Rams News

Olivo shuns Rams for 49ers
04/19 08:43 PM

By Elizabethe Holland
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff
Asked in a post-draft news conference whether the Rams would pursue Missouri running back Brock Olivo as a free agent, coach Dick Vermeil seemed quite sure of himself.
``We will do that,'' said Vermeil, who previously had told Olivo that the Rams would sign him as a free agent if he went undrafted.
``We'll sign him. We'll give him an opportunity if he wants to come here.''
But much to Vermeil's surprise -- and, evidently, to Olivo's -- the former Tiger won't be playing in his home state. Rather, he's off to San Francisco.
Despite discussions with Rams running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery on Sunday and a strong feeling by the Rams that Olivo would be signed as a free agent, the 6-foot-1, 217-pound Olivo became star struck when he received a call from the 49ers.
``When the 49ers offered, it was just something I couldn't pass up,'' said Olivo, a four-year starter at Mizzou who finished as the No. 1 career rusher with 3,026 yards and 27 TDs.
``It's always been a childhood dream of mine to play for them -- them and the St. Louis Cardinals.''
Olivo said it would have been wonderful to play for his home-state team but that big dreams and the bigger-than-life reputation of the 49ers won out.
``I'm just following my dream, and I had to act on my gut,'' Olivo said from his family's home in Washington, Mo.
``I might as well just shoot for the ultimate star.''
During the draft, Olivo received calls from St. Louis, Kansas City, Baltimore and San Francisco, all of which suggested they would try to draft him or snag him shortly thereafter as a free agent, he said.
The 49ers had sent representatives to Missouri to see him in a scheduled workout and, at the time, expressed some interest.
But then communications stopped.
It wasn't until the draft that San Francisco, on the lookout for a backup running back, let him know they were still keen on him.
Olivo wasn't the only Missourian to have a job by day's end Sunday. The seventh round proved to be lucky for two Tigers and one player from Southeast Missouri State.
Kansas City nabbed Mizzou fullback Ernest Blackwell as the 224th pick in the draft, and Arizona took fullback Ron Janes as the 233rd pick.
``I'm just thankful that God gave me the opportunity to go out and play football again,'' Blackwell said from his home in Columbia.
``I kind of knew Rhino (Janes) and Brock would get some type of chance.''
Blackwell said he's not sure which teams were interested in him, but that Arizona and the New York Giants were among his suitors.
He is pleased with the Chiefs, though.
``I've been watching the Chiefs play for a long time,'' said Blackwell, who began his career at Eureka High. ``It seems like a pretty good organization.''
Janes' wait proved somewhat unnerving. He and Olivo were on the phone with each other several times Sunday to lend each other support.
The fullback from Clarence, Mo., got his hopes up in the fifth and sixth rounds, when he thought Jacksonville or the Giants might pick him. When he wasn't taken by either, he became almost certain that he wouldn't be drafted. Then, the Giants called at the end of the sixth round and said they were interested in him as a potential free agent.
Calls from New England and Jacksonville followed, boosting his confidence. But it was a call from someone who didn't even identify himself that was the call. The caller asked Janes a question about his name, and as he was answering, Janes saw his name flash on television as Arizona's seventh-round pick.
``I never even had a clue Arizona was interested in me,'' he said. ``It was such a relief. . . . That's all I ever wanted was to be given a fair chance.''
Southeast Missouri State nose tackle Angel Rubio, the Ohio Valley Conference defensive player of the year, was the 221st pick in the draft, by Pittsburgh.
``I'm pretty pumped up,'' Rubio said. ``Now the hard part begins. I have to go out and make the team. People don't realize that just because they draft you, you're on the team. You still have to make it.''
Jefferson City's Paul Kaiser, a quarterback from Central Missouri State, was not drafted, nor was Missouri defensive back Shad Criss.

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