Football: Taking stock of the NFL draft

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - Some might think Newport Beach-based sports agent

Leigh Steinberg has cornered the market on NFL quarterbacks, but this

weekend in the NFL draft he’ll focus on the receiving end.

Steinberg, whose client list includes quarterbacks Troy Aikman, Steve

Young, Drew Bledsoe and Jeff George, will represent some of college

football’s top pass catchers this year.

Wide receivers R. Jay Soward from USC, Danny Farmer from UCLA and Plaxico

Burress from Michigan State, along with Miami’s Bubba Franks, the draft’s

top-rated tight end, will be in Steinberg’s camp today and Sunday as 31

NFL teams select an estimated 253 players at Madison Square Garden in New

York (shown live on ESPN).

USC guard Travis Claridge, USC running back Chad Morton and Louisville

quarterback Chris Redman, the NCAA’s all-time leader in completions and

attempts and a candidate to be the first quarterback taken, are also

aligned with Steinberg.

Steinberg helped break new ground in sports when he represented former

Cal quarterback Steve Bartkowski, the No. 1 overall selection in the 1975

NFL draft, and negotiated a four-year, $600,000 deal, at the time the

largest contract ever for an NFL rookie. These days that’s more like a

per diem.

Today, Franks is projected as a certain No. 1 draft choice who could be

taken as early as sixth to the Philadelphia Eagles, which would be the

highest a tight end has ever been picked.

Twice Franks was a first-team All-Big East Conference tight end, and

following his junior year in 1999, when he caught 45 passes for 565 yards

and five touchdowns, the 6-foot-5, 255-pounder could hear the NFL

beckoning his skills.

Redman, also a first-round candidate, turned a floundering Louisville

program into a flourishing one, leading the Cardinals to seven wins in

each of the past two seasons and back-to-back bowl games for the first

time in school history.

Despite earning the coveted Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award last season,

Redman’s legs were the biggest concern of team representatives at the

combine in February. In the 40-yard dash, Redman clocked a 5.37, while

Marshall’s Chad Pennington, the NFL draft’s other top quarterback

prospect, went the distance in 4.84.

But Redman, the NCAA record holder in career attempts (1,679) and

completions (1,031), shipped himself to Southern California after the

combine and began a training regimen to improve his speed. His 40 time is

now down to 5.0.

Claridge, the 6-6, 310-pound Morris Trophy winner, given to the top

offensive and defensive lineman in the Pacific 10 Conference, and Soward

are both projected as second-round picks.

Claridge, who started every game of his collegiate career (48), was a

two-time first-team All-Pac 10 member.

Farmer, who caught 29 passes for 573 yards last season despite groin and

nagging ankle injuries, is also considered a second-round selection today

by many experts.

A former walk-on who finished his college career as UCLA’s all-time

leader in receiving yards (3,020), the 6-4 Farmer also enjoyed an

outstanding volleyball career at UCLA.

Burress is expected to be a first-round draft choice.

Steinberg’s athletes have contributed over $65 million to charity over

the years. His attempt is to represent players who accept a position as

role models in society.

Not every client, however, has been a model citizen (i.e. Chargers

quarterback Ryan Leaf, who has given Steinberg public relations

nightmares since 1998).