NFL supplemental draft pickings slim
Ex-Dog CB Oliver available; Falcons not likely to participate
By MATT WINKELJOHN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/11/07
Two and a half months after one local college star went No. 2 in the NFL draft, another could find out his new pro home. Here's a quick guide to the lesser-known NFL supplemental draft, which takes place today:
Draft order: Before ping-pong balls are drawn by the NFL this morning to set the order, a lottery will be weighted into three categories: teams that had six or fewer wins last season each get the same number of balls, as do non-playoff teams that had more than six wins and playoff teams. "It's like the NBA draft where higher-weighted teams get more balls," said San Francisco 49ers vice president of player personnel Scot McCloughan.
How it works: The draft begins at 1 p.m. It is not on TV or on the Internet. Teams call or e-mail choices into the NFL office this morning, or can call during the approximately one-hour process to say, "If player A is unchosen by any other team by our pick in round B, we select him." If a team lands a player, that team forfeits a pick in the same round of the 2008 April draft. A team must have that '08 pick available to use it today.
Local tie: Georgia junior cornerback Paul Oliver is available after academic issues left him ineligible in Athens. Oliver got scouts' attention when he held No. 2 draft pick Calvin Johnson in check during Georgia's win over Georgia Tech. "But from the film, I don't know if Oliver or [Tech quarterback] Reggie Ball shut down Johnson," said NFL.com analyst and former Dallas Cowboys personnel chief Gil Brandt. "Oliver ran, with the wind, a 4.57-4.58 40-yard dash. That's not fast, but when I was at Dallas, we had a player, Everson Walls, who ran the same time. He had 11 interceptions as a rookie."
Who else is available: Huge Maryland tackle Jared Gaither is interesting. Behind him are Nebraska offensive lineman Chris Patrick, Florida State defensive lineman Clifton Dixon and a handful of small college prospects.
And the Falcons select ... Atlanta doesn't plan to make a pick in today's draft, the team said this week.
Historically speaking: Cleveland used a first-round pick in 1985 to select Miami quarterback Bernie Kosar, who graduated early. Philadelphia forgave a fourth-round pick in the '88 draft to pick Ohio State receiver Cris Carter. San Diego's Jamal Williams, one of the NFL's best defensive tackles, was a supplemental choice in '98. Houston selected former Georgia Tech running back Tony Hollings in 2003, spending an '04 second-rounder. The Jeffersonville native rushed for 149 yards in three seasons with Houston, was cut by the Texans, Colts and Bears and played this spring with the Hamburg in NFL Europa.