4. Kareem Larrimore, CB, West Texas A&M
4th Round (109 overall)
5-11, 191, 4.34

Notes:

Well-built pass defender who is very light on his feet in his forward attacks...Accelerates nicely to the ball, turning his hips smoothly in coverage...Very effective tackler who will take on blocks and get involved in run support...Has a knack for getting his hands up in the receiver's face and does a great job upfield sustaining his backpedal...Won All-Lone Star Conference honors as a cornerback at West Texas A&M in '98 and '99. Had 34 tackles, two picks (which he returned for 90 yards and a score) and seven passes broken up in '98. Also returned 20 kickoffs for 532 yards and a score with a long return of 100 yards. Missed the opener in '99 but played the rest of the year and had 32 tackles, five interceptions (which he returned for 109 yards and a score) and 10 passes broken up. Also returned 15 kickoffs for 318 yards. After the season, played in both the Blue-Gray All-Star game, where he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score, and the Senior Bowl.

Positives:

Got a chance to play in the Senior Bowl and more than held his own there. A very good athlete who has speed and a burst. Can cover man-on-man and return kickoffs. Showed that he may have enough cover ability and smoothness to be tried as a cornerback on the next level. Showed a lot more focus and consistency at the Senior Bowl than he had before.

Negatives:

At times does not look to be as sudden as scouts would want a cornerback to be and seems to have build-up speed as opposed to instant speed. Did too much standing around and watching in college. Did not always seem focused. Was a different player on different plays.

Summary:

Got himself drafted at the Senior Bowl. Will move up the charts -- provided he works out well in the spring -- because he worked well during Senior Bowl week and did some good things in the game.

5. Michael Wiley, RB, Ohio State
5th Round (144 overall)
5-10 ¹/₂, 193, 4.5

Notes:

High school All-American who also played basketball and ran track. As a true freshman, carried 23 times for 176 yards and one touchdown and caught six passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns. Saw more action in '97, when he carried 105-588-6 and caught 9-83-0. Also returned 13 kickoffs for 344 yards, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Moved into the starting lineup in '98 and won All-Big Ten honors. Carried 198-1,235-10, caught 27-200-1 and returned six kickoffs for 143 yards. Was not nearly as effective in '99, when he started to fumble the ball. Carried 183-952-10 and caught 14-153-1. That sounds good, but Wiley had too many games in which he was not a factor.

Positives:

Exceptional pure athletic ability. Can play running back, receiver, return specialist and might be able to make it as a defensive back. Has good running skills and very quick feet. Quick and elusive runner who has excellent cutting ability. Can catch the ball going away from the line, almost like a wide receiver. Dangerous open-field runner and kickoff returner.

Negatives:

Lacks size for a running back, has spindly legs and tends to run with a slightly narrow base. Combine the three and you have a back who is not going to be a heavy-duty, featured back, run over anyone, break a lot of tackles or run with a lot of power inside. Has had a problem with fumbles. Did not catch the ball nearly as well in '99 as he had in the past and had trouble adjusting to it at times.

Summary:

Looks like a third-down back and kickoff return man. Could fill the need of a scat back in the slot as well, a la Eric Metcalf. Must get back to being the player he was in '98 and start to hold on to the ball again.

6. Mario Edwards, CB, Florida State
6th Round (180 overall)
6-0 ¹/₈, 188, 4.48

Notes:

Played as a freshman in 1995, returning a blocked punt for a score and recording six tackles. Had 14 tackles and three passes broken up in '96. Redshirted in 1997 and ran into some academic problems. Was readmitted to school in the fall of '98 with his grades in order and had his best season, getting in on 20 tackles, breaking up 11 passes and picking off six, including four in one game vs. Wake Forest. On the other hand, had his worst game in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Tennessee, getting burned deep twice by Peerless Price. Had a shaky senior season, when he started 9-of-11 games, struggled with a bad foot and did not always seem to be mentally in the game. Had 19 stops and nine passes broken up and won All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors but did not pick off a pass, and it was not because opponents refused to throw at him.

Positives:

Looks the part. Has nice size and enough speed. Is strong for his size and reportedly can bench press 400 pounds. Has legitimate man-on-man coverage ability and can stay with receivers closely. Plays best in a press position but can play backed off. Can hit and tackle.

Negatives:

Had a down senior year. May have lost some confidence after the Fiesta Bowl. Got flagged for more penalties than ever before. Looked a little shaky in coverage at times. Has too many lapses in concentration. Does not always play the ball well. Is not that aware in zone coverage. Likes to guess and gamble too much.

Summary:

Has first-round talent but did not play like a first-round pick in '99. Can do better -- and did do better in '98 -- but on a consistent basis has not played as a premier corner should often enough.

7. Orantes Grant, LB, Georgia
7th Round (219 overall)
6-0 ¹/₂, 222, 4.7

Notes:

Did not start but split time as a true freshman in 1996 and was in on 42 stops. Started the past three years. Had 81 stops, two sacks and two passes broken up in '97. Had 120 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks and five passes broken up in '98. Had 69 tackles, two sacks, and two passes broken up in '99. Is still looking for his first interception. Coaches' second-team All-Southeastern Conference pick in '98, the year he led the Bulldogs in tackles.

Positives:

Durable. Has started every game the past three years. Active and aggressive. Moves around pretty well and wants in on the action.

Negatives:

Undersized and plays small. Does not take on blockers well. Gets pushed around too much at the point of attack. Is not so quick and sudden he can overcome this by just running around blockers.

Summary:

Might catch on as a special-teams player and backup.