The worst thing a scout can do is not stand by his convictions, backing down to the powers that make the drafting decisions.

By this we mean a scout's strong opinion on a player suddenly weakens when the general manager or coach doesn't have the same opinion. It leads to second-guessing by the scout, wondering if he saw something the wrong way. They can sometimes talk themselves out of their own original analysis.

Oregon's Onterrio Smith appears to be one of those big-time college stars that is getting overlooked.(AP)

"If you don't stand up for what you believe in, then you are not doing your job," one AFC scout said. "Of course, it happens all the time where a coach will say he doesn't see the same thing a scout does, and that scout will back down. The scout should not say he's right and they're wrong, but he should stand up for what he believes."

So, that's what I'm about to do.

There are a number of players in this year's NFL Draft that will be better players than what the scouts and personnel people are now saying. They might not be drafted in the first round, although some named here will be, but they will end up being good, serviceable NFL players. Some will even become stars.

They're our Better-Than Players. We've come up with 10 players that fit in this category.

The flip side is there is also a group of Worse-Than Players, those players the scouts and personnel people think more highly of than what their rating should be. We'll feature those players in this NFL Insider notebook next week.

Topping the Better-Than list is Texas quarterback Chris Simms. The son of former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms has all the tools to be a successful NFL passer. He is big, has a strong arm and understands what it takes to succeed in the league, having grown up watching it.

Simms has his critics, though. They say he didn't play well in the big games. They say his motion is too long ... he has to step into his throws ... he didn't handle the blitz well.

"I was always comfortable with my career there," Simms said. "I felt like I played good, and we won a lot of big games. I know everyone likes to focus on the Oklahoma game, but I felt like I played well.

“It seems to get lost that I did lead the Big 12 in passing the last three years. That always seems to get lost in the shuffle. At the same time, it doesn't bother me, because I'm confident in who I am and my ability as a player."

All of the criticism has shreds of truth in it, but that can be coached out of him. Simms did not get the best coaching at Texas, according to some scouts. If he gets with the right quarterbacks coach, in the right system, Simms will be a Pro Bowl passer.

He might not go in the first round, but he won't fall past the second. This is a strong quarterback class, led by Southern California's Carson Palmer and Marshall's Byron Leftwich. Simms should be ranked right behind those two, or perhaps even with Leftwich. There is no way he or Florida's Rex Grossman should be ranked behind Cal's Kyle Boller, who has become the workout wonder in the past three months.

Simms has an arm every bit as strong as Palmer's, and he's just as big. He might not be as mobile, but he can move well enough. Some scouts say he needs to mature, but who doesn't in this draft?

In five years, Simms will make those who passed him in the first round pay in a big way.

"Don't shy away from that if that's what you believe," the AFC scout said. "I don't want to see you wavering."

No, that's left to the professional scouts.

Now for the other nine Better-Than players:

1. Victor Hobson, LB, Michigan: He doesn't run as well as scouts would like, but the guy made a ton of plays in college. He'll continue to make them when he gets to the NFL. He is a tough football player.
2. Tony Gilbert, LB, Georgia: Boss Bailey got all the attention at Georgia, but Gilbert made more plays. Bailey will go in the first round because he has all the attributes, while Gilbert is small by scouts' standards and doesn't run that well. But watch him become a starter in his second year.
3. Todd Johnson, S, Florida: Another guy who shows up on the tapes. He is a smart player who will hit you. He doesn't have great coverage skills, but they are good enough. He will start for somebody down the road.
4. Anthony Adams, DT, Penn State: Undersized at 6-feet tall, he was overshadowed playing next to Jimmy Kennedy, who will be a high first-round pick. But Adams showed up a bunch on tape, and plays with more intensity than Kennedy.
5. Brett Williams, T, Florida State: He was pegged as a first-round pick heading into his senior season, but for some reason he has dropped down the board. That shouldn't happen. He will be a 10-year starter in the league at left tackle.
6. Cie Grant, LB, Ohio State: He was moved to weakside linebacker from safety and had a big year for the national champions. At 225 pounds, he is undersized by many team's standards, but for a team looking for a run-and-chase linebacker, he is the perfect choice.
7. Onterrio Smith, RB, Oregon: Of all the backs in this draft, he has the best big-play speed. The knock is he is short at 5-foot-10 and he has had some off-field troubles. Injuries slowed him last year, too. He will be a 1,200-yard back.
8. Clint Mitchell, DE, Florida: Another player that has had off-field problems, but seems to have moved past them. When on the field for the Gators, he was a solid pass-rushing end during his career. If he dedicates himself, he could be a Grant Wistrom-type player.
9. Bobby Wade, WR, Arizona: He is not big, not fast, but he is plenty quick and has the attitude teams like from their slot receivers. Wade would be perfect in the Rams' offense, playing the role Az-Zahir Hakim once filled. We love this kid.

Others who got consideration: Jimmy Wilkerson, DE, Oklahoma; Shane Walton, S, Notre Dame; Donny Nickey, S, Ohio State; Kevin Curtis, WR, Utah State; Julian Battle, S, Tennessee. Matt Walters, DT, Miami.

Around the League

• The Redskins acted as if they signed Jerry Rice in his prime this week when an arbitrator ruled the Jets improperly matched a five-year, $7.95 million offer sheet signed by Jets return man Chad Morton. The Jets failed to match a provision in the Redskins' offer to void the final two years of the deal, which led to his ending up in Washington. Morton is good at returning kickoffs, averaging over 26 yards per return and scoring two touchdowns last season, but he has never been a great punt return man and he isn't exactly a third-down back like the Redskins think he can be. He is a solid cover player on special teams. Paying that kind of money for a kickoff returner is a big investment, and this is certainly one move the Redskins will regret making. Return men are not hard to find, or at least they shouldn't be.

• A week ago, the Lions thought they would have to move Barrett Green to middle linebacker. Now, they have two veterans to play the position, signing Wali Rainer and Earl Holmes this week. At least that's what the Lions think anyway. There are still questions whether Rainer or Holmes can fill the position. "I just watched Rainer on film and he's terrible," an NFC scout said. Holmes is a little better, although he had his best year playing inside in the 3-4 scheme. The Lions use a 4-3 scheme, which won't play to the strength of the run-stuffing Holmes.

• The Saints are still interested in trading for Patriots safety Tebucky Jones, but the price is still too high in terms of compensation. New Orleans has a handshake deal with Jones on a five-year contract, but the Patriots want a second-round pick this year in exchange for Jones. The Saints will part with a third this year and a fourth next year. New England has countered by asking for a third this year and a third next year. As of this week, the Saints would not agree to that. The two sides are still talking, although if it doesn't get done this week, it likely won't get done until after the draft. The Pats want to trade Jones after signing former Chargers safety Rodney Harrison to team with Lawyer Milloy. In addition, the Pats have a right of first refusal on free-agent safety Victor Green, which has limited his ability to move some. The Saints talked with Steelers safety Lethon Flowers this week, but their interest in Dolphins restricted free agent Arturo Freeman is not as serious as some might want to believe.

• Those rumors about the Bengals trading the No. 1 overall pick to Tampa Bay for Warren Sapp and something else are ridiculous. Here's why: What team is going to trade a pick that valuable for a 31-year-old defensive tackle whose contract expires after this season and whose play is on the decline? The Bengals have made some dumb moves in their day, but nothing that stupid. Sapp's contract talks with the Bucs could get interesting, and could lead to his playing with another team in the next couple of years. Check out his play in two playoff games and the Super Bowl and then ask if he's worth a mega contract at his age. By the way, if Tampa Bay has to make a choice between giving Sapp or Anthony McFarland an extension, you can bet it will be the latter.

• That was a good move by Tampa Bay to sign Dwayne Rudd to replace Al Singleton. Rudd is just as good, if not better. Rudd is essentially in a one-year audition with the Bucs. His two-year contract includes a $300,000 roster bonus to be paid next March. His salary spikes from $530,000 this season to $1.72 million next year. So if Rudd isn't the player the Bucs hope he can be, he won't be on the roster in 2004. Since he got a $200,000 signing bonus as part of the contract, his cap figure is $630,000 this season. That's a low figure for a solid starting linebacker.

Odds & ends

• There are some teams that have medical concerns about Georgia linebacker Boss Bailey, to the point where they are strongly considering not picking him in the first round even though he is clearly first-round talent. Bailey had knee troubles at Georgia, which is a concern to a handful of teams. Even so, expect Bailey to go somewhere in the middle of the first round.

• Leftwich had a decent workout Monday in Florida, proving he was healthy enough to move around without much trouble. But some coaches and scouts at the workout say he looked rusty. That shouldn't hurt Leftwich, who should still be a top 10 pick. What might hurt him is the perception he played his career in the shotgun, which will make it difficult to move under center. Leftwich was forced to play that way last season because of his injured leg.

• By signing a new punter (Jeff Feagles), a new kicker (Mike Hollis), a new return man (Brian Mitchell) and a new deep-snapper (Ryan Kuehl), the Giants have changed all their key special-teams players. That's all well and good, but they lost the right side of their offensive line when Jason Whittle (Tampa Bay) and Mike Rosenthal (Minnesota) were signed away in free agency. Giants offensive line coach Jim McNally did a wonderful job last year piecing together a solid offensive line. With Whittle and Rosenthal gone, he will be forced to do so again. Among the potential replacements for Rosenthal is Jeff Hatch, the team's third-round pick out of Penn last year. Hatch missed the season with a back injury, but he's said to be healthy again. Neither Whittle nor Rosenthal were Pro Bowl-caliber players, but both came on last season under McNally and might be hard to replace.

• We're continued to be amazed at the draft buzz being created about Cal quarterback Kyle Boller. He might have a big arm, but he is not an accurate passer. "I had a third-round grade on the kid," one scout said. "I can't believe how many teams are falling in love with him because of his arm." Boller could go as high as the top 10, which would make his rise one of the biggest in draft history. Boller wasn't even among the top five quarterbacks in the Pac-10 last year. They were Palmer, Washington State's Jason Gesser, Arizona State's Andrew Walter, Oregon State's Derek Anderson and Washington's Cody Pickett. Then again, Walter, Anderson and Pickett have good chances to be high future first-round picks.

• Tommy Maddox might not be happy about the Steelers' refusal to extend his contract, but the team deserves credit for showing restraint. Why would the Steelers give Maddox a new deal when he has four years left on the contract? Make him show he can do it again in 2003 before giving him a deal along the lines of many of the other starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Maddox is scheduled to make $650,000 this season, with a cap figure of $825,000. He does get a roster bonus of $25,000 and a workout bonus of $50,000. The Steelers have overpaid for several players the past couple of seasons, including both cornerbacks, so showing a little restraint with Maddox is the right thing to do.

• The five-year contract signed by defensive end Vonnie Holliday with the Chiefs averages $4.065 million. The reality is it is a two-year deal since he is due a $5.125 million roster bonus on the first day of the 2005 league year. Holliday got a $3 million signing bonus as part of the deal, with base salaries of $1.25 million (2003), $1.45 million (2004), $2.2 million (2005), $2.760 million (2006) and $3.640 million (2007). He will also get workout bonuses of $100,000 in each of the final four seasons of the deal. He has a roster bonus of $187,000 next year.

• Jaguars safety Donovin Darius might have signed the one-year franchise tender for a safety, but he's still not a happy player. Darius is one of two players that has not shown up for the team's offseason conditioning program, with newly signed kick returner Jermaine Lewis the other. Darius, who the team would trade if they could get a first-round pick, is unhappy the Jaguars did not give him a long-term extension. It will be interesting to see if Darius shows up for the team's minicamp this weekend in Jacksonville. Cornerback Fernando Bryant, who also wants a new contract, missed the opening weeks of the conditioning program, but he did show up this week.

• Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell, who had hoped to get a long-term extension, is not getting the offer from the team he had hoped. The new coaching staff says they are committed to Brunell, but not enough to give him a long-term extension. The team is willing to restructure for cap reasons, but they don't want to give him a new long-term deal with big up-front money. That could be a sign the Jaguars might take a quarterback in the first round of the draft. Coach Jack Del Rio was at Leftwich's workout.

• The Steelers insist they want to upgrade the speed in their secondary, yet here they are bringing in former Saints safety Sammy Knight for a visit. Knight is no different from Flowers, who they chose not to re-sign because of a lack of speed. The fact the Steelers are talking to safeties, as well as considering drafting one in the first round, doesn't bode too well for Chris Hope, who was taken in the third round last year. The word is the Steelers weren't too thrilled with Hope as a rookie last season. The Steelers will give Southern California's Troy Polamalu strong consideration in the first round. Polamalu has risen up the boards of some teams because of his offseason workouts.

• There is still no consensus on the No. 3 cornerback in the draft. Some teams like Sammy Davis of Texas A&M, while others like Eugene Wilson of Illinois or Andre Woolfolk of Oklahoma. The views on Woolfolk vary greatly. Some teams think he has first-round talent, while others think he's more like a third-round guy. "When you watch him play, he just doesn't make any plays," an NFC scout said. Said an AFC scout: "He got torn up in a couple of games." Woolfolk could slide out of the first round.