Okay, so I decided to do my own 2004 NFL mock draft. I’ve always been a huge football fan, and the draft is like Christmas morning for me. I figured, why not give it a shot myself?
First, I grabbed a pen and a big sheet of paper. I like to do things old-school sometimes. No fancy spreadsheets for this project, just good old-fashioned brainstorming.
Then, I started by listing out all the teams in order of their 2003 record. You know, worst to first, because that’s how the draft works. San Diego Chargers, they were up first with that terrible 4-12 record.
- San Diego Chargers
- Oakland Raiders
- Arizona Cardinals
- New York Giants
- …and so on.
Next, I thought about each team’s biggest needs. Like, did they need a quarterback? A solid lineman? A speedy receiver? I jotted down a few notes next to each team. For example, I wrote “QB? WR?” next to the Chargers. They desperately needed help on offense.
The Fun Part: Making Picks!
This is where it got really interesting. I started matching up players with teams. I mean, everyone knew Eli Manning was going to be a top pick, but where would he land? And what about guys like Larry Fitzgerald, the amazing wide receiver from Pitt? Or Sean Taylor, that hard-hitting safety from Miami?
I went back and forth a lot, erasing and rewriting names. “Okay, maybe the Raiders take Robert Gallery, that massive offensive tackle from Iowa…or maybe they go for Roy Williams, the receiver from Texas…” It was like a puzzle, trying to fit all the pieces together.
I remembered the whole Eli Manning drama – how he didn’t want to play for the Chargers. So, I had the Chargers pick him, then immediately trade him to the Giants for Philip Rivers. It just felt right, you know?
After a few hours (and a couple of coffee refills), I had a complete first-round mock draft! It wasn’t perfect, of course, but it was mine. I felt pretty good about it, like I had actually accomplished something. It was super fun, and I’d advise anyone that love sports to do it sometimes!
