Looking Back With Sarcasm: The 2001 NFL Draft

April 14, 10:51 PMNFL ExaminerReid Kerr

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Looking Back With Sarcasm: For the next two weeks, every day we'll take a look back at the NFL Drafts of the past ten years. These timelines were written as the draft occurred, and are printed here, warts and all.

The first pick in this draft was cursed by being associated with two names that set off any NFL GM's spidey-sense, Ryan Leaf and Michael Vick.

The NFL Draft Day timeline, 2000: 

April 20, 2001, Friday night, 9:00pm: The San Diego Chargers decide they cannot risk another quarterback problem like they went through with Ryan Leaf, so they trade their number one pick to Atlanta.

April 21, 2001, 9:01pm: Mel Kiper, Draft Expert, stops writing his "NFL Draft 2009: The Nation's Top Eighth Grade Prospects" newsletter to rearrange his draft charts to reflect the trade.

9:05pm: Former Charger quarterback Ryan Leaf receives a bottle of champagne with a card that says "Thanks for the memories. We appreciate everything you've done." The gift is from the Falcons.

10:02pm: Falcons quarterback Chris Chandler sees the report on ESPN, gets angry and throws his remote control at the screen. Panthers DB Eric Davis then intercepts the remote and sprints into Chandler's kitchen for a touchdown.

Saturday, 5:30am: Central Standard Time: A skilled team of craftsmen begin applying the lacquer to Mel Kiper, Draft Expert's hair.

11:00am: The NFL Draft begins. ESPN's broadcast team is roughly the size of Allen Iverson's posse, except better dressed. ESPN has seven people at the draft, nine people in their studio, two people in their college football studio, sixteen people spread out at various franchise draft rooms across the country, and a three-man crew set up just outside Bill Walsh's bathroom.

11:13am: As NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue welcomes everyone to the 2001 draft, the Atlanta Falcons sprint up to the podium to choose Michael Vick with their first selection. Watching on television, Chris Chandler gets up to go to the bathroom and tears his hamstring.

11:24am: The Arizona Cardinals draft Texas offensive tackle Leonard Davis with the second pick, giving Cardinals fans a reason to think their team will be greatly improved next year. Just like last year's top ten pick, and the one before that, and every top ten pick the Cardinals have made for the last six years.

11:35am: The Cleveland Browns select defensive lineman Gerard Warren, choosing to improve their defense. Browns quarterback Tim Couch weeps openly.

11:44pm: Cincinnati Bengals coach Dick LeBeau gives his draft selection to Paul Tagliabue, who acknowledges him by saying "You are the weakest link. Good-bye."

12:07pm: At New England's selection of defensive lineman Richard Seymour, ESPN adds Seymour's statistics to the on-screen graphics, which already include current draft selections, ongoing game scores, team profiles, previous selections, and Mel Kiper, Draft Expert's top projections. The television screen now includes more information than "Today's Special Value" on QVC. Seymour's family cheers as they squint at the passport-sized picture of their son in the upper left corner of the television.