Rams News

Tar Heels sack leader Ellis
gears up for a run at NFL
04/03 08:32 PM

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

At the University of North Carolina, Greg Ellis played for the best defense not in the NFL last season.
The Tar Heels could have as many as five defensive players drafted in the first round on April 18. Ellis, defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday and outside linebacker Brian Simmons are sure first-rounders. Middle linebacker Kivuusama Mays and cornerback Robert Williams shouldn't last longer than the second round -- if they don't go in the first.
``You know you've got a special defense when you miss a tackle and three other guys are there to get him,'' Ellis said.
A 6-foot-5, 285-pound defensive end, Ellis leaves North Carolina as the Tar Heels' career sack leader (32). His 12 sacks in 1996 is surpassed on the school's single-season list only by Lawrence Taylor's 16 sacks.
As a youth in Wendell, N.C., Ellis grew up pretending to be L.T. Ellis now does a pretty fair imitation when it comes to knocking down quarterbacks.
``You've got to be strong enough to play against the run,'' Ellis said. ``But personally, I like to pass rush. Any time it's second and long, third and long, I want to be in the game.''
Ellis works hard at his craft. When he arrived at college, he could bench press 255 pounds. By the start of his senior season, he was hoisting 440. And he's serious about his profession, too, showing up for a predraft visit Friday to Rams Park wearing a suit and tie.
He'll be dressed for success a lot this month. He visited the Atlanta Falcons, who pick 12th, on Monday. He has trips planned to Dallas (No. 8 overall) and Detroit (No. 20) next week. Depending on whether teams have him rated higher than fellow defensive end Grant Wistrom of Nebraska, Ellis could go in the top 10.
Like Wistrom, who visited the Rams on Thursday, Ellis has tried to bulk up. He has added 25 pounds since the start of the '97 college season.
Also visiting the Rams on Friday was Auburn quarterback Dameyune Craig. Missouri running back Brock Olivo is scheduled to visit today. The parade of defensive ends continues Monday, when Florida State's Andre Wadsworth visits Rams Park. Wadsworth is considered the best prospect in this year's draft, ahead of quarterbacks Peyton Manning of Tennessee and Ryan Leaf of Washington State.

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