Here’s the Rough Draft Before the Final Copy

There are two ways of looking at every NFL draft pick. Here’s a sampling of some of the more prominent picks:

The pick: Fresno State quarterback David Carr (No. 1 overall by Houston)

The justification: The Texans plan to build their franchise around this sidearm slinger who threw for 4,299 yards and 42 touchdowns last season.

Who’s happy: Carr’s church, assuming this devout Christian plans to contribute 10% of his $46-million contract.

Who’s not happy: Carr, if the Texans spend too much time trying to modify his three-quarters throwing motion and footwork.

The pick: North Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers (No. 2 by Carolina)

The justification: Peppers has a reputation for not making an effort on some plays, but is difficult to block when he goes full speed. He had a combined 241/2 sacks the last two seasons and is joining a team for which the single-season sack record by a lineman is 81/2.

Who’s happy: The Panthers, who are hoping the hometown pick helps boost sagging attendance.

Who’s not happy: North Carolina basketball Coach Matt Doherty, who could have used Peppers in a season that turned into an 8-20 nightmare. Peppers, who shot 67% as a valuable sophomore reserve, concentrated on football to improve his NFL draft status.

The pick: Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington (No. 3 by Detroit)

The justification: The Lions, who were 2-14 last season, had all sorts of other needs yet made getting a high-profile quarterback their No. 1 priority.

Who’s happy: Ford Motor Company, which now has the inside track on landing Harrington as a celebrity sponsor.

Who’s not happy: Mike McMahon, the Lions’ No. 5 pick last year and a late-season starter who thought he was going to be the Lions’ quarterback of the future.

The pick: Texas tackle Mike Williams (No. 4 by Buffalo)

The justification: The 6-foot-5, 375-pound Williams will help bolster Buffalo’s 22nd-ranked ground game and can help protect just-acquired quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

Who’s happy: Big & Tall stores of the greater Buffalo area.

Who’s not happy: Any of the poor souls behind Williams in the fast-food drive-thru.

The pick: Oklahoma safety Roy Williams (No. 8 by Dallas)

The justification: Williams was a unanimous All-American, the Big 12 Conference defensive player of the year, and won the Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thorpe awards as the nation’s best defensive player and defensive back last season.

Who’s happy: The Cowboys, whose secondary gets a dramatic facelift.

Who’s not happy: Cowboy owner Jerry Jones, who doesn’t appreciate that analogy.

The pick: Arizona State tackle Levi Jones (No. 10 by Cincinnati)

The justification: Jones is a smart kid who had an academic scholarship to Arizona State and, as a freshman, joined the football team as a walk-on. He played his way into the starting lineup and eventually was second-team All-Pacific 10 Conference.

Who’s happy: All those teams who are used to seeing Cincinnati make dumb decisions and head-scratching picks.

Who’s not happy: The Baltimore Ravens, who liked Jones and by all rights should have been able to get him 14 picks later.

The pick: Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney (No. 11 by Indianapolis)

The justification: Freeney is light at 265 pounds, but has blistering speed for a defensive lineman. Although he went much higher than just about every draft guru projected, he fits nicely into Tony Dungy’s defensive scheme.

Who’s happy: The Colts, whose pass rush was nonexistent when Chad Bratzke was double-teamed last season.

Who’s not happy: This writer. Perhaps because Freeney was such a surprising reach for the Colts, I referred to him as “Sweeney” in Sunday’s draft chart.

The pick: Miami cornerback Phillip Buchanon (No. 17 by Oakland).

The justification: With 36-year-old Eric Allen near the end of his career at right corner, the Raiders are looking for somebody to complement all-pro left corner Charles Woodson.

Who’s happy: Buchanon, who joins a team one Raider away from winning the Super Bowl.

Who’s not happy: Buchanon, on learning that the one Raider is Jon Gruden.

The pick: Hawaii receiver Ashley Lelie (No. 19 by Denver).

The justification: Lelie, the only first-round pick in his school’s history, can make an immediate impact as part of the Bronco passing game, which ranked a startling 25th last season.

Who’s happy: Hawaii Coach June Jones, who thinks so highly of Lelie he recently allowed the star receiver to escort his daughter to her high school prom. (Lelie had her home by 10 p.m.)

Who’s not happy: Lelie’s delicate hamstrings, which are going to freeze in Denver.

The pick: UCLA linebacker Robert Thomas (No. 31 by St. Louis).

Justification: The Rams lost London Fletcher in free agency, and Thomas was the highest-rated inside linebacker in the draft.

Who’s happy: The Thomas family, which now has two first-round selections: brothers Stan (in 1991) and Robert.

Who’s not happy: USC, which didn’t have a player picked until cornerback Kris Richard went to Seattle in the third round.

The pick: Tulane quarterback Patrick Ramsey (No. 32 by Washington).

The justification: Coach Steve Spurrier thinks Ramsey can distinguish himself among Redskin quarterbacks Danny Wuerffel, Dameyune Craig and Sage Rosenfels.

Who’s happy: Ramsey. What an opportunity. Wuerffel, Craig and Rosenfels? Get real.

Who’s not happy: Redskin fans. Wuerffel, Craig, Rosenfels and Ramsey? Get real.

The pick: Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch (No. 95 by St. Louis).

The justification: The Rams see Crouch as a great athlete who they can convert into a safety.

Who’s happy: Crouch, who landed with a team that has been to the Super Bowl two of the last three seasons.

Who’s not happy: The Downtown Athletic Club, which just got another reminder of what little weight the Heisman Trophy carries in the NFL.