Slim pickins in weekend's NFL Draft
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
Hilton, the Pirates' standout lineman, is the only black college player's name that appears on lists of the top 100 prospects for this weekend's draft. The 100 are approximately the number of players that will be taken in the first three rounds Saturday.
Saturday begins the first day of the 69th annual Selection Meeting,
called The Draft by the NFL. Players in rounds one through three will be selected
Saturday beginning at 12 noon. Selections for rounds four through seven will be
held on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. The Draft is being held at The Theater at
Madison Square Garden in New York city and will be carried live on ESPN2.
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference all-star achieved his lofty status by virtue of a stellar career at Hampton but perhaps moreso because of outstanding athletic ability which has wowed the pro scouts.
At 6-3, 267 pounds, Hilton ran a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine in Indianapolis, an unheard of time for a guy his size. He also bench pressed 225 pounds 31 times. Scouts and NFL brass consider anything over 25 reps to be outstanding. He also posted a vertical leap of over 40 inches.
"The number one thing is that Ike is a competitor," said Hampton head coach Joe Taylor Tuesday of the prospect he signed out of Charleston, S.C., that many thought would opt for track over football.
"He's always been a track guy but he developed an unusual combination of physical skills," said Taylor.
His speed and athletic ability are expected to earn him a spot as a rush end in a 4-3 alignment or as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. His skill level is considered comparable to Green Bay's Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, one of the league's premier pass rushers.
"Everything we've heard says he'll go in the first day," said Taylor.
The only other black college players mentioned in draft chatter are Jackson State quarterback Robert Kent, N. C. A&T defensive back Curtis Deloatch and Grambling wide receiver, Tramon Douglas.
© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.