FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-37               8/30/01

YOUNG PLAYERS EXCEL AS KICKOFF 2001 APPROACHES

 
They’re not household NFL names – yet. 

But a good number of young players have made good use of their time through training camp and three full weeks of preseason this summer to indicate they may indeed forge a successful NFL career.

Who knew about MIKE ANDERSON last year at this time?  Or AARON BROOKS?  Or SHANE LECHLER?     

With one more week of preseason to go before Kickoff 2001 Weekend on September 9-10, here are some young NFL players who are making a name for themselves…

SEAHAWKS “BIG HUTCH” READY TO STEP IN:  When the Seattle Seahawks selected Michigan guard STEVE HUTCHINSON with the 17th overall pick of the 2001 NFL Draft, they expected big things.  Since reporting to training camp, the 6-5, 310-pounder has not disappointed.

“He’s a beast,” says Seahawks running back RICKY WATTERS.  “And when we say someone is a ‘beast,’ that is a very positive thing.  ‘Hutch’ finishes players.  He doesn’t just block and position.  He’s putting you on the ground. He’s knocking you across the hole.  He’s doing whatever it takes to get you out of the way of the running lane we’re trying to create.  Obviously, we love that.”

Such high praise was not only heaped upon Hutchinson by the team’s starting running back, but by the man who selected him in the draft, Seahawks head coach MIKE HOLMGREN.  While Holmgren is usually reserved while talking about rookies’ chances, he admits to excitement about the player teammates are calling “Big Hutch.”

“For a rookie, there are growing pains that they go through on the offensive line,” says Holmgren.  “For Steve, the learning curve is going to be shorter because he does things naturally that take some guys longer.  He is athletic enough to do it, and he is a tough guy.  He is going to be a fine football player.”

BELL MAKING A LOT OF NOISE:  Pittsburgh Steelers rookie linebacker KENDRELL BELL has made such an impression on the team’s coaching staff that there is talk he may be a starter on Kickoff Weekend.  The team’s second-round draft pick out of Georgia has impressed coaches with his hard-hitting style of play.

“He’s developing nicely, he really is,” says Steelers head coach BILL COWHER.  “He’s doing some good things.”

Among the good things are the “textbook” hits he has delivered in training camp.  One in particular, on running back JEROME BETTIS during a goal-line drill, caught everyone’s attention.  “It was the best tackle I’ve seen in my entire life,” says Pittsburgh defensive coordinator TIM LEWIS.  “I’ve never seen a hit that hard and forceful.”

Steelers wide receiver PLAXICO BURRESS has given his new teammate a nickname to show his respect.  “I refer to him as ‘Mr. Bell, the Bell-Ringer,’ says Burress.

As for Bell, he spends his time looking for ways to improve, not relishing one hard hit in a practice session.  “That was probably one of my better hits,” he says.  “But the thing is, you have to be consistent, so it wasn’t any big deal in my mind.  I’m just trying to contribute.  I’m out there practicing hard just like the rest of the rookies.  That goal-line situation was one of the better plays I’ve had out there.  I have to keep doing it, that’s about it.”

SURPRISING SEVENTH-ROUNDER STARTS:  Most teams do not expect seventh-round draft choices to become rookie starters.  But the Atlanta Falcons have found a late-round gem in guard Kynan Forney, who is scheduled to start at right guard.

At the beginning of training camp, Forney was third on the club’s depth chart behind ANTHONY REDMON and CALVIN COLLINS.  But Redmon injured his knee on the third day of camp and Collins was recently cut, in part due to the stellar play of Forney.

“I didn’t expect that to happen,” says Forney of being named the starter.  “I guess that’s the nature of the business.”

A native of Nacogdoches, Texas, Forney played at the University of Hawaii for former Falcons head coach JUNE JONES, who tipped off his old team to Forney’s skills before the draft. 

Atlanta’s head coach DAN REEVES is confident in his decision to start a rookie.

“First of all, you’ve got to have people you think are better,” says Reeves.  “Forney has played well all along, and his upside is going to be great.”

“SNOOP” IN HUNT FOR STARTING SPOT:  When the Kansas City Chiefs went to camp this summer, one of their needs was for a talented receiver to complement DERRICK ALEXANDER, who led the team in receiving yards (1,391) and touchdowns (10) in 2000.

They may have found that complement in the third round of the draft, former Florida State wide receiver MARVIN “SNOOP” MINNIS.  

Minnis is the Chiefs’ leading receiver in preseason and impressed his new coaching staff with six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville last week.  New Chiefs head coach DICK VERMEIL likes what he sees, but thinks Minnis can be even better.

“Snoop played well,” said Vermeil after the Jacksonville game.  “We expect him to play well.  We picked him because we thought he was a good football player.  When he gets mistake-free and we get him honed in on our offense, I think he’s going to be a good player.”  

Minnis himself had no doubts about his ability to become a key player for the Chiefs this season.  “Once I got that first preseason game behind me (on August 12), I pretty much knew that I could play up here,” he says.  “My confidence level has always been there.” 

ROOKIE PLAYING LIKE A VET:  Rookies are used to practicing against their team’s top veterans to measure their own raw skills.  But San Francisco 49ers rookie defensive end ANDRE CARTER is being used by the veterans as a barometer for their skills.

“I was surprised the first time I faced him,” says 49ers 10-year veteran tackle DERRICK DEESE, one of the club’s most experienced pass protectors.  “I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’  I’ve never seen anybody that fast.”

Carter, the seventh pick in the first round and son of former NFL defensive lineman RUBIN CARTER (now the New York Jets’ defensive line coach), has been so impressive this preseason that Deese uses him after practice in one-on-one drills to improve his own skills.

“When Derrick and I go at it, you can’t use one move,” says Carter, who also benefits from the extra practice.  “His hands are constantly working.  He really helps me.”

Carter’s impact has also been felt by 49ers preseason opponents.  Against San Diego on August 11, Carter was constantly double-teamed.  Against Oakland on August 19, Raiders head coach JON GRUDEN, in order to evaluate his own tackles, rotated them so they would each have to face Carter.

BROWNS RB DERBY HAS FAMILIAR FACE IN NEW PLACE:  To succeed in the NFL, most coaches will tell you that you need a solid ground game.  New Cleveland Browns head coach BUTCH DAVIS may have brought just that with him from the University of Miami.  Currently listed at the top of the team’s running-back depth chart is former Hurricane JAMES JACKSON, Davis’ starting tailback  the past two years.

Jackson, drafted in the third round, did nothing to hurt his chances by running for a game-high 66 yards on 10 carries in Cleveland’s first preseason game on August 11, and leads the Browns with 116 yards on 30 carries this preseason.  “He’s done exactly what I’ve seen him do his entire life -- run extremely hard and physical,” says Davis. “That’s very, very typical of J.J.”

Jackson liked his first NFL action.  “I just wanted to go out there and set a tempo,” he says. 

Jackson spent his first two years at Miami backing up two-time NFL rushing champion EDGERRIN JAMES.  After James became the Indianapolis Colts’ first-round selection in 1999, Jackson became Davis’ featured back and ran for 1,006 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.  He finished third (behind James and OTTIS ANDERSON) on the school’s all-time rushing list with 2,953 yards despite starting for only two years.

“Like I’ve been saying all summer,” says Jackson, “I just want to go out there and catch the coach’s eye and my teammates’ eyes and let them know I can play.”