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Third annual Ultimate Mock Draft
Players who would be taken if everyone was available
Though we lived in virtually the same neighborhood for more than a decade, Al Davis and I aren't what you'd call homies. The public sparring, that uncomplimentary feature story in Sports Illustrated, the repeated banishments from the team's facility -- well, let's just say there was very little temptation to carpool to the Oakland Coliseum on Sundays.
On one memorable Sunday in Kansas City in 1996, Davis had me barred from the visitors' locker room at Arrowhead Stadium, my entry denied by an armed and adamant police officer after a narrow Raiders defeat to the Chiefs. The NFL later fined Davis $10,000 for violating its media policy; that afternoon I helpfully suggested during an appearance on San Francisco's KNBR-AM that, in the future, he could feel free to "eliminate the middle man: Pay me seven grand and I won't even come to the stadium."
OK, so I was young, and I could have been a tad less insolent. That said, I've always had sincere respect for Davis's football knowledge and abilities as a talent-evaluator -- which brings us to the hypothetical selection he's about to make in my third annual Ultimate Mock Draft.
The concept is the same as it was last year and in 2005. We take the current year's draft order, minus trades -- in other words, all picks are returned to the teams that originally owned them -- and pretend that anyone on earth is available.
Peyton Manning. Tiki Barber. Darren McFadden. Pacman Jones. Sanjaya Malakar ... they're all there for the picking.
The caveat, as always, is that players are available 'as is,' meaning teams will shy away from veterans like 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor, who said he was contemplating retirement toward the end of last season, and perennial All-Pro wideout Marvin Harrison, who'll be 35 by the start of the '07 campaign.
As for Davis, who gets the first pick of UMD3, the only sure bet is that he and I won't see eye-patch-to-eye.
Ultimate Mock NFL DraftPickTeamPlayerPosition
1
Carson PalmerQB
If I were the one calling the shots for the Silver and Black, I'd bring in just two pre-draft visitors (Tom Brady and Peyton Manning) and pick the three-time Super Bowl champion who grew up across the Bay. But this is Davis' chance to live out his fantasy, to get that golden-armed passer who can throw a gorgeous deep ball -- and, let's face it, Palmer can make every throw look sublime. Having successfully bounced back last season from that brutal knee injury in the '05 playoffs, Palmer, 27, has fewer miles on his odometer than Brady (turns 30 in August) or Manning (31) and certainly knows what it's like to play for a team with an outlaw image. Besides, the studious Palmer can probably teach a thing or two about offense to 31-year-old Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin, who was USC's receivers coach when the Trojans' Palmer won the Heisman.
2
Peyton ManningQB
I know it makes sense from both a marketing and football standpoint to bring Brady back to the region where he starred at the University of Michigan. But Lions president Matt Millen, if you haven't noticed, has this thing about the letter 'M': Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci, Rod Marinelli. Now that Manning has finally won the big one, it seems plausible that he's great enough to lead the Lions out of their perpetually catatonic state. He could also be featured in some pretty entertaining Ford commercials along the way.
3
LaDainian TomlinsonRB
Despite Brady's New England connection with coach Romeo Crennel, the Browns' brass decides against picking the passer because, as one executive explains, "He's not from Ohio, like Bernie Kosar was." Instead Cleveland falls for the game's most brilliant offensive performer. Marty Schottenheimer, a man who has some history with this franchise, has repeatedly said that Tomlinson is the greatest back he has ever seen -- even better than Jim Brown. Now a whole lot of older Browns fans get to draw their own conclusions.
4
Tom BradyQB"
You have got to be freakin' kidding me!" Jon Gruden screams as soon as the Browns make their selection. "There is a God!" The coach and his equally driven new quarterback celebrate their union by playing a round of golf -- at two in the morning, on the way to work.
5
Shawne MerrimanOLB/DE
That four-game suspension last season for a reported positive steroid test, and the dubious explanation that followed about hidden ingredients in a nutritional supplement? Fuggedaboudit. The Cardinals have no qualms about bringing 'Lights Out' to the Valley of the Sun, not after he followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign with 17 sacks in 12 games in '06.
6
Brian UrlacherLB
High drama in the Commanders' War Room: Head coach Joe Gibbs wants Walter Jones, a true Hog's Hog. Offensive coordinator Al Saunders wants Larry Johnson, his old Kansas City workhorse. Owner Dan Snyder wants Calvin Johnson. The stalemate is broken when defensive coordinator Gregg Williams leaps onto a table and screams, "Give me Urlacher or give me another $2 million a year!" He then begins speaking Parseltongue as Snyder plots a trade for Lance Briggs.
7
Walter JonesOT
Having successfully pried one prized lineman from the Seahawks, the Vikings pull off the double dip by reuniting Jones with guard Steve Hutchinson. In retaliation, the Seahawks sign Minnesota running back Artose Pinner, a restricted free agent, to a six-year, $67 million contract with a "poison pill" provision that he eat at least 60 meals at Shiro's sushi restaurant in Belltown in '07.
8
Calvin JohnsonWR
Falcons owner Arthur Blank knows a promotional goldmine when he sees it, and there's no way the kid from Georgia Tech is slipping through his grasp. Speaking of which, given that Blank was the one who groused to a sideline reporter last year that the Falcons had three first-round receivers who can't catch, it doesn't take a hidden-water-bottle-compartment to conceal his thoughts on how to fix the Falcons' ailing passing attack.
9
Champ BaileyCB
Even the moon won't blanket Miami the way the league's preeminent coverage man will. And just for kicks, new coach Cam Cameron decides to use his new toy on offense, too.
10
Vince YoungQB
A year after the draft-day gaffe they thought they'd never live down, the Texans make it right by selecting the hometown hero. Young strides triumphantly to the podium as clips of his game-winning, 39-yard touchdown run at Reliant Stadium last December flash in the background and The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" blares over the sound system.
11
Ed ReedS
In an attempt to beef up the team's offensive line, Coach Mike Nolan considers drafting Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas. But he is shouted down by the few employees who remember the identically named general manager's reign of terror in the late '70s, one which included the banishment of players > from the second floor of the 49ers' training facility. So Nolan turns to his old friend Reed, the omnipresent playmaker who was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year for Baltimore when Nolan was the Ravens' defensive coordinator in 2004.
12
Troy PolamaluS
Off the field, Polamalu is a serene soul who smiles frequently, speaks softly and uses words like "beautiful." On it, he is the human embodiment of Niagara Falls. Put it this way: Even general manager Marv Levy can hear Polamalu's biggest hits from the press box.
13
Larry JohnsonRB
Now that the Rams are down with the power-running game, coach Scott Linehan isn't about to pass up the most attractive bruiser on the market. But when LJ shows up at the Rams' facility and sees a huge photo of former St. Louis coach Dick Vermeil, he thinks very seriously about, uh, relieving himself on the frame.
14
Julius PeppersDE
Sometimes we over-think this stuff, but John Fox doesn't roll like that. Peppers, coming off a 13-sack season for the Panthers, is as entrenched in North Carolina as the Pettys, and he plays nearly as fast as they drive.
15
Dwight FreeneyOLB
Mike Tomlin wants to switch to the 4-3, so instead of snagging a ready-made Cowher-era Steelers stud like DeMarcus Ware, he's going with Indy's speed-rushing savant. Freeney's sack numbers were down in '06, but if you think his play is dipping, talk to the offensive tackles who try to block him. Even Russ Grimm likes this pick.
16
Chad JohnsonWR
After his first touchdown catch from Brett Favre, Johnson adds a new twist to the Lambeau Leap, sinking his gold grille into a front-row cheesehead and catapulting himself into the stands. Favre is so pleased he announces he'll play another eight years, to which general manager Ted Thompson replies, "Whatever you say, M'lord."
17
JaMarcus RussellQB
Stung by the comparisons of the ex-LSU star to Byron Leftwich, Jags coach Jack Del Rio drafts him and says, "You think this guy is a big, slow pocket passer? That's crazy. He's a really big, not-quite-as-slow pocket passer, without the funky delivery. So there."
18
LaRon LandryS
The raid on former Bengal Tigers continues as Marvin Lewis goes with the aggressive, athletic defensive back of his dreams. To his credit the coach dispenses with the Bengals' company policy from previous drafts: "Take the best available troublemaker." (Sorry, Pacman.)
19
Adrian PetersonRB
With visions of Eddie George dancing through his head, Jeff Fisher lands this punishing runner and unleashes him twice a year on Tony Dungy's Tampa-Two. When Peterson and Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck collide in practice, it causes the biggest tremor in Tennessee since Dolly Parton went off the high-dive at Dollywood.
20
Joe ThomasOT
Following a time-honored tradition of brutally boring first-round picks, the Giants go with Thomas, an exquisite pass-protector who reminds coach Tom Coughlin of Tony Boselli. After Michael Strahan schools the rook in training camp and runs unimpeded toward Eli Manning, Strahan's ex-wife, Jean, successfully petitions a judge to award her half a sack.
21
Anquan BoldinWR
Armed with job security through the turn of the 21st century, Mike Shanahan goes for a vanity item -- a tough, tenacious wideout who was made for his offense. One glimpse of Boldin fighting his way through press coverage or leveling a crushing block on the backside of a running play is enough to make Shanahan forget that other former Cardinals player he signed to upgrade his passing game a few years back.
22
DeMarcus WareOLB
Quietly, Ware became a bona fide star in his second season in Dallas, with 11 1/2 sacks, five forced fumbles, five passes defensed and two dramatic touchdown returns: a 69-yard fumble recovery and a 41-yard interception. The kid will only get better under new coach Wade Phillips, who helped Merriman become a beast in San Diego.
23
DeAngelo HallCB
If you listen to the ultra-confident Hall, he'll tell you he's the second coming of Deion Sanders. Herm Edwards doesn't believe him -- but he does know a few things about playing the position, and he thinks he can help the speedy, agile Hall live up to his own hype.
24
Steven JacksonRB
Lost in the tailwind of LT's amazing 2006 season was the arrival of the Rams' Jackson as a menacing multi-purpose back: He edged Tomlinson to lead the league with 2,334 yards from scrimmage and had 90 receptions to go with 1,528 rushing yards. And we know the former Oregon State star can play in the rain.
25
Richard SeymourDE/DT
It's hard to find a defensive lineman so good at so many things, and nobody knows this better than Jets coach Eric Mangini, Seymour's former defensive coordinator in New England. Riled by the raid on his perennial All-Pro, Pats coach Bill Belichick throws Mangini into the pool at the next league meetings; then, after television cameras start rolling, Belichick fishes him out and starts licking his face.
26
Kevin WilliamsDT
Andy Reid wants Donovan McNabb in a big way, but his QB's recovery from ACL surgery scares him more than a white, spandex T-shirt on game day. So Reid gets his pick of the league's top interior linemen and chooses the Vikings' explosive Williams (not to be confused with Minnesota's other Pro Bowl tackle, Pat Williams) over the Jags' John Henderson and the Bears' Tommie Harris.
27
Drew BreesQB
There's a part of Saints coach Sean Payton that wants a spellbinding playmaker like Steve Smith, but the second-year coach knows his offense needs a savvy signal-caller to make it go, and Breezy was the best thing to blow into the Crescent City in a long, long time.
28
Adrian WilsonS
Belichick generally doesn't ask his safeties to be stars; being smart and solid is good enough. But Wilson, who has been thriving in virtual anonymity with the Cardinals, would be the exception: Big, explosive and always around the football, he can play close to the line of scrimmage or in the deep half of the field with equal effectiveness.
29
Donovan McNabbQB
ACL and all, Brian Billick bites. How can he not? An avowed quarterback guru when he took the Ravens job, Billick has had problems at the position since he jettisoned Trent Dilfer after Baltimore's Super Bowl season. An aging Steve McNair was nice in '06, but McNabb, if healthy, could give the Ravens some long-awaited offensive mojo.
30
Torry HoltWR
Certainly, A.J. Smith wants to take Philip Rivers. But there's that lingering foot injury ... and those shaky performances down the stretch last season ... and the desire for a dominant receiver in Norv Turner's offense. Norv lobbies for Holt, one of the great route-runners and pass-catchers of his era, and for the first time in years, maybe ever, Smith yields to his head coach.
31
DeMeco RyansWR
No Urlacher? No problem. Jerry Angelo takes the next best thing, the Texans' reigning rookie of the year, who should be a menace in the middle for at least another decade.
32
Reggie BushRB
For what it's worth, while we've never gone at it like I did with Davis, Bill Polian and I don't do a whole lot of interpersonal bonding, either. But the man knows talent, and there's still plenty of that to choose from at the bottom of the round. Prime candidates include the Panthers' swift and shifty Smith, the Commanders' trouble-prone but scarily good safety Sean Taylor or the Chargers' unstoppable tight end Antonio Gates. But in the end, Polian hands offensive coordinator Tom Moore a post-Super Bowl present he'll enjoy well into his 70s.
article
Players who would be taken if everyone was available
Though we lived in virtually the same neighborhood for more than a decade, Al Davis and I aren't what you'd call homies. The public sparring, that uncomplimentary feature story in Sports Illustrated, the repeated banishments from the team's facility -- well, let's just say there was very little temptation to carpool to the Oakland Coliseum on Sundays.
On one memorable Sunday in Kansas City in 1996, Davis had me barred from the visitors' locker room at Arrowhead Stadium, my entry denied by an armed and adamant police officer after a narrow Raiders defeat to the Chiefs. The NFL later fined Davis $10,000 for violating its media policy; that afternoon I helpfully suggested during an appearance on San Francisco's KNBR-AM that, in the future, he could feel free to "eliminate the middle man: Pay me seven grand and I won't even come to the stadium."
OK, so I was young, and I could have been a tad less insolent. That said, I've always had sincere respect for Davis's football knowledge and abilities as a talent-evaluator -- which brings us to the hypothetical selection he's about to make in my third annual Ultimate Mock Draft.
The concept is the same as it was last year and in 2005. We take the current year's draft order, minus trades -- in other words, all picks are returned to the teams that originally owned them -- and pretend that anyone on earth is available.
Peyton Manning. Tiki Barber. Darren McFadden. Pacman Jones. Sanjaya Malakar ... they're all there for the picking.
The caveat, as always, is that players are available 'as is,' meaning teams will shy away from veterans like 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor, who said he was contemplating retirement toward the end of last season, and perennial All-Pro wideout Marvin Harrison, who'll be 35 by the start of the '07 campaign.
As for Davis, who gets the first pick of UMD3, the only sure bet is that he and I won't see eye-patch-to-eye.
Ultimate Mock NFL DraftPickTeamPlayerPosition
1
If I were the one calling the shots for the Silver and Black, I'd bring in just two pre-draft visitors (Tom Brady and Peyton Manning) and pick the three-time Super Bowl champion who grew up across the Bay. But this is Davis' chance to live out his fantasy, to get that golden-armed passer who can throw a gorgeous deep ball -- and, let's face it, Palmer can make every throw look sublime. Having successfully bounced back last season from that brutal knee injury in the '05 playoffs, Palmer, 27, has fewer miles on his odometer than Brady (turns 30 in August) or Manning (31) and certainly knows what it's like to play for a team with an outlaw image. Besides, the studious Palmer can probably teach a thing or two about offense to 31-year-old Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin, who was USC's receivers coach when the Trojans' Palmer won the Heisman.
2
I know it makes sense from both a marketing and football standpoint to bring Brady back to the region where he starred at the University of Michigan. But Lions president Matt Millen, if you haven't noticed, has this thing about the letter 'M': Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci, Rod Marinelli. Now that Manning has finally won the big one, it seems plausible that he's great enough to lead the Lions out of their perpetually catatonic state. He could also be featured in some pretty entertaining Ford commercials along the way.
3
Despite Brady's New England connection with coach Romeo Crennel, the Browns' brass decides against picking the passer because, as one executive explains, "He's not from Ohio, like Bernie Kosar was." Instead Cleveland falls for the game's most brilliant offensive performer. Marty Schottenheimer, a man who has some history with this franchise, has repeatedly said that Tomlinson is the greatest back he has ever seen -- even better than Jim Brown. Now a whole lot of older Browns fans get to draw their own conclusions.
4
You have got to be freakin' kidding me!" Jon Gruden screams as soon as the Browns make their selection. "There is a God!" The coach and his equally driven new quarterback celebrate their union by playing a round of golf -- at two in the morning, on the way to work.
5
That four-game suspension last season for a reported positive steroid test, and the dubious explanation that followed about hidden ingredients in a nutritional supplement? Fuggedaboudit. The Cardinals have no qualms about bringing 'Lights Out' to the Valley of the Sun, not after he followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign with 17 sacks in 12 games in '06.
6
High drama in the Commanders' War Room: Head coach Joe Gibbs wants Walter Jones, a true Hog's Hog. Offensive coordinator Al Saunders wants Larry Johnson, his old Kansas City workhorse. Owner Dan Snyder wants Calvin Johnson. The stalemate is broken when defensive coordinator Gregg Williams leaps onto a table and screams, "Give me Urlacher or give me another $2 million a year!" He then begins speaking Parseltongue as Snyder plots a trade for Lance Briggs.
7
Having successfully pried one prized lineman from the Seahawks, the Vikings pull off the double dip by reuniting Jones with guard Steve Hutchinson. In retaliation, the Seahawks sign Minnesota running back Artose Pinner, a restricted free agent, to a six-year, $67 million contract with a "poison pill" provision that he eat at least 60 meals at Shiro's sushi restaurant in Belltown in '07.
8
Falcons owner Arthur Blank knows a promotional goldmine when he sees it, and there's no way the kid from Georgia Tech is slipping through his grasp. Speaking of which, given that Blank was the one who groused to a sideline reporter last year that the Falcons had three first-round receivers who can't catch, it doesn't take a hidden-water-bottle-compartment to conceal his thoughts on how to fix the Falcons' ailing passing attack.
9
Even the moon won't blanket Miami the way the league's preeminent coverage man will. And just for kicks, new coach Cam Cameron decides to use his new toy on offense, too.
10
A year after the draft-day gaffe they thought they'd never live down, the Texans make it right by selecting the hometown hero. Young strides triumphantly to the podium as clips of his game-winning, 39-yard touchdown run at Reliant Stadium last December flash in the background and The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" blares over the sound system.
11
In an attempt to beef up the team's offensive line, Coach Mike Nolan considers drafting Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas. But he is shouted down by the few employees who remember the identically named general manager's reign of terror in the late '70s, one which included the banishment of players > from the second floor of the 49ers' training facility. So Nolan turns to his old friend Reed, the omnipresent playmaker who was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year for Baltimore when Nolan was the Ravens' defensive coordinator in 2004.
12
Off the field, Polamalu is a serene soul who smiles frequently, speaks softly and uses words like "beautiful." On it, he is the human embodiment of Niagara Falls. Put it this way: Even general manager Marv Levy can hear Polamalu's biggest hits from the press box.
13
Now that the Rams are down with the power-running game, coach Scott Linehan isn't about to pass up the most attractive bruiser on the market. But when LJ shows up at the Rams' facility and sees a huge photo of former St. Louis coach Dick Vermeil, he thinks very seriously about, uh, relieving himself on the frame.
14
Sometimes we over-think this stuff, but John Fox doesn't roll like that. Peppers, coming off a 13-sack season for the Panthers, is as entrenched in North Carolina as the Pettys, and he plays nearly as fast as they drive.
15
Mike Tomlin wants to switch to the 4-3, so instead of snagging a ready-made Cowher-era Steelers stud like DeMarcus Ware, he's going with Indy's speed-rushing savant. Freeney's sack numbers were down in '06, but if you think his play is dipping, talk to the offensive tackles who try to block him. Even Russ Grimm likes this pick.
16
After his first touchdown catch from Brett Favre, Johnson adds a new twist to the Lambeau Leap, sinking his gold grille into a front-row cheesehead and catapulting himself into the stands. Favre is so pleased he announces he'll play another eight years, to which general manager Ted Thompson replies, "Whatever you say, M'lord."
17
Stung by the comparisons of the ex-LSU star to Byron Leftwich, Jags coach Jack Del Rio drafts him and says, "You think this guy is a big, slow pocket passer? That's crazy. He's a really big, not-quite-as-slow pocket passer, without the funky delivery. So there."
18
The raid on former Bengal Tigers continues as Marvin Lewis goes with the aggressive, athletic defensive back of his dreams. To his credit the coach dispenses with the Bengals' company policy from previous drafts: "Take the best available troublemaker." (Sorry, Pacman.)
19
With visions of Eddie George dancing through his head, Jeff Fisher lands this punishing runner and unleashes him twice a year on Tony Dungy's Tampa-Two. When Peterson and Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck collide in practice, it causes the biggest tremor in Tennessee since Dolly Parton went off the high-dive at Dollywood.
20
Following a time-honored tradition of brutally boring first-round picks, the Giants go with Thomas, an exquisite pass-protector who reminds coach Tom Coughlin of Tony Boselli. After Michael Strahan schools the rook in training camp and runs unimpeded toward Eli Manning, Strahan's ex-wife, Jean, successfully petitions a judge to award her half a sack.
21
Armed with job security through the turn of the 21st century, Mike Shanahan goes for a vanity item -- a tough, tenacious wideout who was made for his offense. One glimpse of Boldin fighting his way through press coverage or leveling a crushing block on the backside of a running play is enough to make Shanahan forget that other former Cardinals player he signed to upgrade his passing game a few years back.
22
Quietly, Ware became a bona fide star in his second season in Dallas, with 11 1/2 sacks, five forced fumbles, five passes defensed and two dramatic touchdown returns: a 69-yard fumble recovery and a 41-yard interception. The kid will only get better under new coach Wade Phillips, who helped Merriman become a beast in San Diego.
23
If you listen to the ultra-confident Hall, he'll tell you he's the second coming of Deion Sanders. Herm Edwards doesn't believe him -- but he does know a few things about playing the position, and he thinks he can help the speedy, agile Hall live up to his own hype.
24
Lost in the tailwind of LT's amazing 2006 season was the arrival of the Rams' Jackson as a menacing multi-purpose back: He edged Tomlinson to lead the league with 2,334 yards from scrimmage and had 90 receptions to go with 1,528 rushing yards. And we know the former Oregon State star can play in the rain.
25
It's hard to find a defensive lineman so good at so many things, and nobody knows this better than Jets coach Eric Mangini, Seymour's former defensive coordinator in New England. Riled by the raid on his perennial All-Pro, Pats coach Bill Belichick throws Mangini into the pool at the next league meetings; then, after television cameras start rolling, Belichick fishes him out and starts licking his face.
26
Andy Reid wants Donovan McNabb in a big way, but his QB's recovery from ACL surgery scares him more than a white, spandex T-shirt on game day. So Reid gets his pick of the league's top interior linemen and chooses the Vikings' explosive Williams (not to be confused with Minnesota's other Pro Bowl tackle, Pat Williams) over the Jags' John Henderson and the Bears' Tommie Harris.
27
There's a part of Saints coach Sean Payton that wants a spellbinding playmaker like Steve Smith, but the second-year coach knows his offense needs a savvy signal-caller to make it go, and Breezy was the best thing to blow into the Crescent City in a long, long time.
28
Belichick generally doesn't ask his safeties to be stars; being smart and solid is good enough. But Wilson, who has been thriving in virtual anonymity with the Cardinals, would be the exception: Big, explosive and always around the football, he can play close to the line of scrimmage or in the deep half of the field with equal effectiveness.
29
ACL and all, Brian Billick bites. How can he not? An avowed quarterback guru when he took the Ravens job, Billick has had problems at the position since he jettisoned Trent Dilfer after Baltimore's Super Bowl season. An aging Steve McNair was nice in '06, but McNabb, if healthy, could give the Ravens some long-awaited offensive mojo.
30
Certainly, A.J. Smith wants to take Philip Rivers. But there's that lingering foot injury ... and those shaky performances down the stretch last season ... and the desire for a dominant receiver in Norv Turner's offense. Norv lobbies for Holt, one of the great route-runners and pass-catchers of his era, and for the first time in years, maybe ever, Smith yields to his head coach.
31
No Urlacher? No problem. Jerry Angelo takes the next best thing, the Texans' reigning rookie of the year, who should be a menace in the middle for at least another decade.
32
For what it's worth, while we've never gone at it like I did with Davis, Bill Polian and I don't do a whole lot of interpersonal bonding, either. But the man knows talent, and there's still plenty of that to choose from at the bottom of the round. Prime candidates include the Panthers' swift and shifty Smith, the Commanders' trouble-prone but scarily good safety Sean Taylor or the Chargers' unstoppable tight end Antonio Gates. But in the end, Polian hands offensive coordinator Tom Moore a post-Super Bowl present he'll enjoy well into his 70s.
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