Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 20, 1995 TAG: 9504200058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY AND RANDY KING STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Virginia Tech's Ken Brown is heading to Midlothian, while teammate Antonio Freeman plans on being in Baltimore.
Virginia's Charles Way will kick back in Philadelphia, and Cavalier Tyrone Davis likely will chill out in South Boston.
But when this weekend's NFL draft commences, all four might as well be in Atlantic City, pitching dice.
``I think the draft is going to be a real crapshoot for these guys,'' said Rick Clark, an NFL player agent. ``It's a strong draft talent-wise, and I don't think anybody really knows when a lot of guys are going to be picked.''
The NFL will start spinning its roulette wheel on Saturday afternoon. Where the ball will stop for the state's top-rated quartet of professional prospects is anybody's guess.
``They could go in the middle, they could go late, or they might not go at all,'' Clark said.
Davis and Freeman, both wide receivers, were rated sixth and seventh at their position by USA Today on Wednesday. Brown was the eighth-rated outside linebacker. Way failed to make the six-member fullback list.
``All the NFL teams are sequestered in their little rooms right now mapping out strategy,'' said Clark, Brown's agent. ``They're making all the those last-second calls trying to make sure what kind of goods they're getting. Nobody wants to make a mistake.''
Chances are, Davis or Freeman will be the first state player chosen. That's likely to occur somewhere from the middle of the third round on.
Davis once was viewed as a possible first- or second-rounder, but draft analyst Mel Kiper recently listed him as the sixth most-overrated player in the draft. That didn't prevent Kiper, in his mock draft, from predicting that Davis would be selected in the fourth round.
The sure-handed Freeman helped himself in workouts in front of pro scouts this summer, exhibiting more speed than he was thought to possess. Freeman was clocked as fast as 4.48 seconds for the 40-yard dash.
``A lot of people thought I was slower than I really am,'' Freeman said. ``A lot had me at 4.6 and 4.7. So it was good for me to run some 4.4s and 4.5s. That killed all the verdicts that I was slow or whatever.''
Freeman's agent, Joel Segal, predicts Freeman could be gone by the end of the second round. ``Of course,'' confessed Segal, ``I'm always optimistic about my guys.''
Brown, who played inside linebacker at Tech, is being projected by the pros as an outside linebacker due to his relatively small size of 6 feet 1, 240 pounds. Clark said that Brown appears to be ``dead smack in the middle of the draft board.''
``Ken was among the top two percent of the nation's linebackers in position drills in the workouts,'' Clark said. ``He didn't run at the Indianapolis combine in February due to his hamstring problem and that hasn't helped him. His speed is an issue to some teams.''
``Besides the running,'' said Brown, ``all the other aspects have been great. I think I'll get drafted somewhere. When it comes down to it, there's no doubt in my mind that I will make somebody's team.''
The only thing working against Way is a change in philosophy that has caused many teams to stress a one-back offense and virtually eliminate the fullback.
``That could actually work to his advantage,'' said Ken Mack, who coaches the UVa running backs. ``I've talked to some people who use a fullback and they say there's not a lot of fullbacks out there because so many college teams have gone to the one-back set.
``Maybe that will help increase his stock. He's an unknown quantity. The coaches and scouts who come in here, they fall in love with him. He's an impressive kid who's had some outstanding workouts.''
Way appears to be taking it all in stride, saying ``whatever happens, happens.''
``I'm really not thinking about it now. I probably won't think about it till I get home [to Philadelphia]. I'm planning on going somewhere Saturday, but the Eagles are still my team, so I'll watch to see who they pick up.
``They'll still be my team, but you want it to be a good situation for you. It's a business.''
Besides Davis and Way, the other UVa player who might be picked in the seven-round draft is defensive end Mike Frederick. Offensive guard Damien McMahon and quarterback Maurice DeShazo from Tech are, at best, draft long-shots.
by CNB