Coral Gables, Fla.–The Miami Hurricanes’ national championship was no fluke as far as the NFL is concerned. Miami tied a record Saturday with five players taken in the first round of the draft. Southern Cal also had five in 1968. The first Miami player selected was All-American tackle Bryant McKinnie, chosen with the seventh pick by the Minnesota Vikings. By the end of the first round, tight end Jeremy Shockey, cornerback Phillip Buchanon, safety Ed Reed and cornerback Mike Rumph had also been drafted.
The Hurricanes’ previous high was four first-round picks last year. Their nine first-round choices in 2001-02 are the most for a two-year period. Southern Cal had seven in 1968-69, and Notre Dame matched that total in 1993-94. Miami has produced 30 first-round picks since 1987, the most in the NFL. Florida and Florida State each had one player taken in the opening round. Green Bay selected Seminoles receiver Javon Walker with the 20th pick, and Philadelphia took Gators defensive back Lito Sheppard with the 26th pick. Three Gators went in the second round–receiver Jabar Gaffney to Houston, tackle Mike Pearson to Jacksonville and receiver Reche Caldwell to San Diego.
Central Florida defensive back Travis Fisher was taken by St. Louis in the second round, and Hurricanes back Clinton Portis was taken by Denver. Former Miami coach Butch Davis, now coach of the Cleveland Browns, recruited the Hurricanes drafted Saturday. Davis opted for a non-Hurricane in the first round: running back William Green of Boston College at No. 16.
As expected, McKinnie was the first Miami player drafted. The 6-foot-8-inch, 330-pound tackle didn’t allow a sack in college.
Two teams were so eager to draft Hurricanes that they made trades to move up. The New York Giants advanced one spot to acquire Shockey with the 14th pick. The Oakland Raiders swung two deals to move up four spots to the 17th pick so they could take Buchanon. Giants coach Jim Fassel said Shockey was the player they wanted.
Baltimore took Reed with the 24th pick. The Hurricanes tied the record for most first-rounders when Rumph was chosen by San Francisco with the 27th pick. It was the first time three defensive backs from the same school went opening round.
Baltimore hopes Reed can become a playmaker in the mold of Pro Bowl middle linebacker Ray Lewis, who played for Miami before joining the Ravens as the 26th pick in the 1996 draft.