.	Chad Pennington – QB, NYJ	8	kashikis
78.	Rod Smith – WR, Den	8	Guttpuppy
79.	Duce Staley – RB, Phi	8	aww
80.	Willis McGahee – RB, Buf	8	Wease
81.	Tampa Bay Defense	9	Wease
82.	Tom Brady – QB, NE	9	aww
83.	Thomas Jones – RB, TB	9	Guttpuppy
84.	Miami Defense	9	kashikis
85.	Jeff Wilkins – K, StL	9	shatner8
86.	Dallas Defense	9	Arlo
87.	Isaac Bruce – WR, StL	9	roseman
88.	Randy McMichael – TE, Mia	9	petey
89.	TJ Duckett – RB, Atl	9	terpfan
90.	Byron Leftwich – QB, Jax	9	C-Hawk
91.	Keyshawn Johnson – WR, TB	10	C-Hawk
92.	Carolina Defense	10	terpfan
93.	Reggie Wayne – WR, Ind	10	petey
94.	St. Louis Defense	10	roseman
95.	Kellen Winslow Jr. – TE, Rookie	10	Arlo
96.	Tennessee Defense	10	shatner8
97.	Donte Stallworth – WR, NO	10	kashikis
98.	Buffalo Defense	10	Guttpuppy
99.	Chris Brown – RB, TEn	10	aww
100.	Marty Booker – WR, Chi	10	Wease
101.	Deion Branch – WR, NE	11	Wease
102.	Alge Crumpler – TE, Atl	11	aww
103.	Jake Delhomme – QB, Car	11	Guttpuppy
104.	Jon Kitna – QB, Cin	11	kashikis
105.	Boo Williams – TE, NO	11	shatner8
106.	Kevin Jones – RB, Rookie	11	Arlo
107.	Jake Plummer – QB, Den	11	roseman
108.	Tim Rattay – QB, SF	11	petey
109.	Jeff Garcia – QB, SF	11	terpfan
110.	Daniel Graham – TE, NE	11	C-Hawk
111.	Kansas City Defense	12	C-Hawk
112.	David Givens – WR, NE	12	terpfan
113.	Denver Defense	12	petey
114.	Ryan Longwell – K, GB	12	roseman
115.	Brad Johnson – QB, TB	12	Arlo
116.	Kerry Collins – QB, NYG	12	shatner8
117.	Philadelphia Defense	12	kashikis
118.	Jerry Porter – WR, Oak	12	Guttpuppy
119.	Donald Driver – WR, GB	12	aww
120.	Jerome Bettis – RB, Pit	12	Wease
121.	Kevin Faulk – RB, NE	13	Wease
122.	Seattle Defense	13	aww
123.	Correll Buckhalter – RB, Phi	13	Guttpuppy
124.	John Kasay – K, Car	13	kashikis
125.	James Stewart – RB, Det	13	shatner8
126.	Matt Stover – K, Bal	13	Arlo
127.	Rod Gardner – WR, Was	13	roseman
128.	Justin Fargas – RB, Oak	13	petey
129.	Ike Hilliard – WR, NYG	13	terpfan
130.	Josh Brown – K, Sea	13	C-Hawk
131.	Muhsin Muhammad – WR, Car	14	C-Hawk
132.	David Akers – K, Phi	14	terpfan
133.	Jason Elam – K, Den	14	petey
134.	William Green – RB, Cle	14	roseman
135.	Eddie Kennison – WR, KC	14	Arlo
136.	David Carr – QB, Hou	14	shatner8
137.	Troy Hambrick – RB, Dal	14	kashikis
138.	Paul Edinger – K, Chi	14	Guttpuppy
139.	Jay Feely – K, Atl	14	aww
140.	Billy Miller – TE, Hou	14	Wease

Legend
Wease = Screaming Weasel
C-Hawk = Canadian Seahawk

Assumed League Settings:

Single-season (no keepers), head-to-head with playoffs in weeks 16 and 17, 14-man rosters with the following starters:

1 QB
1 RB
2 WR
1 TE
2 Flex players, who may be either RB, WR or TE
1 K
1 Team Defense

along with a 5-man bench (any positions).

Scoring assumed is as follows:

Offense:
1 point per 40 passing yards
1 point per 15 rushing or receiving yards
1 point per 100 return yards
6 points per passing, rushing, receiving or return touchdown
2 points per passing, rushing, receiving or return 2-point conversion
-2 points per interception or fumble

Kicking:
3 points per field goal
1 point bonus for every field goal over 50 yards
1 point per extra point
-1 point for every missed field goal or extra point

Defense:
1 point per sack
1 point per blocked kick or punt
2 points per interception or fumble recovery
6 points per defensive touchdown
2 points per safety
12 points for a shutout
8 points for allowing up to 7 points
5 points for allowing up to 14 points
2 points for allowing up to 21 points
0 points for allowing up to 28 points
-3 points for allowing up to 35 points
-10 points for allowing over 35 points

Special thanks as always to the drafters who shared their diverse strategies and considerable insight. Catch up with all the draft participants in the Cafe Forums.