AFC Draft Capsules: Ziggy, then a zero for Steelers in draft

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PITTSBURGH - For the Steelers, it was a case of a Ziggy and a zero on the first day of the NFL draft.

When Evander "Ziggy" Hood heard his name called Saturday as the Steelers' first-round pick, one thought instantly flashed through his mind.

"I'm part of the Steel Curtain," said Hood, the first defensive lineman taken by Pittsburgh on the first round since four-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton in 2001.

As it turned out, Hood represents the Steelers' total opening day haul. They traded their second-round selection - the 64th and final pick of the day - and a fourth-rounder to Denver for a pair of third-round picks on Sunday, the 79th and 84th picks.

The trade gives Pittsburgh three picks in the third round, including the No. 96 overall pick they already owned. Director of football operations Kevin Colbert had said there was enough depth in the draft that starters could be found throughout the first three rounds.

The Steelers spent most of the second round trying to trade up, only to wind up trading down.

"This was a better option," Colbert said. "It was a chance to pick up extra picks, and it was inviting. We'd like to get three quality guys."

They believe they got one in Hood, who already has graduated from Missouri and, according to coach Mike Tomlin, has the kind of character the Steelers prize above all other qualities in a draft pick.

"He's a Steelers kind of player. There's no holes in this guy," Tomlin said. "He's a captain at Missouri, a leader, a good player. He's a guy who will fit in very quickly from a personality standpoint."

Hood didn't expect to go to Pittsburgh, but became a bit unnerved when he realized he was going to the defending Super Bowl champions.

"I couldn't describe the feeling," he said. "My stomach just tightened up all of a sudden and I choked. I almost fainted."

The Steelers can only hope Hood doesn't feel the same way before games. They had only one 15-minute, face-to-face meeting at the Indianapolis scouting combine with Hood before drafting him. Colbert said Hood made such an instant impression that it wasn't necessary to bring him to Pittsburgh for a predraft meeting.

The 22-year-old Hood adds some youth to the Steelers' productive but aging defensive line. Starting defensive linemen Aaron Smith, Hampton and Brett Keisel and their backups all will be 31 or older next season.

"He's a special guy, and that was evident the first time we met this kid," Colbert said. "He's somebody we felt good about from first time we scouted him. ... He's a high-quality player and person. He gives us a lot of versatility. He can play defensive end and help out on the nose in some schemes."

Hood is certain he knows what he did to impress the Steelers, besides making 10 sacks the last two seasons.

"It was more than my ability, speed and strength," Hood said. "I think the way I presented myself, I came off with good character, and I knew a little bit about the game and I explained my defense to coach Tomlin and the Pittsburgh staff. I can be coached, I have no problem being coached and I don't mind fixing or adjusting to different things."

Hood was a defensive tackle in college but will move to defensive end in Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense.

"Anything I put my mind to, I can do it," Hood said. "I'm going to come in as quick as possible. My work begins tomorrow. ... I'm coming in to study as hard as I can. I'm going to put a load on my shoulders."

And, and for that Ziggy nickname, Hood said it came from the comic strip character. His grandmother grew up in Mexico and had trouble with some English words, so he gained the nickname because it was easy to say.

The Steelers created some salary cap room to sign their draft picks by working out a contract extension with wide receiver Hines Ward that will pay him a lower salary than the $5.8 million he was to make this season. The money will be made up in a signing bonus as part of what is expected to be a four-year, $22 million deal.

Browns make 3 trades, none involve Edwards

BEREA, Ohio - The Cleveland Browns made three early trades, overhauled their wide receiving corps and got help for both lines on the first day of the NFL draft.

They even picked one of their former ball boys.

Eric Mangini's first draft for Cleveland had a little of everything.

Just nothing involving Braylon Edwards.

Mangini made three first-round deals, the first one trading the No. 5 overall pick to the New York Jets - his former team - but concluded Saturday with Edwards, Cleveland's most talented player, still on his roster. Rumored deals with the New York Giants never materialized, but the Browns did draft two wide receivers: Ohio State's Brian Robiskie and Georgia's Mohamed Massaquoi, both in the second round.

General manager George Kokinis was asked if he expected Edwards to be with the Browns after Sunday.

"I don't anticipate anything different," said Kokinis, who dismissed reports about a deal for Edwards as heated rumors in advance of the draft. "It's never been anything we were actively going out. We expect him, with his skill level, to contribute like we know he can."

Mangini said he has had productive meetings with Edwards, who caught 25 fewer passes and scored 13 fewer touchdowns in 2008 than he did in his 2007 Pro Bowl season.

"Nothing has changed with Braylon," he said. "There are so many rumors about so many players and they can gain traction."

Mangini and Kokinis began their first draft as Cleveland's management team by calling the coach's former bosses in New York.

The Browns shipped the fifth pick to the Jets, who used it to take USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. In return, Cleveland got the No. 17 pick, a second-rounder (No. 52) and three Jets: defensive end Kenyon Coleman, safety Abram Elam and quarterback Brett Ratliff.

It's ironic Mangini would assist the Jets in acquiring their potential franchise quarterback. Mangini was fired following his third season in New York when the Brett Favre experiment failed down the stretch and the Jets missed the playoffs after an 8-3 start.

Mangini said he had no reservations about dealing with the Jets.

"It worked for them and it worked for us," Mangini said. "I don't think you can ever look at it as your former team. It was a real plus decision for both teams."

The Browns then dropped two spots in a trade with Tampa Bay (No. 19), which also sent Cleveland a sixth-round pick (No. 191).

Mangini and Kokinis followed by swapping the No. 19 pick for Philadelphia's at 21 and gained another sixth-rounder (No. 195).

On the clock for the fourth time, the Browns finally made a pick, taking California center Alex Mack, who also can play guard. Mack could replace starter Hank Fraley, a nine-year veteran who struggled last season in Cleveland's 31st-ranked offense.

At No. 36, the Browns picked Robiskie, whose father, Terry, served as Cleveland's interim head coach for five games in 2004.

Like Mangini, Robiskie was once a ball boy with the Browns.

"I think there is a real upside to that," Mangini quipped. "They (ball boys) usually end up being very successful."

Robiskie was overwhelmed to be going to the Browns.

"Unbelievable," said the younger Robiskie, who spent three summers in high school shagging balls and folding towels for the team, "Just the connection I have with that team, to come back and be a part of that team, that franchise ... I feel so blessed. I'm excited about it."

Terry Robiskie, now Atlanta's wide receivers coach, was thrilled for his son.

"From this day forward, I'm just a father. I've got to let him go now," Terry Robiskie said. "He's a terrific football player. I don't want to get too high on him. I think he's got the capability of making plays and doing the things Braylon can do. He's been around him. He can compete like that."

Robiskie and Massaquoi - taken with the pick Cleveland got for Kellen Winslow - gives the Browns depth at wide receiver, which could come in handy with Donte Stallworth facing DUI-manslaughter charges in Miami.

The Browns selected Hawaii defensive end David Veikune with their third pick in the second round.

With only five picks and needs almost everywhere, the Browns were expected to be busy - and no team was more active in the first round.

The early wheeling and dealing seemed to point toward a high-profile selection, but Mack was somewhat of a surprise since it appeared the Browns were moving around to land a player like USC's Rey Maualuga, Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells or Missouri's Jeremy Maclin.

None of the new players are household names, but the Browns, who enter Sunday with four more selections, felt good about their new talent.

"We think we acquired some good Cleveland Browns," Kokinis said.

-- Tom Withers

Bengals weigh OT Andre Smith, then draft him

CINCINNATI - Two days before the draft, the Cincinnati Bengals called offensive tackle Andre Smith and told him to get ready for a surprise visit to his home in Birmingham, Ala., one that would involve getting on a scale.

When the junior tackle weighed in at 337 pounds, only slightly higher than his playing weight, the Bengals were sold. The huge lineman with some big questions about maturity would be their first-round draft pick.

Cincinnati took Smith with the sixth overall pick on Saturday, bringing in a lot of girth to help protect quarterback Carson Palmer. The junior from Alabama gave teams some second thoughts when he left the scouting combine unannounced in February.

Two months of visits, including that surprise one on Thursday from offensive line coach Paul Alexander, convinced the Bengals to make Smith the first offensive tackle they've taken with a top pick since Levi Jones in 2002.

"We've really liked him and wanted just to make sure," coach Marvin Lewis said. "This is a big pick for us, and we wanted to make sure this is the right person for us."

His big proportions fit their biggest need.

Palmer got battered last year because the line couldn't protect him. He broke his nose in the preseason and needed surgery, then sprained his ankle and tore a ligament and tendon in his passing elbow in the first three games of the regular season.

The elbow injury forced him to miss a dozen games, but healed without surgery. Heading into the draft, the Bengals knew there was only one way to go with their top pick. It had to be an offensive lineman.

But, which one?

Smith was considered one of the best, able to push people around with his long arms and 6-foot-4, 330-pound frame. The questions started when he was suspended for the Sugar Bowl, reportedly for having improper dealings with an agent, which he denied.

At the NFL combine, teams asked him about the suspension. Smith then raised a whole new set of questions by leaving the combine unexpectedly without giving notice or explanation to the league. His weight fluctuations also made some scouts leery.

The Bengals liked his blocking ability and singled him out as their potential top pick - Alexander texted him almost daily besides attending his workouts. Still, they wanted make sure they weren't making a big mistake by taking him with the sixth overall pick.

So, Lewis told his offensive line coach to make an unannounced visit. Alexander called Smith on Thursday morning and said he was on his way to Alabama to check his weight.

"I was really caught off-guard," Smith said. "I wasn't expecting it. It went really well. A lot of people say I tend to blow up in the offseason. I was 337 (pounds) when coach Alexander weighed me."

That was only seven pounds over his playing weight. It was enough to clinch the deal.

Smith could move into a starting role quickly, assuming he doesn't have a long contract negotiation. The Bengals lost right tackle Stacy Andrews to Philadelphia in free agency, and left tackle Levi Jones has been limited by a series of injuries the last few years.

Smith's main job will be protecting Palmer, whom he met in another unexpected encounter. When he got on his flight for a predraft workout in Cincinnati, Smith saw Palmer sitting across the aisle.

"I told him, ‘Put in a good word for me,"' Smith said.

Smith's weight was worth more than a good word.

With that problem addressed, the Bengals went for another Southern California linebacker in the second round, looking to improve their anemic pass rush. Rey Maualuga will be reunited with former USC linebacker Keith Rivers, who was the Bengals' top pick last year.

The Bengals liked Maualuga so much that they considered taking him in the first round if they traded down from the sixth spot. They got some insights about him from Rivers, who will be his teammate again.

"It'll be a great feeling," Maualuga said. "We talked and he'd play around saying, ‘I'm trying to get one of you (Southern Cal) linebackers to come and play with us,' whether it's Brian Cushing or Clay Matthews or myself. It actually happened."

-- Joe Kay

Ravens step up to take OT Oher at No. 23 in draft

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - The Baltimore Ravens simply couldn't wait to take Mississippi offensive tackle Michael Oher in the NFL draft, so they traded up in the first round to get him.

The Ravens dealt their 26th overall pick and their fifth-round selection to the New England Patriots so they could pick 23rd overall Saturday. Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome used the selection to take the 6-foot-5, 315-pound Oher, who played left tackle with Mississippi but will likely play on the right side with the Ravens.

By adding Oher, Baltimore could end up saving salary cap space by cutting veteran right tackle Willie Anderson. Jared Gaither started in 15 of 16 regular-season games at left tackle last season, and in all three playoff games.

-- David Ginsburg

SOUTH

Titans draft Rutgers receiver Kenny Britt

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Titans need help at wide receiver. They hope they got it by taking Kenny Britt of Rutgers with the 30th pick overall of the NFL Draft.

This is only the third time in the franchise's 50-year history to draft a wide receiver in the first round and the first since taking Kevin Dyson in 1998. The other receiver drafted was Haywood Jeffires in 1987, but he was the then-Houston Oilers' second pick in the first round.

The Titans signed Nate Washington away from Pittsburgh in March and tried to add veteran Torry Holt before he signed with AFC South rival Jacksonville on Monday. In picking the 6-foot-3 Britt Saturday, the Titans' got the Big East Conference's all-time leading receiver. Britt had 3,043 yards in just 34 games.

Colts select UConn's Brown in 1st round of draft

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Colts have selected running back Donald Brown of Connecticut in the first round of the NFL draft.

Brown was the 27th overall pick on Saturday. He started 23 of 37 games at Connecticut, rushing for 3,800 yards and 33 touchdowns.

The move gives three-time league MVP Peyton Manning more help on offense and helps fill a need after the Colts' rushing game struggled last season. Starter Joseph Addai was nicked up much of the season, and the Colts lost the other part of their two-man tandem, Dominic Rhodes, in free agency.

-- Michael Marot

Jaguars beef up offensive line with UVA's Monroe

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Jacksonville Jaguars have upgraded their offensive line by selecting left tackle Eugene Monroe with the eighth pick in the NFL draft.

Monroe, a 6-foot-5, 316-pounder from Virginia, is the first offensive linemen drafted by Jacksonville in the first round since Tony Boselli in 1995. Boselli turned out to be a five-time Pro Bowl selection.

The Jaguars can only hope for the same from Monroe, who is expected to step in for Khalif Barnes at left tackle. Jacksonville parted ways with Barnes after last season, but then signed three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tra Thomas.

Now, the 34-year-old Thomas likely will move to right tackle or serve as a mentor for Monroe.

-- Mark Long

EAST

Jets move up in draft to grab QB Sanchez

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Mark Sanchez made no guarantees. The New York Jets' newest quarterback knew better.

No bold declarations for a franchise that's been hungry for a Super Bowl trip since the days of Joe Namath.

"I can't promise we're going to win the division," Sanchez said Saturday after the Jets made the former Southern California star the No. 5 overall pick following a trade with Cleveland. "I can't promise we're going to win the Super Bowl and I'm going to be the MVP of the league.

"All I can promise is that I'm going to work hard."

And that works just fine for the Jets, who solved their quarterback question with one giant leap up the draft board from the 17th overall pick.

"When Mark was available at No. 5, we did what was in the best interest of the New York Jets," general manager Mike Tannenbaum said.

The Jets acquired the pick from Cleveland and former coach Eric Mangini for their first-round pick, their second-round (No. 52), and defensive end Kenyon Coleman, safety Abram Elam and quarterback Brett Ratliff. It turned out to be the Jets' only pick of day, but it was a biggie.

Owner Woody Johnson announced the news on his Twitter page, saying: "We have selected Mark Sanchez. Go Jets." Kicker Jay Feely also tweeted: "Great trade for the Jets!! To only give up our first and second this year to get the fifth pick."

Sanchez, scheduled to be introduced at a news conference at the Jets' facility Sunday, also greeted fans on Twitter late Saturday night: "J-E-T-S ... Jets! Jets! Jets!!!" Sanchez wrote. "Hello NYC!"

Many Jets fans at the draft site at Radio City Music Hall cheered wildly when the pick was announced, while some bemoaned giving up what in effect will be five players for one.

"Well, I think if Mr. Tannenbaum and Mr. Johnson think I'm worth it, that's great," Sanchez said. "I'm excited about the faith they have in me. Of course, you need to prove them right, and that comes with being the first guy on the practice field and being the last guy to leave."

Sanchez, with his powerful and accurate arm and excellent field vision, will immediately compete for the starting job with Kellen Clemens. The Southern California native arrives a season after Brett Favre came out of retirement, but struggled down the stretch as the Jets went 9-7 and missed the playoffs.

"The only thing I can say to that is I've never grown up dreaming of being a backup," Sanchez said. "That's what it's all about, and I'm sure Kellen Clemens feels the same way and that's what this position is all about is competing for your job and that's all I know how to do. It'll be a great matchup for us."

The pick was the first for new coach Rex Ryan, who repeatedly declared his confidence in Clemens and Brett Ratliff this offseason but believed Sanchez was too good a talent to pass up. The Jets' fondness for him only grew after seeing him at a private workout at Mission Viejo High School in California in March.

"We saw the great feet, the poise and how confident he was," Ryan said. "Brian (Schottenheimer) put him through every workout known to man and he passed every one of them with flying colors. We knew, I think, right then that this was the guy we really wanted."

Sanchez was considered by some to be an even greater talent than Georgia's Matthew Stafford, who went No. 1 overall to the Detroit Lions, but some teams were wary of his lack of experience. Not the Jets, who saw enough in his 16 starts with the Trojans to make them believe he could be the leader of the franchise.

"We wouldn't have traded up for Mark if we didn't think he had the ability to compete for the starting position," Ryan said, adding that Sanchez practiced daily against several outstanding defensive players, including first-rounders Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews.

Sanchez said he was pleasantly surprised when he studied the Jets' playbook during his workout with them and noticed strong similarities to USC's offense. That could bode well for New York after Sanchez threw for 3,965 yards and 41 touchdowns and excelled in the Trojans' system despite having just one year as a starter after sitting at USC behind John David Booty.

He won the job last season and led the Trojans to a victory over Penn State in the Rose Bowl, passing for 413 yards and earning offensive MVP honors. Sanchez opted to forgo his final year of college eligibility, and became the first quarterback the Jets selected in the first round since Chad Pennington went 18th overall in 2000.

Sanchez also believes he's prepared for the scrutiny of playing in New York, and for a franchise that hasn't played in a Super Bowl since Namath led the Jets to the title in 1969.

"The kind of pressure, you expect that," he said. "As a quarterback, that's what you signed up for. I learned how to compete and deal with pressure at ‘SC and in a large media market in Los Angeles, and things are only going to be bigger and better."

-- Dennis Waszak Jr.

Bills trade 2 draft picks to select OL Levitre

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bills showed they're serious about retooling their offensive line after trading two draft picks to the Dallas Cowboys for the right to select Oregon State's Andy Levitre (le-vee-TREE) with the No. 51 pick.

Buffalo gave up its 75th and 110th picks in the trade with Dallas on Saturday. A two-year starter, Levitre can play both guard and tackle, and became the second offensive lineman selected by the Bills a week after they traded Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters to Philadelphia.

The Bills also selected Louisville center Eric Wood with the 28th pick. Buffalo opened the draft by taking Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin at No. 11, and also selected Oregon defensive back Jairus (JAI-rus) Byrd at No. 42.

-- John Wawrow

Illinois CB Davis taken by Dolphins with 25th pick

DAVIE, Fla. - Illinois cornerback Vontae Davis was taken by the Miami Dolphins with the 25th pick in the NFL draft Saturday.

The Dolphins hope Davis will upgrade a secondary that ranked 25th in the NFL against the pass last year and lost starting cornerback Andre Goodman in free agency. Miami used its top pick on a cornerback for the first time since selecting draft bust Jamar Fletcher in 2001.

Davis started 34 games for the Fighting Illini. He had a hand in 12 takeaways in his career and made 13.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Davis' brother, tight end Vernon Davis, was taken with the sixth overall pick in 2006 by San Francisco.

-- Steven Wine

Pats take OT Vollmer in second round

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots have completed their drafting for Saturday by taking offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer from Houston.

The 6-foot-8 inch, 315-pound Vollmer was chosen with the 58th pick as the fourth player taken by the Patriots, all in the second round. They made two trades to get out of the first round and another to move up six spots in the second.

Vollmer, a native of Germany, arrived in the United States in the fall of 2004 when he sat out the season as a redshirt.

Earlier, the Patriots drafted safety Patrick Chung of Oregon with the 34th pick, defensive tackle Ron Brace of Boston College with the 40th and cornerback Darius Butler of Connecticut with the 41st. They have seven picks in the final five rounds Sunday.

-- Howard Ulman

WEST

Raiders draft Heyward-Bey seventh

ALAMEDA, Calif. - Al Davis has always prized speed above almost all other attributes when it comes to the draft.

So when the Oakland Raiders had their choice of wideouts to pick with the seventh selection in the draft on Saturday they went with the fastest, taking Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey over other higher-rated or more accomplished players.

What made the selection of Heyward-Bey one of the bigger surprises of the draft was that Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin - the top-rated receivers by most experts - were both still available. Those two had higher grades, better numbers and more publicity than Heyward-Bey, but couldn't match him in breakaway speed.

Heyward-Bey was clocked at 4.23 seconds in the 40-yard dash in 2006 at Maryland and had the fastest time of any player at the NFL combine at 4.3 seconds to go with his 6-foot-2 size and 38½-inch vertical leap.

"When you look at the history of the great receivers who have been Oakland Raiders, it's always been about that vertical speed, being able to stretch the field, take that top off the defense," coach Tom Cable said. "This certainly does that for us."

The Raiders had a glaring need to find a receiver to complement quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft.

Johnnie Lee Higgins led all of Oakland's wideouts with 22 catches for 366 yards last season, and the team had just 82 receptions in all from the position. Higgins and rookie Chaz Schilens were the starters at the end of last season. Javon Walker is also in the mix as he recovers from an ankle injury that cost him the second half of last season.

"This is a guy that I had targeted a month ago," Cable said. "He's the one guy who's made everyone better around him. We needed the ability to throw the ball over people's head and JaMarcus has obviously shown he can out-throw most everything. This is a guy now who can go run that down and catch it."

Heyward-Bey caught just 13 touchdown passes in three seasons at Maryland, never reaching 800 yards receiving in a season. He had career-lows last season with 42 catches for 609 yards to go with his five TD catches.

Those numbers paled in comparison to what Crabtree and Maclin put up in spread offenses.

Crabtree caught 97 passes for 1,165 yards and 19 touchdowns last season at Texas Tech and was widely expected to be the first receiver selected. But there were questions about his speed and a stress fracture that was discovered in his left foot at the combine. He ended up going 10th to San Francisco, so the Raiders won't have to look far to see how the decision turns out.

Maclin had 102 catches for 1,260 yards and 13 touchdowns last season at Missouri, where he was also a dangerous returner. He went 19th to Philadelphia.

"I don't know why I moved ahead of those guys, but definitely the Raiders saw something in me," Heyward-Bey said. I feel like I had the qualities to be the best receiver in the class. I know people look at the stats and everything, but just playing in the pro-style offense and having the skills and being able to be taught and listen and work hard, I felt like I was definitely at the top."

Cable compared Heyward-Bey to Randy Moss, one of the most dynamic receivers in the game but one who struggled in his two seasons in Oakland. He said he was attracted by Heyward-Bey's experience in a pro-style offense, calling him the best route-runner of the three top receivers and downplaying his inferior college numbers.

"If you put the spread system at this level, it doesn't really exist," Cable said. "Those numbers would be dramatically different. I think the one great comparison that I did that really showed this was the right guy for me, if I put him in that same system, he might have been over 50 touchdowns. He's that talented.

The Raiders also passed up on Eugene Monroe, one of the highest-rated tackles in the draft. Oakland struggled at that position last season but Cable believes that returners Mario Henderson and Cornell Green, as well as free-agent signees Khalif Barnes and Erik Pears will solidify that position.

The Raiders traded down in the second round with New England, moving from 40th to 47th overall and getting picks in the fourth and sixth round as well. They ended up with safety Mike Mitchell of Ohio, a player Cable called the "most ferocious hitter in the draft."

Mitchell was so unheralded that he wasn't even invited to the combine, but had been rapidly moving up team's draft boards in recent weeks after a strong pro day performance when he ran a 4.43 40-yard dash.

Safety was a big need for the Raiders, who had only three on the roster in Hiram Eugene, Tyvon Branch and Michael Huff.

-- Josh Dubow

Chiefs take LSU defensive end

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With his first draft selection as the man in charge in Kansas City, Scott Pioli took dead aim at the most glaring of his new team's many needs.

Tyson Jackson, a quick and strong defensive end from LSU, was taken with the No. 3 overall pick and should lend immediate improvement to a defense that set an NFL record for pass-rushing futility with only 10 sacks.

Pioli admitted he had his eye on several players for the highest pick the Chiefs have exercised since 1988.

"There were a couple of players we liked at this spot and this was the player we liked the most," he said. The man who helped build the New England Patriots dynasty before replacing Carl Peterson last January agreed the Chiefs "have a number of positions of need."

"There were a couple of players we felt were very good at this point who were available at No. 3. We valued a couple of players very similarly and for different reasons they had different strengths, different ways we felt could help our football team. When we factored in need, we see where we're at in a front seven standpoint, we felt that need also came into the equation here."

Jackson, 6 feet 4, 295 pounds, is also the third LSU player in three years to be taken with Kansas City's first selection. In 2007, they went for wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, then a year ago selected defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey.

The Chiefs plan to go to the 3-4 defense most of the time and coach Todd Haley said he foresees Jackson playing opposite the tight end.

"He is strong and he's a big man who can run and move around on the football field," Haley said. "I know our defensive coaches are very excited."

Jackson started 38 of 53 games for LSU and totaled 122 tackles. He had 4½ sacks last year - not a head-turning number but still nearly half of what the entire Chiefs defense managed while going 2-14 in 2008.

"We look at Tyson as a third-down player. He's got some pass-rush skills, there's no doubt about it," said Haley, who replaced the fired Herm Edwards. "That's one of the things that excited the coaches about him is there are some pass-rush skills, and when you can take advantage of some matchups inside, it could really help us."

Unlike most other top picks, Jackson was not in New York. He got the news while staying in a New Orleans hotel with friends and family.

"I am a country boy. I grew up in a little small Bayou town in Louisiana," he said. "I couldn't deal with that New York-type atmosphere. I just stayed at home. Right now we're just celebrating. I'm just so proud that the Kansas City Chiefs selected me as the third pick. I've got a roller coaster going through my body right now. I really can't explain it."

He said fans should not be deceived by the fact he had fewer than five sacks for the Tigers last year. He's eighth in school history with 18½ sacks.

"That's been put out that I had trouble rushing the passer," he said. "But not to brag on myself, but looking at LSU the last four years, I'm ranked among the best in career sacks. I do my fair share of rushing the passer. I'm going to do my very best on every snap to put constant pressure on the quarterback. It's no problem for me playing the run, and I can contribute on the pass. I'll give them 100 percent effort every play and try to do my best."

Pioli, known for his wheeling and dealing as the Patriots' director of pro personnel for nine years, said he got no calls on Saturday from anyone interested in trading up to the No. 3.

"Any time you want to make a trade, you have to have a partner to make a trade," he said. "In this case, there were no partners who wanted to talk to us about trades."

After giving New England his second-round pick for quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel, Pioli had no other selection on Saturday. But he indicated that could change.

"Don't leave," he told reporters.

Pioli also denied broadcast reports that he had reached agreement with Cassel on a new contract.

"Someone had told me that report was out there. That's news to me," he said.

-- Doug Tucker

Broncos grab RB Moreno and DE Robert Ayers

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Josh McDaniels pulled a few big surprises in his first draft as coach of the Denver Broncos.

McDaniels selected Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno at No. 12 on Saturday and then started addressing his many defensive holes with the addition of versatile pass-rusher Robert Ayers of Tennessee at No. 18.

Taking Moreno ahead of Ayers raised some eyebrows, as did the Broncos' maneuvering in Round 2. The Broncos drafted Alphonso Smith, a 5-foot-9 cornerback from Wake Forest with the 37th pick, which they acquired from Seattle in exchange for their first-round pick in 2010.

The Broncos still have a first-rounder next year, which they received from Chicago in the Jay Cutler trade.

Seahawks president and general manager Tim Ruskell said the Broncos called earlier in the day about possibly trading up to Seattle's fourth overall pick in the first round, so a communication line was already open.

Asked if he ever thought he'd pick up a No. 1 pick Saturday, though, Ruskell said, "No, I absolutely did not. Yeah, that kind of came out of the blue."

"Obviously, with two ones, you can do a lot of things. You can go just about anywhere you want to go in the round. That's a nice option to have," Ruskell said.

The Broncos decided Smith was more valuable to them than that extra selection.

McDaniels went for another defensive back with the 48th overall pick, selecting Texas Tech safety Darcel McBath.

The Broncos had been expected to focus more on their thin front seven Saturday after adding veteran defensive backs Brian Dawkins, Renaldo Hill and Andre' Goodman in free agency.

And few expected them to go after a running back in the first round, either.

McDaniels said he thought about taking Ayers at 12 but feared that Moreno would be gone by the time the Broncos selected again six spots later, with the other first-round pick they got from the Bears for Cutler.

"Taking Knowshon first and Robert second paid off and worked the way we thought it would," McDaniels said.

This was the first draft for the 33-year-old McDaniels and 37-year-old rookie general manager Brian Xanders, who signed an NFL-high 16 free agents this spring, including three running backs in J.J. Arrington, LaMont Jordan and Correll Buckhalter to compete with holdovers Peyton Hillis, Selvin Young and Ryan Torain.

However, only three of them were healthy enough to participate in the new regime's first minicamp a week ago - Jordan, Buckhalter and Hillis - and now Moreno comes in as the potential workhorse.

"I'm going to fit in where I can, learn from the guys that are there, and compete and work hard to make my team better and make myself better," Moreno said.

Moreno and Ayers played against each other in college.

"We always thought he was the best back in the country by far," Ayers said. "He's the first back selected. He's a hard runner. He's one of the hardest runners I've ever played against."

Although he only started one year for the Vols, Ayers is among the bevy of hybrid defenders in the draft who can play defensive end and outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme like Denver is installing.

"Maybe both. Certainly capable," McDaniels said. "That's where were going to put him. He's a guy that can stand up or put his hand on the ground. ... He's a player we're looking forward to trying to maneuver around and well see where he fits best."

Unlike his predecessor, Mike Shanahan, who always found backfield diamonds in the lower rounds of the draft, McDaniels went for the marquee tailback in this one.

Moreno is the highest drafted running back the Broncos have selected since Otis Armstrong in 1973 and the first one they've grabbed in the first round since Steve Sewell in 1985.

Moreno, a third-year sophomore known not only for his nifty moves but his premiere pass protection, had 1,400 yards rushing with 16 touchdowns last season to join Herschel Walker as the only players in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

-- Arnie Stapleton

Chargers take English with 16th pick

SAN DIEGO - A.J. Smith certainly raised some eyebrows by taking Northern Illinois linebacker Larry English in the first round of the NFL draft.

Whether English turns out to be the eventual replacement for star outside linebacker Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman remains to be seen. The Chargers said they were simply looking to add depth on a defense that lost a lot of its spark after Merriman had season-ending surgery after the season opener.

English was projected by many to be taken lower in the first round, and the Chargers picked him even though players such as USC linebacker Rey Maualuga and Ohio State running back Chris "Beanie" Wells were available.

"Unless we shore up the defense, we're not going to go where we want to go," Smith said. "We need to bring pressure and this is a guy that can bring the heat - physical, nasty, great presence. We're going to put him in the mix, give him to coach Rivera and turn him loose."

Smith, who was referring to defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, didn't take questions about English.

Merriman's contract expires after the 2009 season and there's already been talk that he'll get big free-agent money elsewhere, perhaps from the Washington Redskins because he's from Maryland.

Jimmy Ray, the Chargers' director of player personnel, said there have been situations where Merriman and the other outside linebacker, Shaun Phillips, have been hurt. He said it can only help having depth that includes someone such as English, who had 31 1/2 sacks in college.

"I think it's a great situation to come into because those are two talented football players, veterans guys that have been around the game a long time," English said during a conference call. "I can learn a lot from those guys. I'm excited to get in there and compete and be a football player."

Turner said he envisions situations where the Chargers have three outside linebackers on the field at the same time, with Merriman coming off one edge, English off the other edge and Phillips moving around.

"We can create some real problems for offensive football teams," Turner said. "We've had four outside linebackers on the field at once. I don't want to get ahead of ourselves. Larry has to come in here and crank it up and learn what this league's like. He's going to come in here and have the same learning curve all young guys do."

The Chargers had a hard time getting to quarterbacks last year, and were ranked second-to-last in pass defense.

Jyles Tucker, who was given a $14.65 million, five-year contract extension days before the 2008 season started despite playing in only six career regular-season games, replaced Merriman and have 5 1/2 sacks. Phillips led the Chargers with 7 1/2.

"We felt a real urgency to create situations where we can put more pressure on the quarterback, and obviously getting Shawne Merriman back will help us greatly there," Turner said. "Adding a rusher, we felt, would certainly help us. I don't care who you are, you can only cover so long. If you can't pressure the quarterback in this league, you're going to struggle."

Turner said he's not going to get caught up in whether a first-round draft pick needs to be a starter.

"If he comes in here and plays 500, 600 snaps in our nickel package, and can be productive, that would be a great plus for us."

-- Bernie Wilson