Football Digest articles from June 2005

Football Digest archives from June 2005

Of Mel Jr. and Emmitt.(Kickoff)
June 1, 2005... WELCOME TO OUR DRAFT PREVIEW. This always is one of FOOTBALL DIGEST'S most anticipated issues of the year--and with good reason. The draft has taken on a life of its own. It gives NFL nuts like us something to talk about during those boring...

All-pro team.(The Fans Speak Out)
June 1, 2005... I appreciate the fact that FOOTBALL DIGEST will look at more than stats when choosing the best NFL players [2004 All-Pro Team, Spring 2005], but there was an amazing season that I feel can't be overlooked. It is a big mistake listing Drew Brees...

Bledsoe in Dallas.(The Fans Speak Out)
June 1, 2005... As a longtime fan of the Buffalo Bills, I have to say I'm glad they got rid of Drew Bledsoe and are giving J.P. Losman a chance to be the starting quarterback. I admire Bledsoe for being a classy guy, but he isn't the quarterback he once was....

The stat sheet: draft surprises.
June 1, 2005... 32 Rookies who started in Week 1 in 2004. The lowest-drafted rookie to start was San Diego Chargers tackle Shane Olivea, who was a seventh-round pick from Ohio State. 1,208 Receiving yards racked up last season by the Green Bay...

What next? Now that the Patriots have captured their third Super Bowl title in four years, they face the daunting task of trying to keep their streak going.
June 1, 2005... IT REALLY WAS SOMETHING TO see the New England Patriots passing around the Vince Lombardi Trophy for a second straight time following their win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 39. But what's even more awe-inspiring is that the...

Mr. Draft: the ESPN analyst reveals how he became synonymous with the game's biggest offseason extravaganza.(Football Digest Interview)
June 1, 2005... IN 1979, A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR in Baltimore named Mel Kiper Jr., hoping to attract attention and eventually land a job as an NFL scout, compiled a comprehensive report on the players available in the upcoming draft and sent a copy to each of the...

The forgotten man: after having to sit on the sideline for the past year, former USC wide receiver enters the draft amid uncertainty.(2005 NFL Draft)
June 1, 2005... SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S QUICK-HITTING passing attack undoubtedly would have been even more prolific had wide receiver Mike Williams played for the 2004 national champions as a junior. And NFL teams obviously would have had a clearer picture of...

A run on runners? Cedric Benson of Texas leads a talented group of rushers into the NFL.(Offensive Analysis)
June 1, 2005... Scouting reports by the editors of FOOTBALL DIGEST RUNNING BACKS WILL BE THE most popular offensive commodity early in this draft, even though it's a strong and deep position in the NFL. There are quite a few teams that will have interest...

The secondary rules: this year, NFL teams will look to defensive backs like Antrel Rolle to bolster their defenses.(Defensive Analysis)
June 1, 2005... Scouting reports by the editors of FOOTBALL DIGEST AFTER SO MANY DEFENSIVE rookies had an impact in the NFL last season--from Jonathan Vilma and D.J. Williams to Dunta Robinson and Michael Boulware--look for teams to concentrate heavily on...

The mad scramble: in the quest to catch up with the Patriots, teams will be doing everything they can to draft playmakers such as Michigan wideout Braylon Edwards.(Team Needs)
June 1, 2005... BY THE EDITORS OF FOOTBALL DIGEST WITH A DYNASTY IN THEIR midst, the NFL's 31 other teams certainly have something to aim for. But knocking the New England Patriots off their pedestal won't be any easier next winter than it has been, which...

The need for speed: the NFL loves a fast man, but are college prospects graded too heavily on their 40-yard dash times? Cardinals wideout Anquan Boldin certainly was.(2005 NFL Draft)
June 1, 2005... DURING THE MONTHS OF JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND MARCH each year, the NFL goes on tour. League talent evaluators travel from location to location like a flock of Grateful Dead followers, anxious to thoroughly examine every college prospect on...

So long, Emmitt: we look back at the amazing career of the NFL's all-time rushing king.
June 1, 2005... WHEN EMMITT SMITH ANNOUNCED his retirement after 15 illustrious seasons during an emotional news conference three days before Super Bowl 39, the NFL's all-time leading rusher thanked virtually everyone but the peanut vendors and parking lot...

Mark Bavaro: the former Giants tight end remembers being on pins and needles as Buffalo's Scott Norwood lined up for his ill-fated field goal in Super Bowl 25.(The Game I'll Never Forget)
June 1, 2005... IN SUPER BOWL, 25, THE BUFFALO Bills drove down the field and were lining up to kick the winning field goal. I was on the New York Giants sideline, thinking, "This is typical. Here we go. What was I thinking? No one deserves two Super Bowl...

All-time first-round draft picks.(Names and Numbers)
June 1, 2005... All-Time First-Round Draft Picks (since 1970 NFL-AFL merger) 2004 No. Player Team Position College 1 Eli Manning * Chargers Quarterback Mississippi 2 Robert Gallery ...

Quick quiz.
June 1, 2005... 1. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was the biggest surprise of all the rookies in 2004. True or false: The Steelers didn't pick him until the second round of the draft. 2. The Redskins entered the NFL in 1932, but they...