QBs Clausen, McCoy take big drop down the board
Texas quarterback Colt McCoy reacts to a two-point conversion against Alabama during the BCS National Championship game. (Jan. 7, 2010) Credit: MCT/Michael Ainsworth
The second round of the NFL draft turned out to be just as unkind to the quarterbacks as the first one was.
One by one, the names were announced, and as more time passed, it became evident that neither Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen nor Texas' Colt McCoy was as hot a commodity as predicted.
After Clausen surprisingly was not selected in Thursday's first round, many assumed the Vikings - a team that needs to find an heir apparent to the noncommittal Brett Favre - would snatch up the strong-armed quarterback in round two. But Minnesota snubbed Clausen, selecting Virginia cornerback Chris Cook with its second pick (34th overall).
The snubbing continued until Carolina rescued Clausen with the 48th overall selection. Now he'll have Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith to throw to if he can beat out incumbent Matt Moore. "I can't wait," Clausen said. "Trying to get his phone number right now so I can call him."
After trading quarterback Brady Quinn and cutting Derek Anderson, the Browns could have grabbed either Clausen or McCoy with the 38th overall pick, but they took Oregon defensive back T.J. Ward. Browns president Mike Holmgren told USA Today he "thought long and hard" about selecting a quarterback with the second-round pick but ultimately decided the team's need at that spot was not that dire. Said Holmgren, "We had too many other areas of the football team to try and build on that we just thought we had to go in a different direction now."
If the evening was long for Clausen, it was even longer for McCoy, who lingered on the board until midway through the third round. The Texas quarterback, projected to go well before Tim Tebow (the 25th overall pick), finally was selected by Cleveland with the 85th overall pick, one spot behind Longhorns teammate Jordan Shipley, selected 84th by Cincinnati.
Texas coach Mack Brown announced McCoy's name to roaring applause from the Radio City Music Hall crowd.
"My heart skipped a beat," McCoy said of getting a phone call from Holmgren. "I am where I'm supposed to be, and that's Cleveland. It's a blue-collar town, and that's how I am."
Rumors had swirled that St. Louis would shop its first pick of the second round, but the Rams held on and chose 6-4, 312-pound offensive tackle Rodger Saffold from Indiana. He was picked to protect the Rams' biggest investment, Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick.
The Vikings picked up running back Toby Gerhart of Stanford with the 51st pick. The 6-foot, 231-pound Gerhart won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back after rushing for 1,871 yards and 28 touchdowns last season.
Rounds four through seven of the draft will be held Saturday. With AP
