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I answered all the questions
Former Mississippi running back Deuce McAllister is expected to be a top-10 pick in the 2001 NFL Draft on April 21. McAllister gained 3,676 total yards and scored 39 touchdowns in his four seasons with the Rebels. This is the fifth in a series of Draft Diaries from McAllister. Check back weekly for another NFL Draft Diary from him at CNNSI.com. I had my workout here in Oxford at Ole Miss' Pro Day on Wednesday and it went well. The weather was cool and damp and it had rained earlier in the week so I slipped during a few drills. I had higher expectations, but I put up pretty good numbers. I ran the 40 between 4.33 and 4.43 seconds and I caught the ball extremely well. Maybe out of 30 passes, I dropped only one. On the one I dropped, I just didn't look it into my hands. I was pretty upset because I wanted to be perfect, but you just have to let it go and go out there and make another play. I did 23 reps on the 225-pound bench press and a lot of people were surprised at that. I think that answered the question about my old shoulder injury. The other Ole Miss guys did well too, and the scouts told us this was the best overall group that they've looked at this year. I wanted to run a little faster. A couple of scouts got me in the high 4.2 range, but I wanted nothing but 4.3's and 4.2's. Those are high expectations, but that is what I demand of myself. I certainly don't think my workout hurt me, but I wanted to blow the roof off with my workout. I just want to be the best.
There was a lot of anticipation leading up to the workout and I had trouble sleeping the night before. I was so anxious that I was waking up in the middle of the night and just looking at the clock to see what time it was. It's just like when you have a big game and you are so anxious that you can't sleep because you want to get out there. LaDainian Tomlinson called me the day before my workout to wish me good luck. He said that he didn't know when I worked out, but that he knew it should be coming up soon. We are both competitive and we want the first running back taken. I think LaDainian has pretty good hands but the thing that separates us is that he can't split out wide like I can. He can catch swing passes in the flat and option routes, but as far as splitting out and creating that Marshall Faulk-type of weapon, I know he can't do it. My agents are working on a couple of dates for me to start visiting with teams. We have something set up with the Chiefs and the 49ers preliminarily, and we are trying to work out visits with the Panthers, Bears, Patriots and Browns. The excitement will build as the visits come closer. I have been to K.C. and the Bay Area before with my dad when I was younger. Both of those cities are football-crazy places. I may work out again for teams when I visit, but it just depends on what they want to see. I think they all came away pretty satisfied and saw what they needed to see at my workout. Draft MailbagDepending on what happens in free agency, you could end up in a cold-weather city like Cleveland or Chicago. How do you expect snow and cold to affect your game? -- Eric Snodgrass, Maple Heights, Ohio It wouldn't bother me at all to play for either of those teams. I didn't play my whole year in cold weather, but I've had some fairly successful games in cold weather. My workout is an example of how I can perform when it's damp and rainy. I can't show the full package in bad weather, because if it's damp then I can't cut exactly like I want to sometimes. But in that kind of weather you can use head fakes, hesitation moves, stutter steps or just straight-out speed. What do you think is going to be the most difficult transition for you to the next level? -- Tom Cesear, San Diego I think the toughest adjustment will probably be the length of the season and the speed of the game. In the NFL, the hole closes a lot faster and you have to make your decisions quickly. But the length of the season, no college player has played as many as 24 games like an NFL season would be with the preseason and playoffs. That takes a toll on your body. A lot of the Ole Miss players in the NFL that I talk to say you just have to take it week by week and try to keep your body as healthy as you can. With a huge need at running back, it seems to be a very good possibility that Cleveland will draft you with the third overall pick. What are your feelings about playing for the Browns and what do you already know about the city itself? -- Greg Poulin, Cleveland I would love to play for the Browns. I know they have the Dawg Pound corner in their stadium and they love their football there. It would be a pleasure to play for them, especially with all the young weapons they have and the people in the organization there. You know they are committed to winning. Who do you think in the SEC, is close to you in your capabilities talent wise? -- Mike Gainor, Miami Cedric Cobbs of Arkansas. He's big, strong and fast. I don't know if he can spread out wide yet like I can, but I think he's capable of doing it eventually. We are similar in height and weight. He's a real speedster. I think he's going to be the next great SEC running back. What do you think of the possibilities of moving up North with the Pats' possible pick? I would love to see you come up here. Do you prefer warm weather? -- Keith, Boston I prefer warm weather because that's what I'm used to since I was born in Mississippi. That's what I've been in my whole life, but I have no problems moving up North. I just want to contribute and help the team, I don't really mind a little snow. I've lived in it before since I have relatives in Gary, Ind. Have you set any goals for yourself such as rushing or receiving yards and touchdowns for your rookie year? -- Robby Lawler, Arcata, Calif. I think I'll wait to get with a team first before I actually nail down my goals. Obviously every running back looks to get more than 1,000 yards. I think 1,200-1,300 is a new magic number and certainly making the all-rookie team would be a goal. There will be some things that I want to do my rookie year. All I can do is go out there and do the best that I can do. Edgerrin James and Jamal Lewis had great rookie years, so I'll just go out there and try to do my job and continue to learn and try to help my team win. Do you like what the Browns' staff has to say about molding a winning team with the need of a premier back? -- Robert A. Williams, Bedford, Ohio That fits my mode because of what coach Bruce Arians used to do with Edgerrin James at Indianapolis. I think that's what I do best so I think it would be a good fit for myself and for their offense. The Cowboys are in need of a back to spell Emmitt Smith this season, and then be the starter the year after. Could something like this be a good situation for you? -- Brent Springer, Austin, Texas I definitely wouldn't mind sitting behind someone for a while, and I think I'd work my way into playing some. I could learn so much from a player like him. I think a team would find a way to use my abilities. I've been an Emmitt fan, but I can't say that I loved the Cowboys in the past because I was a 49ers fan for so long and the Cowboys were their biggest rival. What is most important to you in the draft -- being selected by a team that is on a path to be competitive or a losing team like the Chargers that's willing to pay you big bucks? -- Hotshot, Goldsboro, N.C. I really couldn't say which I would prefer. Obviously, there are some things that I want to accomplish for myself in the NFL. And I figure with the NFL Draft, whatever is going to happen is going to happen for the right reason. And that's what you have to realize. It may not be a good situation, but I think the Lord has a plan for us all.
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