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Which college stars make good pros
Posted: Wednesday April 12, 2000 01:42 PM
For me, the NFL Draft is like a school reunion. The names roll past all weekend long, and while others project NFL futures, I recall college pasts. That doesn't make me Bill Walsh, but it does mean that for a lot of the names you'll hear this weekend, I'll have a reaction. Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong. Examples: From 1995-97, I spent more time with Peyton Manning than I did with my own kids. I went to his home in New Orleans, his apartment at Tennessee. Watched him play a bunch of games. I felt as if he was one of the most mature, disciplined people I had ever met and a far better athlete than most draftniks believed. I figured he was a lock to be an NFL star. I also spent several days with Ricky Williams on three separate trips to Austin, Texas. He seemed like an odd kid until you got to know him, and then he just seemed funny. Insightful, even. I figured his passion for football and his innate intelligence would make him a star even as he grew up. Wrong so far. Jevon Kearse? Looked sensational and hardly ever made plays, especially as a senior. I thought he'd be a bust. Wrong again. Charles Woodson? Most confident college player I've ever been around. He absolutely knew he was the best player on the field and had been since he picked up a ball. He knew he'd be the best in the NFL, too. Any team that took him would be lucky. Got this one right. What about this year? LaVar Arrington (Penn State LB): Nobody seems to question his athleticism, but what about his attitude? Joe Paterno thought Arrington was a "me" guy and never gave him his props. I went to dinner with Arrington and his roommate one night last June. As a prank, Arrington told the waitress to bring me a birthday cake with candles, even though it wasn't my birthday. That took guts and was pretty funny, too. JoePa was appalled when I told him about it. I also had serious conversations with Arrington about everything from pit-bull-terrier breeding to his father's Vietnam experience. Arrington just didn't fit into the Penn State box and he'll be better outside it. In all, I'd take him in a heartbeat. Peter Warrick (Florida State WR): He reminds me of a hip-hop Woodson. Warrick always had a lot of strut and a funky language all his own, but last fall's Dillard's caper and subsequent suspension cooled him down. A little. I think he got off easy at Florida State but I also don't think he's Lawrence Phillips. As for those mediocre 40 times in workouts, throw away the watches and pop in a tape. The guy's magic. Warrick's teammate, All-America defensive tackle Corey Simon, seemed like he was 22 going on 35. If his surgical shoulders hold up, he's a can't-miss. UCLA wideout Danny Farmer, who played his senior year with a high ankle sprain and no quarterback (after Cade McNown graduated), will be a second- or third-round steal for somebody. This is a guy who I watched play an exhausting five-set volleyball match one night and then had to be ordered to skip a football-related puke session at dawn the next morning. He won't let anybody cut him. Florida receiver Travis Taylor is a solid player and citizen. Others, I'm not so sure about: Tennessee running back Jamal Lewis will probably go high in the first round, but his durability worries me. Michigan State wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who left East Lansing after his only good season, is a big fan of... Plaxico Burress; he'll need to lighten up. Florida State kicker Sebastian Janikowski parties way, way too much. Virginia Tech defensive end John Engelberger almost never talked to the media, which shows selflessness and maturity. However, Florida State blocked him into 2001 in the Sugar Bowl, which is worrisome. Engleberger's teammate, pass rusher Corey Moore, has a huge heart, but I'd worry that he's burned out and too small (just over 200 pounds). I'd think twice before picking any of these guys. Sports Illustrated senior writer Tim Layden will contribute a Viewpoint every Thursday on CNNSI.com. To chip in with your two cents, click here. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer.
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