Rams News

Manning, Leaf go 1-2;
Vikings take Moss at 21
04/18 11:32 PM

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

When all was said and done, about the only surprise on Day One of the 1998 NFL draft was that there were very few surprises.
As expected, Indianapolis selected Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning with the No. 1 overall pick. As expected, San Diego went with Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf at No. 2.
Who was Indianapolis president Bill Polian trying to fool with his pre-draft ``intrigue'' over which quarterback the Colts would select? Certainly not Manning.
``I had a pretty good idea,'' Manning said after his selection. ``But I can keep a secret, too.'' (Wink. Wink.)
Even Arizona and Oakland, two clubs known for the unusual -- and even the wacky -- on draft day, held form. Arizona took Florida State defensive end Andre Wadsworth with the third pick, and Oakland followed by taking Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, the cornerback from Michigan.
Randy Moss took a dive. The talented but troubled Marshall wide receiver slid only to Minnesota at No. 21, and not entirely out of the first round as some had speculated.
``He gives us the most potent offense in the NFL,'' Vikings coach Denny Green said.
Moss has had three scrapes with the law in the past three years and spent a month in jail. He hardly put minds at ease in the Twin Cities when Minnesota reporters asked if there were past problems that had yet to come out. ``Ain't no telling what might come out,'' Moss said.
One other thing made the first round notable: the lack of trades. There were only three this year, compared to seven last April. If anything, Saturday was marked by trades that didn't happen, beginning with Arizona at No. 3 overall.
Fearing the Rams would grab Nebraska defensive end Grant Wistrom at No. 6, Dallas made a late, desperate run at the best defensive end in the draft -- Wadsworth. The Cowboys offered Arizona their first- and second-round picks, and a first-round pick next year. The Cardinals said no thanks and took Wadsworth.
With the fifth pick, Chicago apparently overestimated the interest in Penn State running back Curtis Enis.
From the Rams, the Bears wanted either wide receiver Eddie Kennison or a second-round pick, plus a swap of first-round picks.
From Jacksonville, Chicago wanted both of the Jaguars' first-round picks, plus linebacker Eddie Robinson, who was Jacksonville's second-leading tackler a year ago.
From New England, Chicago wanted both of the Patriots' first-round picks, as well as their first-round pick in 1999.
As much as all three clubs liked Enis, they didn't like him that much.
So the Bears chose Enis themselves, adding him to a backfield that already includes transition player Raymont Harris, former 1,000-yard rusher Rashaan Salaam, and former 1,000-yard rusher Edgar Bennett -- a $6.2 million free agent pickup from Green Bay.
Talk about a full-house backfield. The Bears are expected to release Salaam and remove the transition tag from Harris, which would make him an unrestricted free agent.
Candid as ever, Vermeil said the Rams would have taken Enis had he been available at No. 6. But the Rams were more than happy to take Wistrom. Dallas took North Carolina defensive end Greg Ellis at No. 8. And by early in the second round, St. Louis, Jacksonville and New England ended up with running backs they were very happy with.
The Jaguars took Florida's Fred Taylor at No. 9, and the Patriots grabbed Robert Edwards at No. 18. The Rams grabbed Robert Holcombe of Illinois at No. 37. But just barely.
St. Louis feared Kansas City might take Holcombe with its No. 27 pick late in the first round. The Chiefs offered the pick to the Rams in exchange for St. Louis' third-round pick, but the Rams declined, according to Vermeil. The Chiefs took offensive tackle Victor Riley instead.
Unbeknown to the Rams, Arizona almost broke their hearts by taking Holcombe at No. 36, one slot ahead of St. Louis. ``To let Robert Holcombe slip through might have hurt us a little bit, but we made the trade for Adrian Murrell (of the New York Jets), and we know what Adrian can do,'' said Bob Ferguson, the Cardinals vice president of player personnel. The Big Red took offensive tackle Anthony Clement instead.
The Rams chose Holcombe, but only after turning down a tempting trade proposal from Pittsburgh, which offered third-, fourth- and seventh-round draft picks to move into the Rams' spot. The Steelers were hot for Arizona State defensive tackle Jeremy Staat, who they picked up four slots later -- at No. 41 -- via a trade with the Jets.
Some information compiled from Post-Dispatch wire services.

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