Draft worst ever for black colleges

LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor

Only two names, Hampton defensive end Isaac Hilton and Southern defensive back Lenny Williams, were called among the 255 players selected and they barely made it in.

Williams was the 252nd pick overall in the compensatory section of the seventh and last round, going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Hilton was taken with the very next pick, 253rd overall to the New York Giants.

In other words, black colleges were within a few picks of being shut out of the entire NFL Draft for the first time in history.

The paltry number eclipses by two the previous low of four black college players that went off the board in the 2001 Draft (See STAR CORNER, below).

Williams, the Southwestern Athletic Conference defensive player of the year who led Southern to the league title and No. 1 final black college ranking in his final season, distinguished himself as a playmaker during his four-year career at the Baton Rouge school. The Bucs are hoping he can do some of the same for them.

"He is a very good cover corner," said Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden. "He is built very similar to Dwight Smith (a current Bucs player). He's got unique play-making ability, among other things."

Williams used that ability to win all-SWAC honors all four years at Southern. He was the league's Rookie of the Year in 2000 and made first team all-SWAC in each succeeding season culminating with his player of the year selection last year.

Williams was reportedly pondering several free agent offers when former Grambling coach Doug Williams, now an executive with the Bucs, called to say they were taking him in the seventh round.

Hilton, who was projected to go in the second or third round, almost fell out of the Draft before he was plucked by the Giants.

"Hilton has, in my opinion, nothing but an upside," said Giants new head coach Tom Coughlin. "He is a big man who has progressively gained in weight each year, has good speed off the edge and can give us some pass rush ability as well."

"Isaac Hilton is a speed pass rusher," said Giants general manager, Ernie Acorsi. "He can really give us pressure (on the quarterback)." The Giants picked two black college players in 2003, Morgan State tight end Visanthe Shiancoe in the third round and Tuskegee defensive back Frank Walker in the sixth round. Both Shiancoe and Williams made the Giants' squad last year.

Ten black college rookie free agents were signed to NFL squads since Sunday. Former Jackson State quarterback Robert Kent will join black college NFL veteran Steve McNair of Alcorn State on the Tennessee Titans roster. Also signing a free agent contract with the Titans is Grambling's record-breaking receiver, Tramon Douglas. Alabama State wide receiver Chad Lucas gives the Titans three former SWAC standouts.

The free agent signees are listed below.

© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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