Teams don't pass many Bucks
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter
Ohio State fell one player short of the NFL record of six first-round picks from one school, but the five first-round Buckeyes seemed to find nearly ideal NFL fits on Saturday.
Picked fifth, throwback A.J. Hawk joined Green Bay's football tradition.
Picked eighth, Cleveland native Donte Whitner landed three hours up Lake Erie in Buffalo, joined by OSU secondary mate Ashton Youboty, who went in the third round to the Bills.
Picked 18th, Bobby Carpenter joins Dallas' Bill Parcells, who coached his father, Rob, as a New York Giant.
Picked 25th, Santonio Holmes slid into a vacant receiving spot for the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
Picked 29th, center Nick Mangold will revamp the New York Jets offensive line along with mammoth tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, with Buckeyes linebacker Anthony Schlegel providing a potential roommate after the Jets took him in the third round.
"Five guys, it's great to be a part of that," Mangold said by phone shortly after his selection, his draft day consisting of golf and Monopoly with his family in Centerville, Ohio. "I look forward to matching up with all those guys."
Nothing can top the match of Hawk and the Packers, who plan to play him at weakside linebacker. General Manager Ted Thompson settled on Hawk about three weeks ago, then sweated it out while hoping he'd be available at No. 5.
"I did a lot of praying," Thompson said.
No. 50 Hawk jerseys were for sale nearly immediately on the Packers Web site, and it's not hard to envision Hawk becoming one of the faces of the NFL in Titletown, USA.
"Kids ride bicycles to their training camp, and I wouldn't be surprised if A.J. came to practice on a bicycle as opposed to an Escalade," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "They won't be disappointed."
"I was kind of hoping to go there," said Hawk, who turned down an invitation to attend the draft in New York and as a compromise was saddled with ESPN and NFL Network camera crews in his living room. "My family's really excited because I'm staying in the Midwest. Hopefully it's a good fit. It's a football town, just like Columbus is."
Carpenter, Hawk's more flamboyant tackling mate, was destined for Dallas, saying the Cowboys were extremely interested after a private workout. That running back Rob Carpenter had played for Parcells during part of his 10-year NFL career only sealed the deal.
"I've always kind of dreamed of playing for him," said Carpenter, who will be an outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense.
Owner Jerry Jones and Parcells called Carpenter to inform him of their pick, a call made public on the Cowboys' Web site. Parcells joked about leaving tickets for Carpenter's dad, and the son ended the conversation by saying, "I'm looking forward to winning the Super Bowl, coach."
That may come more quickly for Holmes, who fell a little lower than projected and was shown yawning on ESPN before the Steelers traded up to make him the first receiver drafted. He should step in immediately for Antwaan Randle El, who left as a free agent.
Mangold went four picks later and should start in the hole left when the Jets cut their center, Kevin Mawae, last month. The Jets took Ferguson, a tackle, earlier in the round with the No. 4 pick.
Youboty was the only potential first-round Buckeye left waiting, falling to the 70th overall pick in the third round. The Bills could start three Buckeyes in the secondary, with Whitner at safety and Youboty and former OSU player Nate Clements at corners.
Schlegel was a mild surprise as a third-rounder, picked No. 76, giving the Buckeyes seven first-day picks. Offensive lineman Rob Sims, defensive end Mike Kudla, kicker Josh Huston and defensive tackle Marcus Green are among the Ohio State players expected to go in rounds four through seven today.
