Peter King Watch: Of First Round Draft Picks and Terrell Owens

Peter King is back with an indepth look at the coming 2005 NFL draft. He's top ten things are some of the better he's had lately.

Peter King starts off this week's Monday Morning Quarterback with a serious look at the NFL draft. He starts by trying to wrap his brain around the first pick of the draft.

Peter lets us know that the 49ers are posturing for a trade, but in the end they'll pick a quarterback:

More about them in a couple of paragraphs. Now for the latest on the 49ers' plans. The man with the final say on the top pick, 49ers coach Mike Nolan, told me the other day he still expects some team to go fishing for San Francisco's first selection, but we all know it's a long shot the Niners will be able to trade it. Assuming they can't make a deal, I don't see how Nolan can come out of the first day without his quarterback of the future.

Great information, but I think it's a mistake for the 49ers to select a QB with the first selection. They need a solid running back and build the offense around him.

This is reinforced by Peter's analysis of the two top QBs in the draft: Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith. Peter likes Rodgers:

Rodgers, too, was a dinker-and-dunker more often than any pro team would like to see. But he's NFL-accurate; he throws intermediate and sideline throws where his receivers can catch and run with it; he throws a tight, hard spiral; and he definitely has the speed and agility to escape when necessary. I liked how he reacted to the blitz, throwing comfortably off his back foot for one touchdown strike against UCLA last year. And I liked how he threw hard and accurately on the run.

Peter also says that long term Smith may be a better choice.

The dark horse in this draft is Jason Campbell. Peter sums up his feelings:

I hope they take another look at Campbell. I sure would if I were Mike Nolan.

Interesting.

Peter's Stat of the Week, Factoid of the Week and Quote of the Week are good efforts. His travel note is funny.

Peter talks about a woman who gives her credit card number and name over a cell phone loud enough for everyone to hear.

His Top Ten is top notch. Peter lets us in on Terrell Owens and his push for more money:

So now Owens hires Drew Rosenhaus, who tells him he's worth more in this market and now they're sniffing around for a new deal.

If this is the case it stinks. Live with your deal!

The last point is that Peter King admits his mistakes:

I think -- no, I'm sure -- that I erred last week in this space when I said the NFL gives seven players a week steroid tests. It should have been seven players per team per week, of course. Which I knew and just brain-lock screwed up.

This is fantastic and why Peter is one of the better football columnists in the business.