Eli could follow in Peyton's steps
Pro Football Weekly's Nolan Nawrocki has an early forecast of the first round of April's NFL draft.
With quarterback being a need of both Oakland and Arizona -- the two teams drafting after San Diego -- there could be some simple maneuvering at the top, swapping first-round picks with a mid-round pick included. Or another team looking to stabilize their future quarterback situation, such as the Packers and Bills, could move up the board and give Manning or Roethlisberger the opportunity to be mentored by Brett Favre or Drew Bledsoe. Other teams, like Miami and Pittsburgh, could use upgrades at the quarterback position but more likely will look to the free-agent market for a veteran.
If the Chargers cannot move the top pick, don't be surprised if an offensive lineman is taken first overall for the first time since the Rams selected Orlando Pace in 1997. Iowa offensive left tackle Robert Gallery has the rare size, foot quickness, toughness and durability to protect a quarterback's blind side at an All-Pro level for 10 years and ranks among the top players in the draft. Miami junior tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., whose Hall of Fame father starred for the Chargers in the 1980s, does not play a premium position but ranks among the highest-graded players in the draft and will be an early value pick, going to a team that may not need a tight end but knows he is too good to pass up. Some scouts say he is better than All-Pro Tony Gonzalez right now, and his grade warrants consideration at the top spot, although it's very unlikely he'd go that high.
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