OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Ozzie Newsome walked out of the Baltimore Ravens'
training facility after a 14-hour day and peered through the darkness at a
reporter heading for the parking lot.
"So, what do you think? Did we get at least a 'B'?" Newsome asked, seeking
a grade on the Ravens' first three picks in the NFL Draft.
The worthiness of the players drafted Saturday and Sunday won't be evident
for months, maybe years. At first glance, however, it appears that Newsome made
a very good football team even better.
"Thirty-one teams around the league all feel they're potentially better
teams right now," Baltimore coach Brian Billick said. "Right now, everybody
gets an 'A."'
Including Newsome, the Ravens vice president of football operations, who
entered the draft seeking depth at tight end and linebacker. He also hoped to
fill holes left by the departure of center Jeff Mitchell, safety Kim Herring,
running back Priest Holmes and defensive end Keith Washington.
Mission accomplished.
"If you look at some of the needs we hoped to address -- a tight end, a
lineman, a safety, a linebacker and a running back -- that's kind of the way you
hoped it would go down," Billick said. "From that standpoint, it's a very
successful draft."
Despite losing four free agents and enduring the worst draft position of any
NFL team, the Super Bowl champions seemingly have more talent and depth than
they did three months ago.
First, the Ravens upgraded at quarterback, signing free-agent Elvis Grbac to
replace Trent Dilfer. Newsome added depth to the offensive line by securing
right tackle Leon Searcy. Baltimore then re-signed outside linebacker Jamie
Sharper and veteran tackle Harry Swayne.
The focus at the draft was adding depth to a roster that already had 22
established starters.
On Saturday, the Ravens picked tight end Todd Heap with the 31st overall
pick before selecting Baylor defensive back Gary Baxter and offensive lineman
Casey Rabach of Wisconsin.
Sunday's choices were Western Illinois linebacker Edgerton Hartwell; running
back Chris Barnes of New Mexico State; long snapper Joe Maese of New Mexico;
and defensive end Dwayne Missouri of Northwestern.
"I'm happy," Ravens owner Art Modell said. "We got Grbac, Searcy, we
moved Mike Flynn (from guard) to center and did a few other things. Now this
draft. We're a better football team than we were at 8 o'clock Sunday night on
Jan. 28th."
And Heap is a far happier man than he was just a few months ago. Heap left
Arizona State after his junior season because the Sun Devils replaced the
coaching staff and were probably going to use a different quarterback than a
year ago, when Heap caught 48 passes for 644 yards and three touchdowns.
"I thought it was a good time for me to leave," Heap said Sunday.
In three seasons, Heap had a school-record 88 receptions for 1,685 yards and
10 TDs. His main contribution with the Ravens in 2001 will be as a special
teams player and reserve tight end.
"When you evaluate tight ends," said Newsome, a Hall of Famer at the
position, "all the different attributes you look for, Todd meets them all."
All seven of the Ravens' first-round picks since 1996 have turned into
stars. Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware, Duane Starks, Chris
McAlister, Jamal Lewis and Travis Taylor all played key roles last season.
"I hope to make it eight," Heap said. "That's good company."
Hartwell, a 6-foot, 244-pounder, will be a backup linebacker and a fixture
on special teams. Hartwell had a whopping 191 takes in 12 games last year for
Western Illinois and won the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the nation's best
defensive player in I-AA.
Barnes, the 161st pick overall, had 1,650 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns in
11 games as a senior. The Ravens hope he can replace Holmes as the backup to
Jamal Lewis, although Billick said the team might add a free agent at the
position before training camp.
Maese was a walk-on and a longshot to make the club. Missouri had 52 tackles
and five sacks for the Wildcats in 2000.
Regardless of how the newcomers fare, Billick likes the makeup of the team
heading into the three-day minicamp that begins Friday.
"Are we a better football team today?" he asked. "Boy, it sure looks like
it on paper. You've got to feel good about where we are."
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
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