Four respected media outlets show little agreement, underscoring that for NFL front offices, the only constant is uncertainty.

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, April 28, 2006

BY TOM E. CURRAN
Journal Sports Writer

In a normal NFL Draft, teams by now have a grip on who will be on the board when their pick comes.

A team like the Patriots -- drafting at No. 21 tomorrow -- can recall the draft tendencies of teams ahead of them, eyeball those teams' needs and at least narrow the list of names a little bit.

But this is not a normal draft. Too many players have injury histories, incomplete resumes and prickly personalities at the top of this draft. And all those questions about all those players make for uncertainty in NFL front offices.

We looked at four mock drafts from respectable entities -- ESPN, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and the Dallas Morning News. Looking at the forecasted picks from No. 11 to No. 21 -- 44 picks in all -- there were only five instances where even two of the drafts agreed on a player and a slot. Most years, teams take a peek at these mock drafts to get a gauge on where teams may be leaning. They may as well skip them in 2006.

The best we can do is tell you what the teams need and who the mock drafts say they'll take.

11. St. Louis Rams. The Rams have defensive needs and are a near certainty to go with defense.

ESPN: Chad Greenway

SN: Michael Huff

SI: Antonio Cromartie

DMN: Jimmy Williams

12. Cleveland Browns. A busy offseason capped by an edge rusher to understudy Willie McGinest.

ESPN: Kamerion Wimbley

SN, Manny Lawson

SI: Kamerion Wimbley

DMN: Ernie Sims

13. Baltimore Ravens. Another team that has defensive needs up front and in the secondary.

ESPN: Brodrick Bunkley

SN: Jimmy Williams

SI: Haloti Ngata

DMN: Haloti Ngata

14. Philadelphia Eagles. They're getting desperate at wideout and there's a couple on the board.

ESPN: Winston Justice

SN: Santonio Holmes

SI: Bobby Carpenter

DMN: Johnathan Joseph

15. Denver Broncos. With (New England bound?) Ashley Lelie out on strike and Rod Smith fossilizing, the Broncos need a wideout.

ESPN: Santonio Holmes

SN: Chad Jackson

SI: Chad Jackson

DMN: Laurence Maroney

16. Miami Dolphins. A team that can gum up New England's works by selecting to bolster their 3-4.

ESPN: Chad Jackson

SN: Tye Hill

SI: Jason Allen

DMN: Chad Greenway

17. Minnesota Vikings. Usually dependable to pick out a player with character issues. They don't usually conflict with the Pats in terms of players they value.

ESPN: Ernie Sims

SN: Jay Cutler

SI: Jimmy Williams

DMN: DeMeco Ryans

18. Dallas Cowboys. Big pain for the Pats because they may take Lawson and couple him with last year's first-rounder DeMarcus Ware. Look for Pats to try to get ahead of Dallas and perhaps the Dolphins.

ESPN: Manny Lawson

SN: Kamerion Wimbley

SI: Santonio Holmes

DMN: Manny Lawson

19. San Diego Chargers. This is where the corners and safeties start to fly off the shelves and the Chargers have a serious need there.

ESPN: Tye Hill

SN: Antonio Cromartie

SI: Winston Justice

DMN: Antonio Cromartie

20. Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are desperate all over on defense but especially at corner.

ESPN: Jimmy Williams

SN Johnathan Joseph

SI: Tamba Hall

DMN: Kamerion Wimbley

21. New England Patriots. Defense seems the consensus need, but when this pick comes precious few running backs will be off the board it appears.

ESPN: Chad Greenway

SN: Antonio Cromartie

SI: Brodrick Bunkley.

DMN: Bobby Carpenter

tcurran@projo.com / (401) 277-7340

Pats picks

Where the Patriots are scheduled to pick tomorrow, and how they acquired each selection:

ROUND OVERALL ACQUIRED

1 21 Own pick

2 52 Own pick

3 75 From Baltimore in 2005, along with a 2005 third-round pick (CB Ellis Hobbs) and a 2005 sixth-round pick (traded to Green Bay), for a 2005 second-round pick

3 86 Own pick

4 106 From Detroit in 2005 for fifth- and sixth-round picks in 2005

4 118 Own pick

5 136 From Oakland in 2005, along with a 2005 seventh-round pick (QB Matt Cassel), for a 2005 sixth-round pick

6 191 Own pick

6 205 --- (see below)

6 206 Both picks compensatory for free-agent losses of OL Joe Anduzzi, OL Adrian Klemm and WR David Patten

7 229 Own pick

NOTE: Patriots traded their own fifth-round pick (152nd overall) to Cleveland in August 2005 for WR Andre Davis

SOURCE: New England Patriots