National title game helped Vick's stock rise for draft
By Curtis Murayama
Advertiser Sports Editor
| • | Draft notice
When: Tomorrow, beginning at 6 a.m. Hawai'i time (rounds 1-3); Sunday, beginning at 5 a.m. (rounds 4-7). Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City TV: ESPN will carry tomorrow's coverage until 1 p.m., then ESPN2 will pick up the coverage. On Sunday, ESPN will telecast until 7 a.m., with ESPN2 covering the conclusion. |
That game — in which he rushed for 97 yards and accounted for 322 total yards — vaulted Vick into elite status with skills rarely seen. Vick likely will be the No. 1 pick in tomorrow's NFL draft.
What did this season's national championship game do for the two starting quarterbacks in that game — Oklahoma's Josh Heupel and Florida State's Chris Weinke.
Apparently, not much.
Both were good college quarterbacks (Weinke won the Heisman Trophy) but are considered just fair pro prospects.
"Weinke, I really don't particularly care for," a scout told The Advertiser. "He's 28 years old; he's not real mobile. You saw what he was in the championship game. If he's a great player, he wins that game. ...
"Heupel I wasn't too impressed with."
Still, Weinke is rated as the third-best quarterback available behind Vick and Purdue's Drew Brees. He could be drafted in the third or fourth rounds of the two-day, seven-round selection process. Heupel is ranked as the 12th-best quarterback and could be drafted in the fifth or sixth round.
TCU runner on the move
LaDainian Tomlinson of TCU and the Western Athletic Conference has moved up to the No. 1 running back spot with good offseason workouts.
He was impressive at the combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds and jumping vertically 40.5 inches. He's also displayed pass-catching ability.
| 2001 mock NFL draft | ||
| Advertiser sports editor Curtis Murayama, a draft follower since 1971, has been previewing the NFL draft for readers of The Honolulu Advertiser for more than 20 years. Barring trades, here are his predictions for tomorrow’s first round. |
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| NO. TEAM | PLAYER,POSITION, SCHOOL | COMMENT |
| 1, SAN DIEGO | Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech | Should become a force, but when? |
| 2, ARIZONA | Gerard Warren, DT, Florida | Cardinals would prefer to deal for more picks |
| 3, CLEVELAND | LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, TCU | Brown fans happy; Bear fans heartbroken |
| 4, CINCINNATI | Leonard Davis, OT, Texas | At 6-5, 370 pounds, has destructive potential |
| 5, ATLANTA | Justin Smith, DE, Missouri | 4.6 speed at 270 pounds and productive |
| 6, NEW ENGLAND | Kenyatta Walker, OT, Florida | 313-pounder with impressive skills |
| 7, SEATTLE | Richard Seymour, DL, Georgia | 6-6, 298-pounder with 4.9 40 speed |
| 8, CHICAGO | David Terrell, WR, Michigan | 6-3, 213-pound playmaker |
| 9, SAN FRANCISCO | Andre Carter, DE, California | Would rather trade; but DE fills need |
| 10, GREEN BAY | Koren Robinson, WR, N. Carolina St. | Has 4.38 speed and big-league talent |
| 11, CAROLINA | Deuce McAllister, RB, Mississippi | 222-pounder with 4.4 speed; knock is he runs upright |
| 12, KANSAS CITY | Dan Morgan, ILB, Miami (Florida) | 4.58 speed with sideline to sideline effort |
| 13, JACKSONVILLE | Jamal Reynolds, DE, Florida State | One of the faster ends with 4.55 speed |
| 14, BUFFALO | Steve Hutchinson, OG, Michigan | 315-pounder is pure guard with ability to play tackle |
| 15, WASHINGTON | Santana Moss, WR, Miami (Florida) | Small (5-9) but uncoverable at times; a playmaker |
| 16, PITTSBURGH | Marcus Stroud, DL, Georgia | At 322 pounds, he can clog up the middle |
| 17, SEATTLE | Rod Gardner, WR, Clemson | Big (217 pounds), athletic, creates mismatch |
| 18, DETROIT | Nate Clements, CB, Ohio State | 209-pounder with 4.39 speed with good upside |
| 19, NEW YORK JETS | Freddie Mitchell, WR, UCLA | Electrifying playmaker; a super blue chip prospect |
| 20, ST. LOUIS | Damione Lewis, DT, Miami (Florida) | 293-pounder can wreak havoc in the interior line |
| 21, TAMPA BAY | Jeff Backus, OT, Michigan | Consistent and reliable with size (6-5, 310) |
| 22, INDIANAPOLIS | Fred Smoot, CB, Mississippi State | Plays bigger than his size (5-11, 173 pounds) |
| 23, NEW ORLEANS | Jamar Fletcher, CB, Wisconsin | Might be best cover corner but lacks size (5-9, 180) |
| 24, DENVER | Todd Heap, TE, Arizona State | Athletically gifted with Kellen Winslow-type receiving skills |
| 25, PHILADELPHIA | Chad Johnson, WR, Oregon State | Keyshawn’s cousin with speed and big-play ability |
| 26, MIAMI | Drew Brees, QB, Purdue | Good presence and command of position |
| 27, MINNESOTA | Willie Howard, DL, Stanford | Great speed (4.95) with all-out hustling approach |
| 28, OAKLAND | Adam Archuleta, SS, Arizona State | An LB turned DB much like Darren Woodson |
| 29, ST. LOUIS | Ken Lucas, CB, Mississippi | 200-lb corner with solid, not spectacular, qualifications |
| 30, NEW YORK GIANTS | Will Allen, CB, Syracuse | 193-pounder with 4.3 speed with smarts |
| 31, BALTIMORE | Derrick Gibson, SS, Florida State | Superior physical ability with size (216), speed (4.44) |
