Draft preview -- The circus life

By David Shaw Sports Central Columnist

They may have played in front of thousands of fans, some in stadiums with capacities over 100,000, but little can be as nerve-racking as the crowd of scouts congregating in Indianapolis.

Throw in a few hundred college football players, a few hundred reporters, a scale, a tape measure, and you've got yourself the biggest three-ring circus football can offer. Forget the Super Bowl, this is the NFL scouting combine, where fortunes rise and fall like the typical Mike Tyson weekend.

So as a mini-scouting guide for all of you folks out there glued to your television and hoping that your team doesn't screw up their pick again (I'm talking to you, Cincinnati), I hope to provide the top players at each position, a little info about the big players, and maybe provide a bit of peace of mind when the Raiders draft an unknown offensive lineman as their first round pick. Because I'm writing a column and not a novel, we'll be sticking to offense this week.

Quarterbacks

1. Byron Leftwich 2. Carson Palmer 3. Chris Simms

While not as talented as the top two picks last year (David Carr and Joey Harrington), Leftwich and Palmer will make both of their teams quite happy on April 26th. Leftwich gets the nod here for his size, arm, and potential leadership ability. Palmer is good, maybe even great, but he seems a little bland for this columnist. Make no mistake, Palmer will be the first pick in the draft, Leftwich's status has been hurt by injury. Simms has the family name to rest on, but he's also got the frame, high-pressure experience, and, well, the family name.

Running Backs

1. Onterrio Smith 2. Larry Johnson 3. Chris Brown

Larry Johnson would seem to be the surefire pick for number one here, but the worries about his jersey have kept him down. Name a successful Penn State running back that has transferred that talent to the pros in the last 10 years. Keep thinking. Onterrio Smith didn't get nearly the press that Johnson did, but had a great season and with a good combine performance, could be the top running back picked. Chris Brown is the all-everything RB out of Colorado, with a slow start that hurt his draft standing. His great second-half brought him to where he is on the draft board.

Offensive Lineman

1. Eric Steinbach 2. Jordan Gross 3. George Foster

Steinbach out of Iowa is clearly the top choice here. His versatility, his strength, and his all around talent will make him the top offensive lineman picked. The two beneath him, Gross and Foster, will not disappoint any team, and are quite comparable in skill. These names might not roll off your tongue, but try not to kick the dog should your team pick any of these men.

Wide Receivers

1. Charles Rogers 2. Andre Johnson 3. Anquan Boldin

Charles Rogers is the easiest number one slot in this column. Big-play ability, being a difference-maker, and simply making great catches, all of it on a lackluster team, and this is your number one wide receiver in the land. He is big, he is athletic, and frankly, I want him for my own team. Andre Johnson was a key part of the high-powered Miami offense and even a bit of a struggle in the Fiesta Bowl won't keep him out of the number two spot. Boldin is one of these kind of slash guys and will go high for teams hungry for versatility.

Tight Ends

1. Dallas Clark 2. Bennie Joppru 3. Jason Witten

I have to say, I'm a sucker for Dallas Clark. The man out of Iowa can block, he can catch, and once the motor gets running, he's hard to bring down. In one of the toughest positions in the game to play, these three men have to have the ability to stay in and protect and at least some proficiency at catching a football. Joppru and Witten bring big frames to the table, a must for the profession, and in fact, Witten is rising up the charts and could overtake Clark at the combine.

As Adam West so aptly put it in some spots for TV Land, life is too short to watch crap. Here's hoping your team doesn't saddle you with a decade of mediocrity and missed opportunities. A Bengals' joke would be appropriate here, but just redundant. Good luck.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.