Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 19, 1990 TAG: 9004190609
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: By JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: FERRUM LENGTH: Medium
Most play for Division III teams because of a flaw out of high school that kept them from being considered higher prospects. Generally, that status does not change after four years of collegiate experience.
Still, the NFL scouting system is extensive - virtually no one slips through the cracks. If a player has any type of professional potential, it's likely someone in the NFL will know about him.
Even so, Ferrum running back Chris Warren is an anomaly for Division III. When the draft begins, he will not merely hope to be drafted, he will expect to be.
If all goes as planned, his name could be called early.
"I have no idea where I'm going to be drafted; I just hope it's high," Warren said. "Obviously, you'd be more excited to be in the top three rounds, but just to get drafted is a big deal. Not too many are [drafted] in comparison to how many college players there are."
Warren played for two years at the University of Virginia before transferring to Ferrum. In two seasons with the Panthers, he rushed for 2,708 yards with 32 touchdowns and caught 44 passes for 734 yards with five touchdowns. Warren also had more than 1,100 yards in return yardage with six touchdowns.
Word of Warren's versatility drew plenty of scouts to the Franklin County school.
"His greatest asset is that he can do everything," said Ferrum coach Hank Norton, who has coached several players who went on to the NFL. "I think his versatility will be a big factor. But this is a year when just about every good junior running back is coming out."
Midway through the 1989 football season, the consensus with most of the scouts who had seen Warren was that he probably would be drafted between the first and third rounds. In the 1990 NFL College Draft Preview, produced by Pro Football Weekly magazine, Warren was listed as a fullback and was graded at 5.4, rating him fifth-best at that position.
Then there is a complication: With the NFL clearing the way for underclassmen to declare themselves eligible for the draft, the available talent has increased considerably. The availability of juniors such as Illinois quarterback Jeff George, Alabama linebacker Keith McCants and Florida running back Emmitt Smith likely has changed teams' draft strategy.
In the Scout's Notebook '90, published by Pro Football Weekly after the season, Warren's grading had dropped to 5.0, and he was rated the No. 12 fullback. Four juniors were rated ahead of him. He was not included among the top 150 players in the draft and was listed as an underachiever at running back.
Judging by the scouting reports, the biggest question mark about Warren concerns the level of competition he has faced and that he played in a wishbone offense at Ferrum.
"What's considered dominant statistics?" Norton said. "[Chris] played one halfback in a four-back offense. He rushed for a thousand yards a season and scored 37 touchdowns in a shared offense. He rarely played for more than a half in a game. His gift is that he can catch the ball, and he's improved his blocking.
"He's never been hurt. All his football is in front of him.
"I would be surprised if Chris doesn't go in the first three rounds, but I don't really know. It all depends on who's drafting when and what their needs are."
Still, Warren said he isn't concerned about the players in the draft with him.
"If I were a general manager, I'd be the first pick," Warren said. "But I'm not saying I expect to be first, second or third round. I'm just looking forward to going to wherever I go.
"I don't think the underclassmen will hurt my position. I just want to get there. I know my abilities and what I can do on the field. I look at it as I'm going to be successful no matter where I go."
He said he has no regrets about transferring to Ferrum.
"I started in Division I," Warren said. "This is just where I finished up.
"I think I would have eventually stood out at Virginia. Coming to a small school has just helped me stand out even more.
"It's been tough. I've been waiting for this [the draft] since December. It's been hard to concentrate on anything but that. The draft will be a little relief and a lot of excitement because I'll be doing something I've always dreamed about. The hardest part is waiting." If I were a general manager, I'd be the first pick.
by CNB