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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1997)
seniors impress scouts ? booker solidifies his status as a potential 1 first-rounder. By Mitch Sherman Senior Reporter A group of speedy defensive backs, including two converted linebackers, stood out Tuesday as 25 to 30 NFL scouts evaluated several Nebraska se niors at Code Pavilion. Gathered in preparation for April’s NFL draft, the scouts took special no tice of comerback Michael Booker, who is projected by many analysts as a mid-to-late first-round pick. But Terrell Farley, Jamel Williams, Mike Minter and Eric Stokes also turned heads, causing one scout to label the NU group among the nation’s best batch of defensive backs. “It’s as good as you’re going to find,” said Kent McCloughan, an Oakland Raiders’ scout who lettered at Nebraska from 1962 through 1964. “Tliey’re all going to be drafted in a pretty good round.” Booker, 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash and drew the day’s largest crowd during a series of agility drills. Everybody would love to go in the first round. That’s a given,” said Booker, who started 23 games over the last two seasons and earned second team All-Big 12 honors as a senior. “But if you perform at first-round sta tus, which I think I’m doing, then you’ll go in the first jound.” Last month in Indianapolis, Booker and several other former Comhuskers performed for a much larger group at the league’s annual scouting combine. Although Booker preferred Tuesday’s workout in a fa miliar environment, he said, the scouts remained difficult to read. “They’ve got that stem look and smile at every player,” Booker said. “They don’t say too much, but every- - body likes to see an athlete come out here and try fo better himself.” Williams, 6-2 and 210 pounds, and Farley, a 6-1, 205-pounder, played linebacker at Nebraska, but because of their size and speed, a spot in the sec ondary — perhaps at safety — best suits the duo at the next level. “You can see Farley and Williams have no idea how to really pedal as a defensive back,” McCloughan said, j “They think as a linebacker, so they’re i going to have to be really good spe cial teams players for a year or two before they leam to play. But they’ll be drafted in pretty good position.” Williams led Nebraska with 97 tackles last season, and Farley — de spite missing four regular-season games and the Orange Bowl because of two DWI arrests recorded 43 tackles, including 10 behind the line of scrimmage. McCloughan said he lid not know how Farley’s off-the Eield problems will affect his draft sta tus. Minter, Stokes, I-back Damon Benning and offensive linemen Adam Freu and Chris Dishman also im pressed McCloughan, who played de fensive back for the Raiders after graduating from NU. Many of the scouts return to Lin coin next TUesday, primarily to watch Jared Tomich, who McCloughan called “an important item to see.” Tomich suffered a fractured right ankle during a January practice for the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. He missed the scouting combine and watched Tuesday’s workout from the sidelines. , Projected as a middle linebacker in the NFL after twice earning All America honors as a rush end at NU, Tomich wore a cast on his ankle for four weeks. He’s now running on the leg and said he will be ready for the scouts next week. “It was something that I had no control over,” Tomich said of his un timely injury. “When’s there’s noth ing you can do, it’s pretty rough. Hope fully, it won’t hurt me too much.” Ryan Sodeklin/DN MIKE FULLMAN takes a break ea IbesCay at Ceek Pavillea. NFL sceets were hi tewa te watch the Hesker sealers’ weikeet. r>ff r% OPPORTUNITIES Currently Recruiting: Service Specialists, Desk Analysts, and • Professionals Inc. *2525 North 117th Avenue • Omaha, NE 68164 , fax: (402) 431-7294* Equal Opportunity Employer ■ 10% off* any service (w/student or faculty I.Dl) i m -Offieeriar price. No* void with ary other offer. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. 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