Quinn becomes a dropback passer
He falls to No. 22; Russell is top pick
By Barry Wilner, Associated Press | April 29, 2007
NEW YORK -- JaMarcus Russell barely had to wait before taking the stage as an Oakland Raider at yesterday's NFL draft. Brady Quinn was the forgotten quarterback, plummeting all the way to Cleveland at No. 22.
Russell was the top overall choice, by the offense-deficient Raiders. The 6-foot-5 1/2-inch, 265-pound junior QB who can throw the ball 80 yards fits the mold for Al Davis, who loves the deep ball.
Obviously, in the eyes of NFL teams, LSU players have plenty of draft-day luster. Five spots after Russell, Tigers safety LaRon Landry went to Washington.
Quinn sat and watched 21 players chosen before he went to the Browns, the team he grew up rooting for in Dublin, Ohio. Once considered the best prospect in this year's crop, he was still unchosen when the Browns traded back into the first round, getting Dallas's pick.
When selected, Quinn let out a big sigh of relief and looked upward before shaking commissioner Roger Goodell's hand as the fans who booed him before the draft cheered this time.
"I felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders," Quinn said. "The love-hate relationship comes from going to Notre Dame. It's like the Yankees, you either love 'em or hate 'em.
"I got great advice beforehand and that was just to be patient. I said before that I was going to be open-minded, and that's the tough thing. I was open-minded, and I had a point in my head where I didn't think I was going to fall any further, and it obviously exceeded that."
Russell had no such anxious moments.
When Goodell, conducting his first draft as commissioner, announced Russell's name, Raiders fans in the crowd cheered loudly. But there was a mixture of cheers and boos when Russell, who is bigger than some NFL linemen, came on stage to don a Raiders hat and hold up a No. 1 black jersey.
Then came chants of "L-S-U, L-S-U" for the man who soon will be in charge of the Oakland offense.
"I kind of had faith in it. Everybody had been talking about it for a while," Russell said of being chosen first. "It's a dream come true. Growing up as a kid playing every sport in life and always seeing the guys on the professional level, and here I am today.
"I can't wait to get in the black and silver and get to work."
After Russell's selection, Detroit declined several trade options for the No. 2 overall pick and chose wide receiver Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech, considered the best athlete available. It was the fourth time in five years the Lions chose a wideout high in the draft. Only one of the others, Roy Williams, has succeeded in Detroit. Johnson, an All- America junior known as "Spider-Man," is 6-5 and 239 pounds and can run a 4.35 in the 40.
"I told him when he was here [for a predraft visit] that he wouldn't get past 2," Lions president Matt Millen said. "This guy is the real deal."
The Browns gave up a second-round choice and next year's No. 1 to the Cowboys to get Quinn. They could've had him at No. 3 but took Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas instead.
Tampa Bay picked the first defensive player at No. 4, Clemson end Gaines Adams, who at 6-4 3/4 is almost an inch shorter and 7 pounds lighter than Russell.
Arizona also went for offensive line help at No. 5, taking Penn State tackle Levi Brown. At No. 7, Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma was chosen by Minnesota, which apparently was unconcerned by the running back's history of injuries in college.
At No. 8, Arkansas defensive end Jamaal Anderson went to Atlanta, which went to the Super Bowl in 1999 with a running back named Jamal Anderson.
The Dolphins, who many thought would snag Quinn, took Ohio State receiver Ted Ginn Jr. at No. 9 and the 10th pick was 19-year-old defensive tackle Amobi Okoye of Louisville, by Houston. He's the youngest player drafted in the first round since the merger and will join last year's No. 1 overall pick, defensive end Mario Williams, on the line.