Nick Daschel is a veteran sports writer and columnist who has worked on the West coast for nearly three decades. Nick has covered the Pac-10 for about 15 years, primarily focusing on the Northwest schools.
Note: With the NFL draft approaching later in April, we thought it would be fun to look back at the Pac-10’s top draft picks of the past decade (2000-09) to see where we would pick them. Continuing today and ending sometime close to the draft on April 25, we’ll count down a first round worth of Pac-10 draft picks, from 32 to 1. The list includes five quarterbacks, five running backs, five defensive linemen, six linebackers, three defensive backs, three wide receivers, three offensive linemen and two tight ends.
1. CARSON PALMER, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, QB
Why Carson Palmer over Reggie Bush, probably the most electric athlete to play in the Pac-10 during the past 20 years?
Both won Heismans. Both won national championships. Both were the best players at their positions as upperclassmen. So what’s the difference?
Palmer was a great quarterback, and that trumps any position. Plus, he is the only Pac-10 player selected with the first pick of an NFL draft this decade.
Now, others might ask, "Why the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Palmer? He had only one great season at USC." Not quite true. Palmer didn’t get to become the Pac-10’s career leader in passing yards, and passes attempted and completed with one Heisman Trophy season in 2002, USC’s first in 21 years. Palmer produced at a decent level throughout his four-year USC career, which didn’t include a redshirt season. Palmer was also a quarterback, a position that often takes a few years of trial and error before the breakout season.
Palmer’s 2002 year was just that, and more. Palmer led USC to a piece of the Pac-10 title by passing for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns. Palmer set single-season school records for completions, passing yards and touchdowns in 2002. After USC routed Iowa 38-17 in the Orange Bowl, many people thought the best team in the country was the Trojans, and not Ohio State, the BCS Championship Game winner.
Palmer became the 14th player in Pac-10 history to become the No. 1 pick since the NFL started a draft in 1936. A case could be made that the 2003 draft was weak -- four of the top 10 picks from that draft were busts, and probably the most successful player of the top 20 picks was No. 16, safety Troy Polamalu (ironically, Palmer’s USC teammate).
But in any year, Palmer had the physical tools to be considered a top pick in the draft – big arm, size and quarterback smarts. When healthy, Palmer has played at an elite level in the NFL. If he can get past his physical problems, and perhaps play for a team that gives a damn and not Cincinnati, maybe he’ll someday fulfill the hype of a No. 1 pick.
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