Home >  Sports >  Steelers

Sunday, April 27, 2003

By Shelly Anderson, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

This, Michael Haynes said, is for those who thought aging Penn State Coach Joe Paterno had lost his touch after the Nittany Lions had back-to-back losing seasons in 2000 and '01.

	Penn State defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy goes to the St. Louis Rams at No. 12. (Lake Fong, Post-Gazette)

Haynes was one of four Penn State players taken yesterday in the first round of the NFL draft. It's the most first-rounders in one year in school history.

"Penn State has two losing seasons in a row and everybody's quick to say he's over the hill, but there are plenty of programs with two losing seasons," said Haynes, a defensive end who was selected 14th overall by the Chicago Bears.

Not a lot of teams have four first-round draft picks in one year, though.

The Nittany Lions had three players taken in the opening round in 1995. The record for all schools is five, set by Southern California in 1968 and equaled by Miami last year.

Haynes' defensive linemate, tackle Jimmy Kennedy, was taken 12th overall by the St. Louis Rams. Receiver Bryant Johnson went to the Arizona Cardinals with the 17th pick. Running back Larry Johnson was the 27th player drafted, by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Penn State, which was 9-4 in 2002, had six players in all drafted in the first three rounds.

The only other district player selected was Pitt linebacker Gerald Hayes, by Arizona in the third round.

Kennedy, who was projected as high as a top-five pick, and Larry Johnson were the only two Penn State players considered strong candidates to go in the first round.

"Today was full of surprises," Haynes said. "I was really surprised Jimmy dropped so low. I was really surprised I went so high. For Bryant Johnson to go that high surprised me, too."

Haynes, 6 feet 3 and 280 pounds, led the Big Ten Conference with 15 sacks as a senior and 23 of his 80 tackles were for losses. He also forced seven fumbles. He might move inside to tackle with the Bears.

Kennedy (6-4, 322) arrived at Penn State as a 400-pounder but refined his body and his skills to become one of the best defensive tackles in the country. He had 87 tackles last year, including 5.5 sacks among 16 tackles for losses.

He was a surprise pick for the Rams, who are deep on the defensive line and who had drafted a defensive tackle in the first round in each of the past two years.

"It is an unexpected choice," St. Louis Coach Mike Martz said. "We just absolutely are shocked that he was there. We just felt like we got a tremendous player at this pick."

Arizona took Bryant Johnson after trading down in the first round.

Coach Dave McGinnis said Bryant Johnson (6-2, 214) is appealing as a receiver and a punt returner. Bryant Johnson had 48 catches for 917 yards, a 19.1-yard average, with four touchdowns last year. He averaged 12.9 yards on 41 punt returns.

"I expect to come in and make a contribution early," said Bryant Johnson.

Larry Johnson, meanwhile, will rejoin one-time Nittany Lions backfield mate Omar Easy, a fullback, in Kansas City. The Chiefs gambled by trading down in the draft, but Larry Johnson (6-1, 228) was still available.

Although he comes with sparkling credentials -- 2,087 yards and 20 yards rushing (7.7 average) last year, good enough to win the Doak Walker Award -- Larry Johnson will not supplant Priest Holmes as the Chiefs' starter.

"He'll be a great security blanket," Kansas City Coach Dick Vermeil said of Larry Johnson.

Larry Johnson is the ninth Penn State running back drafted in the first round since 1972, the most for any school in that period.

Two more Penn State players were drafted in the second round.

Defensive back Bryan Scott (6-1, 219) could play cornerback or safety after being taken 55th overall by Atlanta. Scott had four interceptions last year.

Nose tackle Anthony Adams ( 5-11, 299) become the third member of the Penn State defensive line drafted when he was selected two slots after Scott by San Francisco. He started every game the past three seasons and last year had 67 tackles, including 13 for losses and two sacks.

The Cardinals used the 70th overall pick to take Pitt's Hayes (6-0, 238). He had 100 tackles or more each of the past three seasons, including 133 as a senior, and ranks fourth on the Panthers' career list with 402.