muddy waters Posted April 29, 2006 Share Posted April 29, 2006 N.C. State trio has exceled McCargo, Williams and Lawson are good enough to be taken in the first two rounds. Mike O'Hara / The Detroit News April 19, 2006 This is another installment in The Detroit News' annual series on the NFL draft. Life on the road is a blur at times for players making the rounds these days as they prepare for the NFL draft, traveling from city to city to visit teams. John McCargo made it to Tuesday's meeting with the Lions on time, but he stumbled trying to recall his itinerary. He arrived in Detroit on Monday night from Baltimore, where he'd met with the Ravens' coaches and front office. Before that he was in Cleveland. Next after Detroit is St. Louis, McCargo said, reviewing his schedule. Oops. Make that Kansas City. "I'm confused about the whole thing," McCargo said Monday night, laughing as he waited to meet with the Lions the next day. "It's just the process -- people anticipating, guessing what round you'll be drafted on." McCargo was a performer and spectator last year on a North Carolina State defensive line that ranked as one of college football's best. With Mario Williams at left end, Manny Lawson at right end and McCargo in the middle, the Wolfpack had three players who could go in the first two rounds in the draft April 29. Williams and Lawson combined for 39 sacks the last two years. McCargo was less-heralded, but he got credit for commanding enough double-team attention to free his teammates to concentrate on rushing the passer. McCargo suffered a stress facture in his left foot in the sixth game of the season. He underwent surgery to correct the break, but he missed the rest of the season. McCargo missed being part of the show as he watched his teammates perform. "I was happy for them, but I was also like, 'Dang, I want to be out there,' " McCargo said. "It was nothing serious. But that was my first time when I wasn't able to play. I had started every game since I red-shirted." McCargo, Lawson and Williams are close friends. McCargo and Williams shared an apartment on campus. They will go their separate ways in a draft that features Williams as one of its stars. After Houston uses the first pick to take Southern California running back Reggie Bush, Williams could go to New Orleans with the second pick. After that, there is a collection of ends and tackles that give the draft depth at defensive line. Haloti Ngata of Oregon and Brodrick Bunkley of Florida State are rated close together at the top defensive tackles. Michigan's Gabe Watson is talented and smart, but questions about his intensity and endurance arose when coach Lloyd Carr benched him briefly in 2005. Pass rushers are in demand -- the bigger the better. There is a premium for players such as Williams, who have size, power and speed. Lawson and Kamerion Wimbley of Florida State are regarded as edge pass rushers who can play end or outside linebacker. Williams is the defensive stud of this year's draft -- a pass-rushing left end who has been compared favorably in size and performance to the Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers. In 2002, Carolina drafted Peppers second overall, between quarterbacks David Carr (Houston) and Joey Harrington (Detroit). At 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds, Williams resembles Peppers in physical stature. Both are tall, powerful and agile, and both play the left side. Williams had 12.5 sacks in 2005, and some of his test results for the NFL scouts were nothing short of off the charts. He had a vertical jump of 40 1/2 inches. As a junior, Lawson switched from outside linebacker to right end. He is projected as a pass-rushing end. He had 10.5 sacks in 2005, the second-highest season total in team history. Lawson lettered twice on the Wolfpack's track team. He was the ACC's indoor long-jump champion and finished second in the outdoor meet. The NFL scouts timed Lawson in 4.43 seconds for the 40-yard dash. That will help him get to the quarterback -- in a hurry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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