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LB A.J. Hawk (2x All-American, Lombardi Trophy, National Champion, Super Bowl Champion)

ESPN

4/25

Should be first LB since 2000 to go in top 10


By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Archive



Not since the Washington Redskins chose LaVar Arrington with the second overall pick in 2000 has there been a linebacker selected among the top five prospects in the draft. For that matter, Arrington was the last linebacker to earn top-10 draft status, despite the fact five of the last six defensive rookies of the year, including the last three, came from the position.

Confused about the seeming dichotomy of the situation? Well, queue up right behind A.J. Hawk of Ohio State, the man at the front of the line among the linebacker prospects for this year's draft. Hawk almost certainly will end the drought for top-five linebackers and, if the universally flattering assessments of his abilities are accurate, he'll probably extend the rookie-of-the-year streak for linebackers, as well.

And maybe help regain some of the old respect for the onetime glamour position.

"It does seem, for whatever reason, that teams don't use the real high first-round picks on linebackers anymore," Hawk noted last week. "To me, it's still a position where you can make an impact, and on every play. Maybe they can [rationalize] it somehow, but I can't figure it out."

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Andy Lyons/Getty Images
A.J. Hawk figures to be the first or second defensive player selected in the draft.



The reluctance of franchises to invest top-10 selections on linebackers might be one of the few mysteries to which Hawk can't conjure up an explanation. He has prototype size (6-foot-1, 248 pounds) and exceptional quickness (a 4.45-second 40 at his pro-day audition), and he possesses a superb combination of athletic skills, but Hawk's most notable attribute might be his innate football instincts.

Watch him on tape, and Hawk -- the latest in the long lineage of great Buckeyes linebackers -- seems to never take a misstep in getting to the ball. There is a precision and economy to his game that actually becomes disarming and occasionally subjugates just how explosive a player he can be. Make no mistake, though, everyone in the league seems to know how productive Hawk might be, even as a rookie.

In fact, there are two names that personnel directors and scouts keep mentioning as the most "sure things" in the 2006 draft. Virginia left offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson is one, and Hawk is the other. Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage termed Hawk the "safest pick" in the draft. One defensive coordinator from an NFC team that drafts way too low to ever have a shot at Hawk suggested last week the former OSU star will someday be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

There might be some hyperbole in all those 24-karat analyses, but not much, judging by the awe with which scouts and coaches speak of him.

"He is," Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel said, "the real thing."

And, the recent draft history of linebackers notwithstanding, he is going to be off the board quickly. There are rumblings that the New Orleans Saints, who have the second overall choice, love Hawk but are anxious about taking him so high. But if Hawk is, indeed, the highest-rated defender on the Saints' board, they probably need to grab him. New Orleans has been attempting for years to shore up a suspect linebacker corps.
The New York Jets, with the fourth pick, and Green Bay, in the No. 5 slot, are also strongly considering Hawk.

No matter where he goes, Hawk is a lock to be the highest-selected linebacker since Arrington, the three-time Pro Bowl performer whose career has been sidetracked by injuries the past two seasons. Arrington was one of two top-10 linebackers in the 2000 draft, with Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears chosen ninth overall that year.

Since that 2000 draft, the linebacker chosen highest was Carolina's Dan Morgan, the 11th overall pick in 2001. The highest linebackers in the past four drafts were: Napoleon Harris of Oakland (23rd in 2002), Green Bay's Nick Barnett (29th in 2003), Jonathan Vilma of the Jets (12th in 2004) and Shawne Merriman of San Diego (12th in 2005). That's an average first-round slot, in the last four drafts, of No. 19.

Outside of Hawk, the linebackers with first-round grades on most boards include Florida State's Ernie Sims, Alabama's DeMeco Ryans, Ohio State's Bobby Carpenter and Iowa's Chad Greenway. Two college defensive ends, NC State's Manny Lawson and Florida State's Kamerion Wimbley, are projected by 3-4 teams to play linebacker but are more hybrid-style players.

None of those prospects, though, is even close to Hawk in the estimation of league scouts. At most positions in the draft, there is at least some debate about who the top prospect might be. There is no such quarrel at linebacker, where every personnel director or general manager surveyed cites Hawk as the unchallenged No. 1 guy.

And why not? He is the first player to lead Ohio State in tackles for three consecutive seasons (2003-05) since Steve Tovar in 1990-92. Hawk was a three-time All-Big Ten selection, twice earned conference defensive player of the year honors and was a consensus All-American each of the last two years. His college résumé is every bit as impressive as that of some of the players who comprise the Buckeyes' great linebacker lineage (such as Tom Cousineau, Randy Gradishar and Chris Spielman).

It isn't as if Hawk is the biggest hitter (although he might be) in the linebacker pool. He's not the fastest candidate at the position, isn't the best blitzer or the top coverage defender. But he does so many things well, and does them with such high proficiency and with such well-honed recognition skills, that he is head and shoulders above the competition.

And then there is his versatility. Hawk can play any linebacker position in either a 3-4 or 4-3 front and, truth be told, about the only question concerning him is exactly where he'll line up in the NFL. Some feel that his best spot might be as an inside linebacker in a 3-4 front. Others insist that weakside linebacker in a 4-3 will be where he makes the most impact. Rest assured, he'll be ready to play no matter where the team that takes him decides to employ him.

"I think desire, wanting to be the best at every phase of the game, is a part of my makeup," Hawk said. "And preparation is really big with me, too. I try to study hard and watch a lot of tape. When I get on the field, I don't want to have any doubts swirling around in my head about what's going on out there. It's a hard enough position to play without being mentally ready to play it. And I think getting to that point is one of my strengths."

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT] [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]It does seem, for whatever reason, that teams don't use the real high first-round picks on linebackers anymore. To me, it's still a position where you can make an impact, and on every play. Maybe they can [rationalize] it somehow, but I can't figure it out.[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Times,serif][/FONT][FONT=Times,serif]A.J. Hawk[/FONT] Whatever doubters there were about Hawk going into the scouting combine workouts in February -- and there weren't very many skeptics -- were pleasantly surprised that a prospect already a lock for a top-10 spot actually completed the full battery of drills. His results brought scouts out of their seats at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Hawk was clocked at 4.59 in the 40 (the 4.45 time came at his on-campus workout), at 3.96 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle drill and 6.02 seconds in the three-cone drill. His vertical jump was 40 inches, he had a long jump of 9 feet, 7 inches and hoisted the bench press for 24 repetitions.

"But it's all the other stuff, too, the finer points of the game, that make him even more special," noted Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson. "You can tell he loves the weight room. He talks about football with a real passion. And when you watch him play, just the way he uses his hands to get off blocks, the way he is drawn to the ball, those are things that are the mark of special players."

It's going to take such a special player to change the minds of teams about the linebacker position, which, over the past decade, has been devalued by scouts. The emphasis now is on getting people who can either knock down the quarterback or, failing that, knock down the pass. End, tackle and cornerback are the new premium positions, and there exists a notion that linebackers simply don't make enough game-altering plays. Indeed, the one area in which Hawk wants to improve, he noted, is his pass rush.

Still, he had 15 sacks in four seasons, including 9½ in 2005, and six interceptions. Those numbers augur that Hawk will be a three-down defender, another component that enhances his stock. Part of the ebb in value at the linebacker position is that teams are reluctant to invest heavily in two-down players -- guys who come off the field for situation substitution packages on third down.

Like the linebacker he most tries to emulate, Zach Thomas of the Miami Dolphins, Hawk doesn't leave the field. He plays every snap and plays every snap hard.

"People say I'm a little bit of a throwback," Hawk said. "I definitely take that as a compliment. I just love the game. I love to compete. There's definitely some football purist in me. I like the traditional stuff."

How traditional is he? Well, consider this: Hawk is engaged to the sister of Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, who could be the top overall selection in next year's draft. In honor of the Irish traditions of the Quinn family, the wedding is set for St. Patrick's Day next year.

By that time, Hawk will have snapped the top-10 drought for linebackers. And he'll have banked a big enough signing bonus to make the wedding reception a memorable bash.
 
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A.J. is one of those Buckeye's. A special breed that we all grow attached to. I mean we love all of our boys, but there are certain players that you just get attched to. Obviously Nuuuuge was one and I think A.J. was the man from this years class (although there are so many...Carp, Santonio...). Wherever he ends up I will buy a "Hawk" jersey to match my "Nugent" Jets jersey....
 
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DDN

4/26/06

NFL DRAFT LINEBACKERS
Hawk the cream of an excellent crop

By Staff reports

Overview:

The 2006 NFL draft is rich in linebackers, especially on the outside, where impact players are everywhere. Ohio State's A.J. Hawk is the cream of the crop, blending excellent instincts with high intensity and relentless pursuit. Manny Lawson and Kamerion Wimbley are classic "tweeners" who played defensive end in college but are more suited for outside linebacker in the pros. Keep an eye on Ohio State's Bobby Carpenter. He shared the spotlight with Hawk in college, but his speed, range and high motor could send him into the draft's first round.


DDN's top 5 linebackersPlayerSchoolHt.Wt.A.J. Hawk Ohio State 6-1 248Manny Lawson N.C. State 6-5 241Kamerion Wimbley Florida State 6-4245Ernie Sims Florida State 5-11 231Chad GreenwayIowa 6-3 244



Quotable
"At Ohio State, there's so much tradition, especially in the linebacker spot, it's an honor to play there. I couldn't ask for a better four years. Since high school, I've had great coaches. They put me in position to make plays and I try not to disappoint them. I rely on instincts. I try to go hard every play and try to get in on every tackle." — A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
Bengals/Browns
The Bengals will look to add some depth here, especially if they switch to the linebacker-oriented 3-4 defense ... The Browns are desperate for an outside 'backer who can put heat on the QB.
 
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Link

4/26

April 26, 2006
Ohio State star mane man at linebacker
By Randy Covitz
Knight Ridder Newspapers


Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk is considered one of the few sure things in this year’s NFL draft
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THE NFL DRAFT
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Someone at the NFL scouting combine jokingly asked Ohio State linebacker A.J Hawk whether there's anyone left in Columbus to play defense.
At least 11 defensive players from Ohio State could be taken in this weekend's NFL draft, and as many as four may be selected in the first two rounds.
But there's little doubt Hawk is the best of the Buckeyes.
He has the catchy name, the long, flowing mane and a knack for finding the football. Hawk, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, led the Buckeyes in tackles the last three seasons, including 141 in 2004, and 121 in 2005 when he added 9 1/2 sacks.

Though he's just 6-feet-1 and 248 pounds, Hawk ran a 4.59 in the 40-yard dash at the combine and a 4.47 at Ohio State's Pro Day, showing he can play outside in a 4-3 defense or inside in a 3-4.

Alabama's DeMeco Ryans, No. 35, helps bring down Southern Miss running back Larry Thomas during the Tide's 30-21 win last season.
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NFL DRAFT
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When: Saturday and Sunday

TV: Coverage begins Saturday at 11 a.m. on ESPN
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The Green Bay Packers, in need of an outside linebacker, are projected to take him with the fifth pick of the draft, and that would be a fitting place for Hawk, the Lombardi Award winner.
"I really haven't given it too much thought," Hawk said of his NFL destination. "Any team that wants me, I'll gladly go. Especially a team like Green Bay, with the tradition they have, the fans they have, it would be unbelievable."
It's been six years since a linebacker went as high as fifth in the NFL Draft, when Washington took Penn State's LaVar Arrington second overall in 2000. But in recent years, rookie linebackers have made immediate impacts in the league.
In 2004, the New York Jets' Jonathan Vilma, the 12th pick of the draft, was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year; and last year, San Diego's Shawne Merriman, also the 12th overall pick, won that award, while Seattle's Lofa Tatupu, a second-round choice, helped Seattle to the Super Bowl.
"It's a position where a lot of times they say they don't want to draft people too high," Hawk said, "because they think, 'How much impact can a linebacker have?' It's understandable. We're not big defensive ends who are going to get 15 to 18 sacks a year. We're not a running back who's going to rush for 1,500 yards. I guess you can justify not taking guys too high.
"I think the linebacker position, with all the defenses they're playing, and with the offenses you have to face - one week you're facing a spread offense and the next week a team is trying to pound the ball on you - you have to do a little bit of everything. All I want is a chance, regardless where I'm taken."
Hawk follows in a grand tradition of outstanding Ohio State linebackers, including Randy Gradishar, Pepper Johnson, Andy Katzenmoyer and Chris Spielman. But he brings a little something extra to the game.
"Some of the linebackers we've had before were great run stoppers," said Ohio State teammate and fellow linebacker Bobby Carpenter, another possible first-round pick. "But A.J. does a great job stopping the run, rushing the passer, defending the pass - he can really do it all. He's the total package."
Hawk credited his production at Ohio State to teammates such as Carpenter, defensive end Mike Kudla, and two other Buckeyes expected to be drafted on Saturday, safety Donte Whitner and cornerback Ashton Youboty.
"I was trying to get to the ball," Hawk said. "I play with 10 other guys who are really good."
 
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Dispatch

4/26

NFL DRAFT
OSU’s Hawk takes talk in stride
Effusive praise from others doesn’t go to linebacker’s head
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Discussion of the NFL draft often forces even the experts to equivocate. Pro football’s annual talent roundup is not always about taking the best player as much as it is filling a need or gambling on a potential star. Such is the case in this weekend’s draft, said longtime talent purveyor Gil Brandt, now of NFL.com.
"In today’s schemes, for example, the quarterback is the most important player," Brandt said. "Then comes the great left tackle who can protect the quarterback’s blind side. The outstanding defensive end who can rush the passer and give you pressure, they’re probably next because they can have such an impact on the game.
"But if you were just looking at the prospects this year in a pure football sense and just saying who is the best player in this draft, it would be A..J. Hawk. He is amazing."
Put in context, Brandt’s statement is amazing. There was a time not that long ago when Hawk would have been considered fourth best — not fourth best among NFL draft prospects, but the fourth-best linebacker in Ohio State’s 2002 recruiting class.
Now he’s just a few days from likely being the first linebacker taken in the NFL draft. He’ll certainly be a top-10 pick and could go in the first five, a short list including Heisman Trophywinning running back Reggie Bush, quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Vince Young, defensive end Mario Williams and offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
As Brandt pointed out, such are the vagaries of the draft.
"For a pure football player, Hawk is the one," Brandt said.
Hawk appreciated the comment, but it’s his nature not to take anything for granted. Earlier this week, for example, while some other top prospects might have been spending time with their agents or sleeping in, Hawk was taking an advanced statistics exam at Ohio State.
"I’m telling you, that test was hard," Hawk said.
If it seems odd that Hawk would concern himself with schoolwork the same week in which he begins a milliondollar professional football career, then you don’t know A.J. Hawk. He takes a similar approach to praise about his abilities.
"Obviously it’s flattering and it’s nice to hear that kind of stuff, but you can’t really put too much into it," Hawk said. "If I bought into every good thing somebody said about me, I’d probably just be on the couch, sitting back, thinking I already had it made.
"That’s not the way football is. For one thing, it’s a team game. And as a player, you’ve always got to keep getting better."
That is the essence of Hawk, said Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock, who has watched him closely for four years.
"What stands out? His passion for the game, to begin with — he loves to play football," Heacock said. "On top of that there’s his great character, his great work ethic, great toughness, all of the intangibles — he’s got them all."
It was Hawk’s tangibles that seemed to be in question at certain points in his career, never more than when he made the step from Centerville High School to Ohio State. He was considered by most recruiting experts to be the fourth linebacker in the celebrated OSU class that included Mike D’Andrea, Bobby Carpenter and Stan White Jr.
"That just goes to show you those rankings and things, you never know how someone is going to respond until they’re put into the mix with everybody else," said Mike Kudla, a standout high-school linebacker from that class who was moved to defensive end.
Four years later, Hawk stands out among a talentrich class of OSU players, 12 or more of whom could be drafted this weekend.
"He’s the man," safety Nate Salley said.
Hawk proved that over and over at Ohio State, and not just in leading the team in tackles for three straight seasons.
"More than anything it was his competitiveness," Heacock said. "Whether it was practice in a tackling drill or just running, he was always going to compete. Whatever he did was always 100 percent. You never got anything less than that."
In college football, however, a lot of players have heart and passion. What the 6-foot-1, 248-pound Hawk has done, Brandt said, is combine the intangibles with the tangibles.
For example, he ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.50-second range at the OSU pro day last month; he finished the shuttle drill in an outstanding 3.96 seconds; and he has a standing vertical leap of 40 inches.
"Sometimes you get guys who have a love for the game but they don’t test well, and sometimes you get guys who test well who just aren’t good at playing football," Brandt said. "A.J. Hawk is the combination. He’s a great football player with great skills who just wants to get better."
Hawk’s mother, Judy, said she has watched the youngest of her three sons star at every level from the second grade on. His humble demeanor may have kept him out of the spotlight at times, but "it doesn’t surprise us that he has excelled," she said. "With A.J., what you see is what you get."
To hear folks refer to him now as the best linebacker available in the draft, "That’s surreal. I can’t comprehend that," Judy Hawk said. "It is a great honor and privilege to have people speak of your son that way, because you know he is a fantastic young man. But I go back to what A.J. always says: ‘Do it on the field.’
"We kind of look at this as just moving on to the next level, just like he’s done all of his life. You never take it for granted."
She admitted, though, she wouldn’t have minded seeing her son’s humility take a day off this weekend. The NFL offered to fly Hawk, his fiancee, Laura Quinn — sister of Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn — and his parents to New York so he could be on hand at the draft. He declined the offer.
"We’re talking about four first-class tickets to New York, where we would have been pampered for a couple of days — that doesn’t sound bad to me," Judy Hawk said with a laugh..
But A.J. has never flown that way.
"On draft day I want to be comfortable, sitting with family and the people I care about the most," he said. "I don’t want a big camera in my face with people seeing my reaction.
"Besides, I’m not a guy to have a big reaction to anything anyway. I’m just looking forward to finding out which team is going to pick me and where I’m going to play football next."
[email protected]
 
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NFBuck said:
A.J. is one of those Buckeye's. A special breed that we all grow attached to. I mean we love all of our boys, but there are certain players that you just get attched to. Obviously Nuuuuge was one and I think A.J. was the man from this years class (although there are so many...Carp, Santonio...). Wherever he ends up I will buy a "Hawk" jersey to match my "Nugent" Jets jersey....
I guess it's just a Centerville thing...GO ELKS!!!
 
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link

4/27/06

[SIZE=+1]All the talk at linebacker position is about Hawk[/SIZE]

By Jason Wilde, Wisconsin State Journal

GREEN BAY - Linebacker may be the deepest position in this year’s NFL draft, but there is only one A.J. Hawk.

Not since 2000, when the Washington Redskins picked LaVar Arrington second overall and the Chicago Bears took Brian Urlacher ninth, has a linebacker been picked in the top 10.

Since then, the linebacker chosen highest was Dan Morgan of Miami (Fla.), the 11th overall pick by Carolina in 2001 - and the player the Green Bay Packers should have taken at No. 10 instead of bust Jamal Reynolds.

Hawk, who was incredibly productive as Ohio State’s defensive leader the past three seasons, is a virtual lock to break that streak, perhaps as early as at No. 2 to the New Orleans Saints. If not, he will likely go to the Packers at No. 5.

While there are plenty of linebackers to be had on Saturday and Sunday - Iowa’s Chad Greenway, Florida State’s Ernie Sims, Hawk’s Ohio State teammate Bobby Carpenter and ‘tweeners Kamerion Wimbley of Florida State and Manny Lawson of North Carolina State are all highly regarded - Hawk is head-and-shoulders above them all.

“There’s one guy,” Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. “He’s right down the street (from us) in Columbus. The initials are A.J.

“He’s the real thing.”
 
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link

4/27/06

NFL Draft

Hawk next in line of star defenders

By CHAREAN WILLIAMS

STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

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GETTY IMAGES/DAVID MAXWELL
A.J. Hawk continues the long tradition of standout linebackers to come out of Ohio State.

Penn State has the reputation as Linebacker U, but Ohio State could claim the same. Ike Kelley, Randy Gradishar, Tom Cousineau, Pepper Johnson, Chris Spielman, Steve Tovar, Andy Katzenmoyer and Na'il Diggs have been followed by the latest, and perhaps greatest, of them all -- A.J. Hawk.
"At Ohio State, there's so much tradition, especially in the linebacker spot," Hawk said. "...The best thing about being there, the older guys would come back and let us know how they did things. I have a lot of respect for them."
Spielman still is held in high regard in Columbus, with 546 career tackles, including a school-record 283 solos. But Hawk has to be right there in any conversation about the school's best-ever linebackers. Hawk did, after all, lead the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons, finishing with 394 in his career.
"Just to be mentioned in the same breath as [Spielman] would be a great honor," Hawk said. "We'll see 10 or 15 years down the road [if Hawk is regarded as highly as Spielman]. That's what I'd like, to come in and see what I can do in the NFL and try to make an impact."
NFL scouts are expecting big things out of Hawk. He is projected as a top-10 pick, likely bound for Green Bay at No. 5, San Francisco at No. 6 or Oakland at No. 7.
"This guy's a playmaker," Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "He runs all over the place, and he runs to the ball."
Hawk, the Lombardi Trophy winner and Big Ten defensive player of the year, left an impression on opponents.
"He's a beast," Purdue tight end Charles Davis said. "He's a man in there. What helps him is he's got a good sense for the ball. He's always around it. And he's got the speed to always be in a play."
Online exclusive
NFL Draft video: Cowboys beat writer Clarence E. Hill Jr. and NFL writer Charean Williams will discuss the NFL Draft in on-demand video to be posted Wednesday morning. To post questions you'd like them to answer during the program, find the link under "Inside Star-Telegram.com" at www.star-telegram.com.
Overview
In 2000, five linebackers were selected in the first round. There are seven outside linebackers who are worthy of first-round consideration. Ohio State's A.J. Hawk will be a top-10 pick, while Florida State's Ernie Sims, Iowa's Chad Greenway, Alabama's DeMeco Ryans, North Carolina State's Manny Lawson, UTEP's Thomas Howard and Ohio State's Bobby Carpenter also won't have long to wait on draft day. The class is much weaker inside, where Maryland's D'Qwell Jackson is the top prospect.
Cowboys' needs
The Cowboys signed inside linebacker Akin Ayodele and outside linebacker Rocky Boiman in free agency after losing Scott Fujita to free agency and Dat Nguyen to retirement. Outside linebacker Demarcus Ware, the 11th overall choice last year, should have a fine future, and inside linebacker Bradie James finally started to live up to his potential. But in Bill Parcells' 3-4 scheme, he can never have enough good linebackers, and Manny Lawson or Bobby Carpenter could be possibilities.
Top 5
1A.J. Hawk, Ohio State, 6-1, 248, 4.59. He has joined his place in school history, earning a top-10 pre-draft ranking.
2Ernie Sims, Florida State, 5-11, 231, 4.50. He might be his school's best linebacking prospect since Derrick Brooks.
3Manny Lawson, North Carolina State, 6-6, 241, 4.43. He moved to right defensive end as a junior and teamed with Mario Williams.
4Chad Greenway, Iowa, 6-3, 242, 4.76. He finished his career ranked fifth in school history with 416 tackles.
5DeMeco Ryans, Alabama, 6-1, 236, 4.65. He ranked fourth in school history with 308 tackles and had 7.5 sacks.
Sleeper
William Freeman, Furman, 6-2, 242, 4.76. He has the size, strength and athleticism (37-inch vertical) to make a roster.
Texas ties
Thomas Howard, UTEP, 6-3, 239, 4.42. His father, Thomas Sr., played nine seasons in the NFL.
Clint Ingram, Oklahoma, 6-1, 240, 4.65. The Hallsville product, and Robert Newhouse's nephew, is a good fit for the Cover-2.
Anthony Schlegel, Ohio State, 6-1, 250, 4.88. The Highland Park product will get second-day consideration for how he plays the run.
Jamar Williams, Arizona State, 6-0, 236, 4.59. Houston Langham Creek ex was a three-year starter.
John Syptak, Rice, 6-1, 250, 4.78. A defensive end in college, he could be drafted late as a linebacker project.
Aaron Harris, Texas, 5-11, 232, 4.77. He is undersized but could get to training camp.
 
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For being a top 5 pick it sure seems like he doesn't get talked about much on tv. It's all Vince Young and Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and Mario Williams.

Who cares, its all pre-draft hype anyways. With all of those guys, theres always some people taking shots at them and saying why they might not be a success. With Hawk, they only have good things to say.



Here's hope to a buckeye Defensive ROY!

oh yeah and by the way, what number do you think he'll get in the pros? 57, maybe?
 
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ABJ

4/28/06

Commercial featuring Hawk to air during draft

By Doug Harris
Staff Writer
A.J. Hawk is expected to be one of the top picks in Saturday's NFL draft, which will make him a very rich man. He'll be featured on ESPN during the draft, but he'll also make an appearance when the show takes a break for commercials.

Hawk, who will watch the draft from his parents' Centerville home, will be featured in an ad for Under Armour, a growing sports performance apparel company. His agent, Mike McCartney, said lining up endorsements for the former Ohio State star has been easy.

"There's no red flags with him," McCartney said. "A.J. is a throwback, both on and off the field."

So many companies have wanted to align themselves with a potential star who exudes old-school values that Hawk has had to set limits on his off-field endeavors, McCartney said.

Hawk has a three-year contract with Under Armour. He shot a commercial in the company's gear last month in Dallas. It debuts on Saturday's draft telecast.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but St. Louis-based Tim Carley, who does marketing work for NFL agents and their clients, believes Hawk probably was paid about $250,000.

The All-American linebacker from Ohio State also has deals with Sprint, Sirius Satellite Radio and Bob Ross GMC in Centerville that could raise his off-field compensation to about $500,000 (plus a new GMC Yukon Denali) per year.

But that figure pales in comparison with what he'll make as an NFL player. Hawk's initial contract, if he's taken in the top seven picks, as expected, could be worth $30 million to $40 million over five years.



Mixing football, Madison Avenue
On the field
: A.J. Hawk is expected to be one of the top picks in Saturday's NFL draft. To find out where he'll play as a pro, tune in to ESPN at noon Saturday.

Off the field: Hawk has cashed in on several endorsement deals, but he'll soon be concentrating on football. "I don't want to do a ton of stuff. I think there's a line you shouldn't cross," he said.

Local flavor: Hawk might not be the only first-round pick from Centerville. Nick Mangold, Hawk's teammate at Ohio State, could be a first-round selection. As youngsters, Hawk and Mangold played on the same Centerville Wee Elks football team.
 
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ABJ

4/28/06

Off-field efforts working out for Hawk

High-energy athlete shows several ad execs he only goes at one speed: All-out.

By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

A.J. Hawk is being featured in a national ad campaign for Under Armour because of his rugged persona, but the company was forced to do a little improvising to capture that image on film.

commercial shoot took place in Dallas on March 24, and the script called for Hawk to do strenuous exercises with Maryland's Vernon Davis, the New York Jets' Jonathan Vilma, the Dallas Cowboys' Julius Jones and former Olympic skier and Colorado football player Jeremy Bloom.

But the regimen turned out to be such a breeze for the Centerville native that he had difficulty following his cues.

"We're notorious for working our guys out very hard on film, hitting full speed, the whole bit — with no camera tricks, no fake weights," said Steve Battista, vice president of brand marketing for Under Armour. "A.J. had a steel chain tied around his waist and was doing 50-yard sprints with a couple-hundred-pound sled tied to his back for 30 or 40 takes."

Despite the load, Hawk moved too fast for the film crew.

"He kept catching up to the dolly camera, so we had to get a faster (cart) to pull the cameraman out front," Battista said. "We don't go half speed, and I have the feeling A.J. doesn't, either."

Under Armour, which specializes in workout apparel, will air the commercial for the first time Saturday during the NFL draft on ESPN. The company signed Hawk to a three-year contract to promote its new football cleat in exchange for an undisclosed amount of cash and a steady supply of gear.

The workout garb has become fashionable among football players because the fabric wicks away sweat beneath the uniform. Hawk said he was wearing the outfits before he became an official endorser.

Agent Mike McCartney of Priority Sports in Chicago also has negotiated deals for Hawk with Sprint and Sirius Satellite Radio. Terms were not disclosed, but the St. Louis-based Tim Carley, who arranges marketing deals for agents and their clients, estimated that Hawk will be making roughly $500,000 in outside income.

"I think it's going well so far," Hawk said. "I'm doing stuff that benefits me without overextending myself. Mike knows I don't want to do a ton of stuff. I think there's a line you shouldn't cross. I don't want to do everything and anything."

But Hawk's off-field commitments are mounting. He's also doing spots for Bob Ross GMC in Centerville and another car dealership in Columbus.

The one-year contracts allow him to lease a 2007 GMC Yukon Denali for himself and a Chevrolet Tahoe for his fiancee, Laura Quinn (the wedding is set for March 17).

Hawk will be shooting a commercial for Bob Ross GMC on Monday, and company vice president Jenell Ross said she considers the partnership a no-brainer.

"He's from Centerville. His parents have been customers of ours. And, obviously, everyone is an Ohio State fan in the Dayton community as well as in Centerville," she said. "It's exciting for us to be a part of this."

Hawk had been tooling around in a 1995 Tahoe with 168,000 miles and a driver's seat that wouldn't stay upright.

"I still have it," he said. "I don't know what I'm doing with it yet."
 
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I'm looking for the picture of AJ making a tackle without his helmet- I think against Northwestern maybe. It was ripped off by a stiff arm and he got really pissed about it. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Hoping you guys can help me find the picture I'm looking for.
 
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