HEIRS WHO TOOK FLIGHT Virginia defensive end Chris Long (son of Howie), taken second overall by St. Louis, is the fifth son of a Hall of Famer to be drafted, joining Kellen Winslow Jr. (2004), Brian Griese (1998), Anthony Dorsett (1996), and Mike Shula (1987). UCLA safety Matt Slater could become the sixth today.
BACKFIELD IN MOTION Arkansas teammates Darren McFadden (fourth, Oakland) and Felix Jones (22d, Dallas) became the fourth duo from the same backfield to go in the first round since 1970. Others were Auburn's Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams (2005), Florida's John L. Williams and Neal Anderson (1986), and Ohio State's John Brockington and Leo Hayden (1971).
POSITION OF STRENGTH For just the second time since 1970, at least three defensive linemen were selected in the top 10: Chris Long at No. 2, then four in a row with Glenn Dorsey (No. 5), Vernon Gholston (No. 6), Sedrick Ellis (No. 7), and Derrick Harvey (No. 8). Twenty-eight years ago, Mike McCoy went first, Phil Olsen fourth, and Al Cowlings fifth.
SMALL SCHOOLS, BIG PROSPECTS Two Division 1-AA players - Tennessee State cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (16th, Arizona) and Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco (18th, Baltimore) - went in the first round, which hadn't happened since Jackson State teammates Sylvester Morris and Rashard Anderson heard their names called in 2000.
BUILDING BLOCKS Seven offensive tackles went in the first round, tying a record set in 1966 and matched in 1996. From picks 12 (Ryan Clady, Denver) to 21 (Sam Baker, Atlanta), five linemen went off the board.
CHANGE OF PACE Call it the Adrian Peterson Effect. For the first time in a long time, teams were willing to risk their first-round pick on a running back. Five were selected yesterday, matching the most since 2000. Five also went in 1995, and six were taken in 1990.
OUT PATTERN Call it the Troy Williamson Effect. For the first time since 1990, not one wide receiver was taken in the first round. With the exception of 2006 (one), at least six receivers had been drafted in the first round in each draft since 2004. Houston's Donnie Avery was the first wideout to go yesterday, 33d overall to St. Louis. That's the latest a receiver has been taken since the first common draft in 1967.
FIRST AND FOREMOST Southern Cal had four players taken in the opening round (defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, seventh; linebacker Keith Rivers, ninth; offensive tackle Sam Baker, 21st; defensive end Lawrence Jackson, 28th), giving it 60 first-round picks, the most since 1967. Miami is second on the list with 56, the latest being safety Kenny Phillips, who went 31st to the Giants yesterday. That extended the Hurricanes' nation-longest streak of first-round selections to 14 years. Oklahoma had the second-longest streak at six years, but failed to produce a first-rounder for the first time since 2001.
