"NFL INSIDER" READY FOR DRAFT

The draft’s coming up (April 15-16)! And NFL Insider is coming out! The NFL’s new magazine hits the stands next Tuesday (April 11) with an NFL Draft 2000 special edition. It’s packed with player ratings, previews by NFL personnel directors, an interview with top-rated quarterback CHAD PENNINGTON of Marshall – and "Scoutspeak." "Scoutspeak"? Those are the terms used by scouts to categorize prospects. A sampling: "DOUBLE-CATCHER" – A receiver who bobbles the ball before retaining it; "IN THE CHAIR" – An offensive lineman who stays low in pass protection (a good trait); "MASERATI" – Great speed; and "WORKS IN TRASH" – A player who can avoid fallen bodies. NFL Insider is published by the NFL in association with EMAP USA.

TIGHT END AWARD NAMED FOR MACKEY

There’s the BUTKUS (linebackers)…the DAVEY O’BRIEN (quarterbacks)…and the GROZA (kickers) awards. But until now, there has not been an annual national award for college football’s best tight end. That changes next Monday, April 10, with the institution of the JOHN MACKEY AWARD, sponsored by the Nassau County (NY) Sports Commission. Named after the Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end who grew up in Hempstead in Nassau County, the award will be presented to the best collegiate tight end who exhibits "positive sportsmanship while maintaining a minimum 2.5 GPA." Former NFL tight ends MARK BAVARO and KEITH JACKSON will be on hand Monday as Mackey is also inducted into the new Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame.

STADIUM NAMED FOR RICE

He helped put the school on the map. Now they’ve put his name at the top. San Francisco 49ers wide receiver JERRY RICE, the NFL’s all-time TD scorer and receiver, has joined WILLIE TOTTEN, his quarterback while at Mississippi Valley State, to form the Delta Devils’ new stadium name. "Rice-Totten Stadium," formerly "Magnolia Stadium," was re-named on March 25. Rice and Totten combined to set 40 NCAA records in the early ‘80s. "To be remembered this way is very special," said Rice. He joins numerous NFL players/coaches with stadiums named after them: PAUL BROWN Field (Massillon, Ohio), JOHN ELWAY Stadium (Granada Hills, Calif.), CHUCK KNOX Stadium (Huntingdon, Pa.), (CURLY) LAMBEAU Field (Green Bay), and TOM LANDRY Stadium (Mission, Texas) are just a few.

COLLINS READY FOR EXAMS

New York Giants quarterback KERRY COLLINS is one of nearly 500 NFL players and spouses who have returned to college this offseason to earn or advance their degrees through the NFL’s Continuing Education Program. Collins is pursuing his master’s at Fairleigh Dickinson in addictive counseling. His stature as Giants QB doesn’t earn him any points in class, though. "The other night, everybody was taking notes like crazy," says Collins. "We’ve got exams coming up, you know."