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European imports? Six who could make it over here

No, I don't know much about what happened in NFL Europe this year, either, other than the only team located outside of Germany won the World Bowl. But it's not the league or Amsterdam Admirals that concerns me.

It's the players.

The pros you failed to notice overseas earlier this month are the same guys making plays for your playoff-bound clubs in January. At last year's Super Bowl XXXIX, there were 15 alums, including New England kicker Adam Vinatieri, and before this spring there were 27 NFL Europe quarterbacks who started in the NFL, including Kurt Warner and Jake Delhomme.

So the league is good for job placements. The only question is: Who are the best candidates? We're here with six of this year's most attractive, beginning with Berlin quarterback Dave Ragone.

Now, I bet you recognize his name, and you probably know that he started a couple of games for the Texans, too. What you don't know is where he fits in, other than behind David Carr. He's one of several NFL Europe stars who could make an impact in the months ahead.

And the others? Keep reading.

1. Dave Ragone (Houston Texans), QB, Berlin. The league's offensive MVP, Ragone was accurate and productive -- completing a league-best 63 percent of his passes for 13 touchdowns and only two interceptions. But that's just the beginning: His streak of 174 attempts without an interception was an NFL-Europe record; he won seven of 10 starts; and he led the league with a 97.5 passer rating and 1,746 passing yards. Ragone never looked better than in the World Bowl where he completed 30 of 48 for 328 yards and came this close to completing a last-second comeback from a 24-7 deficit. He has an above-average arm and adequate mobility, but he doesn't have the slingshot of, say, his Texans' teammate David Carr. "He absolutely knows where he's going to go with the ball," said one AFC scout, "and he's going to beat you with timing." His poise in the pocket reminds you of another NFL Europe graduate, Jake Delhomme, and it may be as hard for Ragone to get a crack at starting in the NFL Football as it was for Delhomme, who sat for five years in New Orleans. "The flaw in this guy's game," said another scout, "is that he plays behind David Carr. He won't get a chance until he leaves Houston."

2. Ruvell Martin (San Diego Chargers), WR, Amsterdam. An all-league choice, Martin led the league with 12 touchdown catches -- tying an NFL Football-Europe record -- and 679 yards receiving. His 37 catches ranked third, but here's what you like most about the guy: He made big plays, averaging a league-best 18.4 yards a catch. He was also consistent, with one touchdown catch in each of his first seven regular-season games and five in his last two. A former star at Saginaw Valley, Martin uses his size (6-feet-4) to his advantage -- with a remarkable ability to out-position you for the nfl football. He also has good hands and is physical. What he's not is fast. Scouts described his speed as little more than adequate. Nevertheless, he could be a factor in San Diego where the Chargers try to sort out a passel of receivers -- including Reche Caldwell, back from a season-ending knee injury. Few would have considered Martin a candidate to make any roster before this spring, but the undrafted free agent was far better, far more confident, in Europe than he was with the Chargers a year ago in training camp.

3. Joe Smith (Tennessee Titans), RB, Rhein Fire. He wasn't an all-league choice, but he should have been. Smith finished with a league-best 1,027 yards rushing, only the third time a back reached four digits in NFL-Europe history (Lawrence Phillips and Mike Green were the others), and produced a league-record six 100-yard performances. And he did it with a club that won only three times. He's a big back (6-2, 224) in the Eddie George/Chris Brown mold, so he's a perfect fit for the Titans. Maybe they find something in him that Jacksonville and Tampa Bay could not. Smith spent time on the practice squads of both NFL clubs. He's a powerful, instinctive runner who can break tackles and move a pile. Plus, he can catch the ball out of the backfield. Scouts complain that his speed isn't what you'd like and that he won't run away from defenders. But look at this year's numbers: Smith had a 59-yard TD, averaged 4.6 yards a carry and led the league with 1,111 yards from scrimmage -- 239 more than his closest pursuer.

4. Jarrett Payton (Tennessee Titans), RB, Amsterdam. He had almost half as many yards rushing (578) as Smith and wasn't the most productive back on his own team; Jonathan Smith was. Nevertheless, Payton was the choice over both Smiths for the all-league team, largely on the strength of his seven TDs (more than anyone but Martin) and gaudy average of 5.6 yards a carry. Running comes naturally for Payton, the son of Hall of Fame great Walter Payton, but a job in the NFL Football won't. He's on the same NFL club as Chris Brown and NFL-Europe rushing leader Joe Smith. Built like Smith (he's 6-0, 220 pounds), Payton has more speed to make it to the corner. Scouts like his quickness, his hands and his toughness but wonder about his overall skills. "I'm not sure that he hasn't 'maxed' out on his ability," said one. "He will never be a No. 1 back for anyone." He doesn't have to be; he simply wants to make a club. Remember, this is a guy who sat behind Willis McGahee at the University of Miami and who sat for two of every four series in Amsterdam.

5. Jonathan Smith (Kansas City Chiefs), RB, Amsterdam. Smith sat for two of every four series, too, but he managed to run for 711 yards, score twice and average 4.8-yards per-carry. He was the league's third most productive player and second most productive back, and he did all that while sharing the position with Payton. Smith is smaller (5-8, 196) and quicker than Payton, but he runs with power and has a nice change of direction. He also has decent hands, with 48 receptions in 25 games at Washington State. One scout said he reminded him of "a poor man's Dalton Hilliard," and that's not bad, folks. Hilliard is the third most productive rusher in the history of the New Orleans Saints. "He has the same start and stop that Hilliard had," said the scout. "He knows how to break tackles, and he knows how to avoid defenders." The problem for Smith is twofold: his size and his situation. At Kansas City he's not going to play ahead of Priest Holmes or Larry Johnson, but his build probably makes him as more of a situational back anyway. He can return kicks -- in fact he returned 19 of them for Amsterdam, averaging 19.8 yards a try -- but he's on the same team with Dante Hall. He's not playing ahead of him, either.

6. Rich Scanlon (Kansas City Chiefs), LB, Berlin. The league's defensive MVP, Scanlon tries to parlay this experience into a roster spot with the Chiefs -- much as linebacker Mike Maslowski did when he played for Barcelona in 1999. A middle linebacker, Scanlon didn't miss a start and rarely missed a tackle. He not only led the league with 94 stops, he led his team in each of its 10 regular-season games. He's smart. He's tough. He's determined. He knows how to play angles. He has good speed. He plays special teams and doesn't leave the field on third downs. And he can attack the pocket -- with his three sacks the evidence. Where scouts question his abilities are in pass coverage, with Scanlon called on to improve his skills. Still, he knocked down five passes this year. Look for him to make the Chiefs and contribute to the club's special teams.

Nfl Football

By Clark Judge
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer