Manning expected to be first

Advertiser Staff

•	ON TV Today (HST): 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., ESPN 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., ESPN2 Tomorrow: 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., ESPN 7 a.m. to noon, ESPN2

The 69th annual draft will be held today and tomorrow in New York. It will cover seven rounds, with the first three rounds today. Teams draft in inverse order of how they finished the previous season.

Including compensatory picks, a total of 255 college athletes will see their lives changed in a two-day span.

Two from the University of Hawai'i likely will hear their name called today.

UH defensive tackle Isa'ako Sopoaga could be a late first or second-round draft pick.

UH defensive end Travis LaBoy could be picked in the second or third round.

The draft is considered deep with talented players.

"This might be one of the best drafts ever," said Oakland's Bruce Kebric, an NFL scout for more than 30 years.

"The receivers, quarterbacks, defensive line, linebackers. There's some good players there."

Each team has 15 minutes to select an eligible player in the first round, 10 minutes in the second round, five minutes thereafter.

In 2002, the first round took 5 hours and 48 minutes to complete.

San Diego has the No. 1 pick overall. The top player is considered to be Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning, brother of all-pro Peyton of Indianapolis (No. 1 overall in 1998) and son of all-pro Archie (2nd overall pick in 1971).

Manning has let the Chargers know he doesn't want them to choose him with the first pick.

It all should be resolved early. The draft starts at 6 a.m. Hawai'i time.

Tune in.