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2005 Rookie TEs & PKs: Miller & Nugent Best Available...
This is the final installment of a four-part series reviewing the top prospects selected in the 2005 NFL Draft from a strictly Fantasy perspective.

Today, we'll examine the top tight end and most promising place-kicker selected last weekend, ranking them in terms of potential impact.

I realize that tight ends are becoming an increasingly important in the NFL and interest in newcomers at the position is understandable.

But I'll remind you that last season, only three NFL tight ends -- Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten -- out-produced San Diego rookie kicker Nate Kaeding, who finished his debut campaign with 114 points.

With that thought in mind, I'll start with this year's top rookie kicker. ...


1. Mike Nugent, New York Jets
As NorthJersey.com staffer Randy Lange put it Friday, "Mike Westhoff has been around the 100-yard block." Meaning, the Jets' special teams coach has been going to the combine workouts since before they were held in Indianapolis, which means back to the '70s."

And he doesn't recall seeing a kicker do what Nugent, an immediate incumbent after Doug Brien was released Thursday, did in February.

"It was a small thing," Westhoff said. "Mike and his holder were standing there waiting to kick, and when it was his turn, they ran up to the line and he kicked. I guess it just jumped out at me, someone saying, 'I can't wait to get up to bat.' It impressed me."

Nugent said it's all part of his mind-set.

"I try to do everything as close to game situations as possible," he said last week. "I try to position myself on the sidelines and every time I come up to the ball, I'm jogging up to it."

At the age of 23, Nugent is all business. Westhoff said there are "no gimmicky things" with him.

"Once I show up for camp, I want everything to focus on what I can do to help the team get better," Nugent said. "I want to meet all my coaches and teammates and see how everything goes. I really want the team to have confidence in me just as I have confidence in myself."

As Lange went on to suggest, none of this would have made him a second-round NFL draft pick, but in his last three Ohio State seasons, he rarely missed a field goal: 65-of-74 (87.8 percent) overall, 28-of-34 (82.4) from 40-plus, 8-of-9 from 50-plus. The only miss on his 114 extra points came on a bad snap.

Nugent also has experience kicking in different types of weather, considering the location of OSU and the schools in the Big Ten Conference, as well as a history of big-game performances, such as four field goals in the Alamo Bowl victory over Oklahoma State.

"Sometimes you see the specialists in a world of their own. Mike's not. He's in the football world," Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel said. "The thing that rings out in my mind is that he just had an air of confidence. Whether he was kicking off or trying a field goal or an extra point, we were in good hands."

Taken with the 47th pick overall, Nugent is just the fourth kicker since 1988 to get drafted in the first two rounds. Chip Lohmiller (Washington, 1988) and Jason Hanson (Detroit, 1992) were also picked in the second round. Oakland selected Sebastian Janikowski with their first round pick in 2000.

For what it's worth. ... Nugent didn't excel in his first practice on Friday, going 4-for-6 on field goals in the 40- to 43-yard range. With a hoard of cameras focusing on him, Nugent missed wide right and short on his first try, a 43-yarder. A high snap might have disrupted his timing. His second attempt, from the same spot, hit the crossbar and bounced over.

"It's almost like he was in a Super Bowl," head coach Herman Edwards said of the media attention.

The sooner he gets used to that kind of scrutiny the better off he'll be.

Fantasy Bottom Line: Nugent is by far the most highly-touted incoming kicking prospect since Janikowski, who posted 112 points as a rookie.


Moving along to the tight end. ...


1. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers
Tight end was the only spot where immediate help was needed, and the Steelers addressed it by taking Miller with the 30th pick overall.

Miller, who is adept at both blocking and receiving and could make an impact right away -- although it remains to be seen how productive he can actually be as a receiver in Pittsburgh. The main limitation at this point might be the team's recent reluctance to throw to their tight end.

The Steelers ran 61 percent of the time last season, more than any NFL team in two decades. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he'd like the Steelers to open up the offense a little more next season.

Although he'll absolutely spend considerable time blocking, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staffer Ed Bouchette advised readers this week that offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt -- a former NFL tight end also from the ACC, "does not plan to turn him into the next Walter Rasby. The next Todd Heap, perhaps."

"I hope so," Whisenhunt said. "I hope we can progress to that. ... Maybe as I get better as a coordinator or as we get better as an offense then we can try and do some of those things."

Bouchette went on to suggest that Miller should help.

Last October, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden told the Washington Post that Miller compared favorably to Kellen Winslow Jr. and former Florida star Ben Troupe.

"But let me give him one mark ahead of those other two," Bowden told the paper. "He's smoother than any I've seen."

It's worth noting that Miller has struggled when acceleration off the line and his 40 time of 4.77 seconds disappointed some scouts. That sluggishness is more worrisome since Miller had surgery for a sports hernia in early January.

But he seems to be recovering well.

"At this point, I am doing everything -- agilities, running routes, lifting weights in the weight room, just not up to 100 percent yet," he said last week. "But I am well on my way."

For the record, Miller last season became the first player in ACC history to win the Mackey Award as the nation's top college tight end after making 41 catches for 541 yards and five touchdowns. He also set ACC career records for tight ends in receptions (144), receiving yards (1,703) and touchdowns (20).

Fantasy Bottom Line: The Steelers haven't had a good receiver at tight end since Eric Green, their No. 1 pick in 1990 who went on to catch 63 passes to set a team record for tight ends in 1993. Head coach Bill Cowher insists he won't change the offense to suit Miller but rather he will enhance what they are able to do.

However, the coach also promises they will not ignore him in the passing game just because that's what they've done to their tight ends done the past 10 years.


Those are the best prospects at each spot, but there are others worth watching.

Tampa Bay third-round pick Alex Smith has good hands and the speed to get down the seam, so he should be a perfect complement to Anthony Becht in two-tight end sets.

I would also suggest that if the practice injury he suffered Friday isn't serious, Buffalo third-round pick Kevin Everett could be of interest with Mark Campbell and Tim Euhus coming off season-ending injuries.

And finally. ... The Colts drafted Michigan State kicker Dave Rayner in the sixth round primarily to serve as a kickoff specialist. But some believe he was also brought on board take over for high-priced veteran Mike Vanderjagt at some point down the road.

Otherwise, the pickin's get a bit slim. However, those interested in delving more deeply will find complete information on all this year's incoming tight ends and kickers at NFL.com's 2005 Draft site.

I'll also keep a close eye on developments at the position as we get closer to training camp and bring any other emerging possibilities to your attention.

Meanwhile, I invite you to check out Wednesday's QB Overview here, Thursday's RB Overview here and Friday's WR Overview here.