Jackson, Bethea best hopes for NFL Draft
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
Two black college players were taken on the first day of last year's NFL Draft, both in the second round, but the prospects for the 2006 draft could be shut out of opening day action this weekend.
That's because while there appears to be at least two
solid prospects for the middle rounds, neither of the
hopefuls has gotten the kind of attention or ink
that would usually merit first-day, or first three- round selection.
The seven rounds of this year's NFL Draft will be held Saturday and Sunday (April 29-30) at New York's Radio City Music Hall.
Alabama State quarterback Tavaris Jackson and Howard safety Antoine Bethea are the two black college players projected to go off the boards first, and both have come quite a ways.
Jackson, who in three years as a starter passed for over 7,000 yards at Alabama State, started an impressive postseason by earning a start and performing well at the Shrine Bowl. The 6-2, 225-pounder went on to again open eyes after being invited to the Combine, impressing scouts with his size, speed, mobility and particularly his arm strength, which measured considerably above QBs ahead of him on most boards. He proved there that he can make all the NFL throws.
Bethea, who had an outstanding four-year career at Howard, earning three all-MEAC designations and three black college all-American honors, also started his rise with a strong Combine showing. Bethea led Howard in tackles in each of the last three years and projects as the kind of tough, physical safety plenty of teams seek. His best time of 4.39 in the 40 also opened some eyes.
Both Jackson and Bethea have been brought in for personal workouts and visits by a number of teams which has increased speculation that they could be early round picks.
Jackson and Bethea have come on in a similar manner to last year's early round picks, Ronald Bartell (Howard/St. Louis) and Nick Collins (Bethune-Cookman/Green Bay), who worked their way into the second round. Both earned significant playing time as NFL rookies.
But the star of last year's draft proved to be Hampton speedster Jerome Mathis, taken in the fourth round by Houston, who went on to earn a spot in the Pro Bowl after finishing second in the NFL in kickoff returns (28.6 ypr., 54 returns) bringing back two for TDs.
So it's not how early or how high you go, it's what you do when you get there.
Among the players that could likely go in the later rounds this year is Grambling's record-setting quarterback Bruce Eugene. Though Eugene struggled with his weight in college ballooning to almost 300 pounds after knee surgery, he got down to about 260 for the Combine and for personal workouts. He tied for the highest score on the Wonderlic intelligence test given at the Combine with a 41 and also showed impressive ball speed. With the productivity he showed at Grambling (over 13,000 passing yards, 140 TDs), he'd be a nice steal for somebody in the sixth or seventh rounds.
Eugene's teammate, defensive end Jason Hatcher also had some intriguing numbers - his size - 6-6, 285 pounds and his ability to play either rush end, tackle or linebacker. Following Mathis's success, look for kick returners Cletis Gordon (Jackson State) and Ricky Williams (B-CC) to get looks.
© 2006 Azeez Communications, Inc.