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A flood of Hurricanes Need to improve in the NFL Draft? Just head to MiamiPosted: Tuesday April 16, 2002 6:44 PMUpdated: Tuesday April 16, 2002 6:58 PM
Long before the Houston Texans sketched out a helmet logo, the NFL in reality had its 32nd team. It's just that nobody talked about it much, what with the University of Miami trying to keep up appearances as a member in good stead of the NCAA. But it's time to lose the ruse. And the Hurricanes have no one to blame but themselves. When it comes to seeding the NFL, the Arena League and NFL Europe have nothing on the talented folks from Coral Gables. "Miami this year had an incredible team down there," Baltimore Ravens director of college scouting Phil Savage said last week. "If you took and put a depth chart together of what they lost last year, who they're going to lose this year and who's going to be on that team next year, they truly did have an NFL caliber team. There's no two ways about that." Of course, the only time the Hurricanes lose much of anything is during NFL Draft weekend. Last year, Miami set a school-record with four first-round draft picks, a gaudy total even by its unprecendented standards. And like South Florida's perpetual sunshine, there's more on the way this year. The Hurricanes are expected to match -- and possibly even surpass -- last spring's draft production. Four Miami products are considered solid first-round bets: offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, cornerback Phillip Buchanon, tight end Jeremy Shockey and safety Ed Reed. McKinnie and Buchanon could be top 10 picks. Two other Hurricanes -- running back Clinton Portis and cornerback Mike Rumph -- should go by the middle of the second round, with Portis possibly squeaking into the first. "They had their own combine down there this year," Savage said, only half in jest. "The [NFL's] Combine ended March 4 [in Indianapolis], and they had their own in Miami on March 7. And everybody in the NFL showed up." The Hurricanes' draft dominance is a trend that has shown up for 15 years now, even with the Miami program being placed on probation and losing scholarships in the mid-1990s. Since 1987, Miami has been the NFL's most fertile farm system. And it's not even close. To wit:
But, hey, the Hurricanes don't just send players to the NFL in mass quantities. They send head coaches, too. Do the names Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson and Butch Davis ring a bell? The NFL head coaching careers of all three men were launched in Coral Gables, as was Dave Wannstedt's with a stop in Dallas inbetween. It's inevitable. Larry Coker, coming to an NFL franchise near you. No, you can't field an entire NFL starting lineup comprised of active and productive ex-Hurricanes who were either drafted since '87, or are going to be this year. But you can come amazingly close. We'll start with defense. How about a defensive line that features Warren Sapp (No. 12 in 1995) and Damione Lewis (2001, No. 12) at the tackles, with Kennard Lang (1997, No. 17) and Kenny Holmes (1997, No. 19) at the ends? For linebackers we'll go with Ray Lewis (1996, No. 26), in the middle with Dan Morgan (2001, No. 11) and Jessie Armstead (1993, eighth round) outside. In the secondary, things are crowded. We'll put Duane Starks (1998, No. 10) at one corner, with Buchanon at the other. Reed can be one of our safeties, along with Tremain Mack (1997, fourth round). Our spare cornerbacks include Rumph and Ryan McNeil (1993, second round). On offense, the talent isn't quite as deep in spots. But it's quality talent. Edgerrin James (1999, No. 4) paces the group as lead running back, with Donnell Bennett (1994, second round) starting at fullback. Our quarterback is Testaverde (1987, No. 1), who is 38 but can still get it done. Shockey and Bubba Franks (2000, No. 14) can play in two-tight end sets, with Portis or James Jackson (2001, 3rd round) representing a change-of-pace runner behind James. Other than the retired Michael Irvin, the Hurricanes' track record is a little spotty at receiver (remember Yatil Green and Randal Hill?) But Reggie Wayne (2001, No. 30) and Santana Moss (2001, No. 16) offer hope for the future, and Moss can also be our return specialist. That leaves the offensive line, another area that's a little light on active, productive ex-Canes. But McKinnie should rectify that trend, and the nearby Dolphins are hoping that former tackle Leon Searcy (1992, No. 11) can handle a shift to guard and resurrect his injury-interrupted career. It ain't the '72 Dolphins, but you could throw this bunch together tommorrow, with Davis in the head coaching slot, and they'd be able to beat Detroit and Carolina by the weekend. Count on it. Which in the case of the Miami Hurricanes come draft time, is what NFL talent scouts have been able to do for years now.
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