Story Lines of the Day

by: Michael Steffes

First off, my early skeptiscim of the new changes turned out to be Ok. Having the first couple picks leak out was a small price to pay for the breakneck pace of the first round! How great was that. Teams weren't even using their alloted time, just getting guys they wanted. I thought it was fantastically better than sitting around and waiting for 5 hours.

Trades. EIGHT!!!!! count em... trades in the first round that took place during the draft. We haven't seen anything like that in a while. Jacksonville jumped from behind the Hawks to the top 10. That would have been worth doing for the Hawks if Dorsey had slipped. How about Philly? They obviously would rather just let someone else pay first round money. That is two years in a row. Baltimore was also very active.

Finally, the WR's. What happened there. I guess it is clear, if it wasn't before, that there was no way the Hawks would take a first round WR. Teams are starting to come around to that way of thinking. I guy who at most touches the ball 10 times, that is a guaranteed stud, isn't worth touching with that money. The Hawks stayed away, and so did the rest of the league in the first. Jim Zorn then made it his personal mission to clear the board in the second, taking two who had slipped in Thomas and Kelly, along with Fred Davis. They could have a nice aerial attack in a couple of years, but next year, they are gonna wish they found a pass rusher. END