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NEW YORK (April 26, 2003 6:11 p.m. EDT) - NFL teams did their best Saturday to stem the league's increase in offense.
They drafted for defense, taking 11 defensive linemen in a first round also marked by an aborted trade between Minnesota and Baltimore that led to three of the quickest first-round picks ever.
Carson Palmer, the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from Southern California, was chosen by Cincinnati, and wide receivers Charles Rogers of Michigan and Andre Johnson of Miami went to Detroit and Houston with the first three picks - ammunition for teams that need everything.
Four quarterbacks were chosen - Palmer, Byron Leftwich by Jacksonville, Kyle Boller by Baltimore, and Rex Grossman by Chicago.
And running back Willis McGahee of Miami, who tore up his knee in the national championship game, was moved to tears when he was taken 23rd overall by Buffalo - although he's not expected to be at his best until 2004....more
They drafted for defense, taking 11 defensive linemen in a first round also marked by an aborted trade between Minnesota and Baltimore that led to three of the quickest first-round picks ever.
Carson Palmer, the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from Southern California, was chosen by Cincinnati, and wide receivers Charles Rogers of Michigan and Andre Johnson of Miami went to Detroit and Houston with the first three picks - ammunition for teams that need everything.
Four quarterbacks were chosen - Palmer, Byron Leftwich by Jacksonville, Kyle Boller by Baltimore, and Rex Grossman by Chicago.
And running back Willis McGahee of Miami, who tore up his knee in the national championship game, was moved to tears when he was taken 23rd overall by Buffalo - although he's not expected to be at his best until 2004....more
