Thousands of collegians play football each year, but being drafted by an NFL team is an honor bestowed on just 224 this year.
Yesterday, Navy's Bob Kuberski became one of the select few, capping a day of mixed emotions.
Kuberski, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive tackle, was drafted in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers, the 183rd pick overall. A half-hour before he was drafted, Kuberski had learned that his request to delay his five-year military obligation -- which would allow him to play in the NFL immediately -- was denied.
"I had sent a letter on March 19 asking if I could delay my commitment a couple of years," Kuberski said yesterday. "But I got a message back from [Rear Adm. Thomas Lynch, Navy's superintendent] that I'm not allowed to play."
So that leaves the football future of the agile and quick Kuberski in limbo. A starter at Navy since the fourth game of his sophomore season, Kuberski was an All-East selection the past two years and was the first Navy player drafted since Napoleon McCallum was picked in 1986 by the Los Angeles Raiders in the fourth round.
A tinge of disappointment was in his voice as he recalled the events of yesterday afternoon. Kuberski said he received a call from Green Bay shortly after receiving the computer message that his exemption request would not be granted.
"I told [the Packers] there was no deal," Kuberski said. "And they said, 'We're going to pick you anyway.' "
And so Kuberski was picked, even ahead of Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta, taken by the Minnesota Vikings with the 192nd pick.
"It's been up and down for me," Kuberski said. "I was really down when I got the news that I couldn't play, but really up after I got drafted."
Kuberski flew to Green Bay earlier this month, and impressed the Packers in his workout. He also had tryouts with the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons. He was hoping that the Navy would allow him to play two years in the NFL before he began the five-year military obligation that all Naval Academy graduates face.
"I asked if I would be able to play," said Kuberski, who, during the season, said that allowing him to play in the NFL would be a good recruiting tool for the academy. "Since I won't right away, I'll just honor the commitment and see what happens."
Now, his opportunity at pro football might not come until 1998. Although Kuberski will be 27 by then, he still will have a dream.
"I'm happy. I have a home with a team in the NFL so that when done I won't have to market myself again," Kuberski said. "I'm lucky that I've never been seriously hurt, and I'm just hoping for a chance later on."
NFL draft round-by-round selections
Rounds 1 through 4 were held Sunday.
Fifth round 113, New England, Scott Sisson, k, Georgia Tech. 114, Seattle, Terrence Warren, wr, Hampton. 115, New York Jets, Fred Baxter, te, Auburn. 116, San Francisco (from Phoenix), Artie Smith, dt, Louisiana Tech. 117, Cincinnati, Forey Duckett, db, Nevada. 118, Green Bay (from Tampa Bay), Mark Brunell, qb, Washington. 119, Green Bay (from Chicago), James Willis, lb, Auburn.
120, New York Jets (from Detroit), Adrian Murrell, rb, West Virginia. 121, Atlanta, Ron George, lb, Stanford. 122, Los Angeles Rams, Sean LaChapelle, wr, UCLA. 123, New York Giants, Tommy Thigpen, lb, North Carolina. 124, Cleveland, Herman Arvie, ot, Grambling. 125, Los Angeles Raiders, Orlanda Truitt, wr, Mississippi State. 126, Denver, Kevin Williams, rb, UCLA.
127, Los Angeles Rams (from Indianapolis), Chuck Belin, g, Wisconsin. 128, Washington, Greg Huntington, c, Penn State. 129, New York Jets (from Green Bay), Kenny Shedd, wr, Northwestern Iowa. 130, Kansas City, Lindsay Knapp, g, Notre Dame. 131, Houston, John Henry Mills, te, Wake Forest. 132, Miami, Chris Gray, g, Auburn. 133, Minnesota, Everett Lindsay, ot, Mississippi.
134, San Diego, Walter Dunson, wr, Middle Tennessee State. 135, Pittsburgh, Lonnie Palelei, g, UNLV. 136, Buffalo (from Philadelphia), Mike Devlin, c, Iowa. 137, New Orleans, Tyrone Hughes, db, Nebraska. 138, New England (from San Francisco through San Diego), Richard Griffith, te, Arizona. 139, Buffalo, Sebastian Savage, db, North Carolina State. 140, Pittsburgh (from Dallas), Mark Woodard, lb, Mississippi State.
' Sixth round 141, Green Bay (from Seattle), Doug Evans, db, Louisiana Tech. New England, Lawrence Hatch, db, Florida. 143, Phoenix, Brett Wallerstedt, lb, Arizona State. 144, New York Jets, Richie Anderson, rb, Penn State. 145, Tampa Bay, Chidi Ahanotu, dt, California. 146, Chicago, Dave Hoffmann, lb, Washington. 147, Detroit, Greg Jeffries, db, Virginia.
148, Cincinnati, Tom Scott, ot, East Carolina. 149, Los Angeles Rams, Deral Boykin, db, Louisville. 150, New York Giants, Scott Davis, g, Iowa. 151, Atlanta, Mitch Lyons, te, Michigan State. 152, Green Bay (from Los Angeles Raiders), Paul Hutchins, ot, Western Michigan. 153, Cleveland, Rich McKennzie, lb, Penn State. 154, Denver, Melvin Bonner, wr, Baylor.
155, Washington, Darryl Morrison, db, Arizona. 156, Green Bay (from Green Bay through Indianapolis and Chicago), Tim Watson, db, Howard. 157, Indianapolis, Carlos Etheredge, te, Miami. 158, Houston, Chuck Bradley, ot, Kentucky. 159, Kansas City, Darius Turner, rb, Washington. 160, Washington (from Minnesota), Fred Wycheck, te, Maryland. 161, San Diego, Eric Castle, db, Oregon.
162, Pittsburgh, Willie Williams, db, Western Carolina. 163, Philadelphia, Derrick Oden, lb, Alabama. 164, Miami, Robert O'Neal, db, Clemson. 165, New Orleans, Ronnie Dixon, nt, Cincinnati. 166, San Francisco, Chris Dalman, c, Stanford. 167, Buffalo, Corbin Lacina, ot, Augustana, S.D. 168, Dallas, Barry Minter, lb, Tulsa.
! Seventh round 169, Denver (from New England through Atlanta), Clarence Williams, te, Washington State. 170, Seattle, Michael McCrary, de, Wake Forest. 171, New York Jets, Alec Millen, ot, Georgia. 172, Phoenix, Will White, db, Florida. 173, Chicago, Keshon Johnson, cb, Arizona. 174, Detroit, Ty Hallock, lb, Michigan State. 175, Cincinnati, Lance Gunn, db, Texas.
176, Tampa Bay, Tyree Davis, wr, Central Arkansas. 177, New York Giants, Todd Peterson, k, Georgia. 178, Atlanta, Darnell Walker, db, Oklahoma. 179, Los Angeles Rams, Brad Fitchel, c, Eastern Illinois. 180, Cleveland, Travis Hill, lb, Nebraska. 181, Los Angeles Raiders, Greg Biekert, lb, Colorado. 182, Denver, Antonio Kimbrough, wr, Jackson State.
183, Green Bay, Robert Kuberski, dt, Navy. 184, Indianapolis, Lance Lewis, rb, Nebraska. 185, Pittsburgh (from Washington), Jeff Zgonina, dt, Purdue. 186, Kansas City, Danan Hughes, wr, Iowa. 187, Houston, Patrick Robinson, wr, Tennessee State. 188, San Diego, Doug Miller, lb, South Dakota State. 189, Pittsburgh, Craig Keith, te, Lenoir-Rhyne.
190, Philadelphia, Joey Mickey, te, Oklahoma. 191, Miami, David Merritt, lb, North Carolina State. 192, Minnesota, Gino Torretta, qb, Miami. 193, New Orleans, Othello Henderson, db, UCLA. 194, San Francisco, Troy Wilson, lb, Pittsburg State, Kan. 195, Buffalo, Willie Harris, wr, Mississippi State. 196, Dallas, Brock Marion, db, Nevada.
Eighth round 197, Seattle, Jeff Blackshear, g, NE Louisiana. 198, New England, Troy Brown, kr, Marshall. 199, Phoenix, Chad Brown, de, Mississippi. 200, New York Jets, Craig Hentrich, k, Notre Dame. 201, Detroit, Kevin Minniefield, db, Arizona State. 202, Cincinnati, Doug Pelfrey, k, Kentucky. 203, Dallas (from Tampa Bay), Dave Thomas, db, Tennessee.
204, Seattle (from Chicago), Antonio Edwards, de, Valdosta State. 205, Atlanta, Shannon baker, wr, Florida State. 206, Los Angeles Rams, Jeff Buffaloe, p, Memphis State. 207, New York )) Giants, Jessie Armstead, lb, Miami. 208, Los Angeles Raiders, Greg Robinson, rb, NE Louisiana. 209, Los Angeles Rams (from Cleveland), Maa Tanuvasa, dt, Hawaii. 210, Denver, Brian Stablein, wr, Ohio State.
211, Indianapolis, Marquise Thomas, lb, Mississippi. 212, Washington, Lamont Hollinquist, lb, Southern Cal. 213, Dallas (from Green Bay), Reggie Givens, db, Penn State. 214, Houston, Blaine Bishop, db, Ball State. 215, Phoenix (from Kansas City), Steve Anderson, wr, Grambling. 216, Pittsburgh, Alex Van Pelt, qb, Pittsburgh. 217, Philadelphia, Doug Skene, ot, Michigan.
218, Miami, Dwayne Gordon, lb, New Hampshire. 219, San Francisco (from Minnesota), Elvis Grbac, qb, Michigan. 220, Tampa Bay (from San Diego), Darrick Branch, wr, Hawaii. 221, New Orleans, Jon Kirksey, nt, Sacramento State. 222, San Diego (from San Francisco), Trent Green, qb, Indiana. 223, Buffalo, Chris Luneberg, ot, West Chester, Pa. 224, Tampa Bay (from Dallas), Daron Alcorn, k, Akron.
POST-GRAD SCHOOLS
I=
Top schools in number of players selected in the draft:
Miami 9 .. .. .. .. Colorado 5
Notre Dame 9 .. .. Stanford 5
Penn State 8 .. .. Arizona 4
Alabama 6 .. .. .. Kentucky 4
Florida State 6 .. La. Tech 4
Michigan 6 .. .. .. Miss. State 4
Nebraska 6 .. .. .. N. Carolina 4
Washington 6 .. .. Ohio State 4
Clemson 5 .. .. .. .. UCLA 4
.. .. .. .. .. .. Virginia 4
NFL draft team-by-team selections
Players listed by round, position, school and overall pick in
parentheses:
Atlanta Falcons 1, Lincoln Kennedy, ot, Washington (9); 2, Roger Harper, db, Ohio State (38); 3, Harold Alexander, p, Appalachian State (67); 5, Ron George, lb, Stanford (121); 6, Mitch Lyons, te, Michigan State (151); 7, Darnell Walker, db, Oklahoma (178); 8, Shannon Baker, wr, Florida State (205).
Buffalo Bills 1, Thomas Smith, db, North Carolina (28); 2, John Parrella, dt, Nebraska (55); 4, Russell Copeland, wr, Memphis State (111); 5, Mike Devlin, c, Iowa (136); 5, Sebastian Savage, db, North Carolina State (139); 6, Corbin Lacina, ot, Augustana, S.D. (167); 7, Willie Harris, wr, Mississippi State (195); 8, Chris Luneberg, ot, West Chester, Pa. (223).
Chicago Bears 1, Curtis Conway, wr, Southern Cal (7); 2, Carl Simpson, dt, Florida State (35); 3, Chris Gedney, te, Syracuse (61); 4, Todd Perry, g, Kentucky (97); 4, Myron Baker, lb, Louisiana Tech (100); 4, Albert Fontenot, de, Baylor (112); 6, Dave Hoffmann, lb, Washington (146); 7, Keshon Johnson, cb, Arizona (173).
Cincinnati Bengals 1, John Copeland, de, Alabama (5); 2, Tony McGee, te, Michigan 3, Steve Tovar, lb, Ohio State (59); 3, Ty Parten, dl, Arizona (63); 4, Marcello Simmons, db, Southern Methodist (90); 5, Forey Duckett, db, Nevada (117); 6, Tom Scott, ot, East Carolina (148); 7, Lance Gunn, db, Texas (175); 8, Doug Pelfrey, k, Kentucky (202).
Cleveland Browns 1, Steve Everitt, c, Michigan (14); 2, Dan Footman, de, Florida State (42); 3, Michael Caldwell, lb, Middle Tennessee State (83); 5, Herman Arvie, ot, Grambling (124); 6, Rich McKenzie, lb, Penn State (153); 7, Travis Hill, lb, Nebraska (180).
Dallas Cowboys 2, Kevin Williams, wr, Miami (46); 2, Darrin Smith, lb, Miami (54); Mike Middleton, db, Indiana (84); 4, Derrick Lassic, rb, Alabama (94); 4, Ron Stone, ot, Boston College (96); 6, Barry Minter, lb, Tulsa (168); 7, Brock Marion, db, Nevada (196); 7, Dave Thomas, db, Tennessee (203); 8, Reggie Givens, db, Penn
State (213).
Denver Broncos 1, Dan Williams, de, Toledo (11); 2, Glyn Milburn, rb, Stanford 3, Rondell Jones, db, North Carolina (69); 3, Jason Elam, k, Hawaii (70); 4, Jeff Robinson, de, Idaho (98); 5, Kevin Williams, rb, UCLA (126); 6, Melvin Bonner, wr, Baylor (154); 7, Clarence Williams, te, Washington State (169); 7, Antonio Kimbrough, wr, Jackson State (182); 8, Brian Stablein, wr, Ohio State (210).
Detroit Lions 2, Ryan McNeil, db, Miami (33); 3, Antonio London, lb, Alabama 3, Mike Compton, c, West Virginia (68); 6, Greg Jeffries, db, Virginia (147); 7, Ty Hallock, lb, Michigan State (174); 8, Kevin Minniefield, db, Arizona State (201).
Green Bay Packers 1, Wayne Simmons, lb, Clemson (15); 1, George Teague, db, Alabama (29); 3, Earl Dotson, ot, Texas A&I; (81); 5, Mark Brunell, qb, Washington (118); 5, James Willis, lb, Auburn (119); 6, Doug Evans, db, Louisiana Tech (141); 6, Paul Hutchins, ot, Western Michigan (152); 6, Tim Watson, db, Howard (156); 7, Robert Kuberski, dt, Navy (183).
Houston Oilers 1, Brad Hopkins, g, Illinois (13); 2, Micheal Barrow, lb, Miami (47); Travis Hannah, wr, Southern Cal (102); 5, John Henry Mills, te, Wake Forest (131); 6, Chuck Bradley, ot, Kentucky (158); 7, Patrick Robinson, wr, Tennessee State (187); 8, Blaine Bishop, db, Ball State (214).
Indianapolis Colts 1, Sean Dawkins, wr, California (16); 2, Roosevelt Potts, rb, NE Louisiana (49); 3, Ray Buchannan, db, Louisville (65); 4, Derwin Gray, db, Brigham Young (92); 4, Devon McDonald, lb, Notre Dame (107); 6, Carlos Etheredge, te, Miami (157); 7, Lance Lewis, rb, Nebraska (184); 8, Marquise Thomas, lb, Mississippi (211).
Kansas City Chiefs 3, Will Shields, g, Nebraska (74); 4, Jaime Fields, lb, Washington 5, Lindsay Knapp, g, Notre Dame (130); 6, Darius Turner, rb, Washington (159); 7, Danan Hughes, wr, Iowa (186).
Los Angeles Raiders 1, Patrick Bates, db, Texas A&M; (12); 3, Billy Joe Hobert, qb, Washington (58); 3, James Trapp, db, Clemson (72); 5, Orlanda Truitt, wr, Mississippi State (125); 7, Greg Biekert, lb, Colorado (181); 8, Greg Robinson, rb, NE Louisiana (208).
Los Angeles Rams 1, Jerome Bettis, rb, Notre Dame (10); 2, Troy Drayton, te, Penn State (39); 3, Russell White, rb, California (73); 5, Sean LaChapelle, wr, UCLA (122); 5, Chuck Belin, g, Wisconsin (127); 6, Deral Boykin, db, Louisville (149); 7, Brad Fitchel, c, Eastern Illinois (179); 8, Jeff Buffaloe, p, Memphis State (206); 8, Maa Tanuvasa, dt, Hawaii (209).
Miami Dolphins 1, O.J. McDuffie, wr, Penn State (25); 3, Terry Kirby, rb, Virginia 4, Ronnie Bradford, db, Colorado, (105); 5, Chris Gray, g, Auburn (132); 6, Robert O'Neal, db, Clemson (164); 7, David Merritt, lb, North Carolina State (191); 8, Dwayne Gordon, lb, New Hampshire (218).
Minnesota Vikings 1, Robert Smith, rb, Ohio State (21); 2, Qadry Ismail, wr, Syracuse (52); 3, John Gerak, ol, Penn State (57); 3, Gilbert Brown, dt, Kansas (79); 4, Ashley Sheppard, lb, Clemson (106); 5, Everett Lindsay, ot, Mississippi (133); 7, Gino Torretta, qb,
Miami (192).
New England Patriots 1, Drew Bledsoe, qb, Washington State (1); 2, Chris Slade, de, Virginia (31); 2, Todd Rucci, ot, Penn State (51); 2, Vincent Brisby, wr, NE Louisiana (56); 4, Kevin Johnson, dt, Texas Southern (86); 4, Corwin Brown, db, Michigan (110); 5, Scott Sisson, k, Georgia Tech (113); 5, Richard Griffith, te, Arizona (138); 6, Lawrence Hatch, db, Florida (142); 8, Troy Brown, kr, Marshall (198).
New Orleans Saints 1, Willie Roaf, ot, Louisiana Tech (8); 1, Irv Smith, te, Notre Dame 2, Reggie Freeman, lb, Florida State (53); 4, Lorenzo Neal, rb, Fresno State (89); 4, Derek Brown, rb, Nebraska (109); 5, Tyron Hughes, db, Nebraska (137); 6, Ronnie Dixon, nt, Cincinnati (165); 7, Othello Henderson, db, UCLA (193); 8, Jon Kirksey, nt, Sacramento State (221).
New York Giants 2, Michael Strahan, de, Texas Southern (40); 3, Marcus Buckley, Texas A&M; (66); 4, Greg Bishop, ot, Pacific (93); 5, Tommy Thigpen, lb, North Carolina (123); 6, Scott Davis, g, Iowa (150); 7, Todd Peterson, k, Georgia (177); 8, Jessie Armstead, lb, Miami (207).
New York Jets 1, Marvin Jones, lb, Florida State (4); 2, Coleman Rudolph, de, Georgia Tech (36); 4, David Ware, ot, Virginia (88); 5, Fred Baxter, te, Auburn (115); 5, Adrian Murrell, rb, West Virginia (120); 5, Kenny Shedd, wr, Northern Iowa (129); 6, Richie Anderson, rb, Penn State (144); 7, Alec Millen, ot, Georgia (171); 8, Craig Hentrich, k, Notre Dame (200).
Philadelphia Eagles 1, Lester Holmes, t, Jackson State (19); 1, Leonard Renfro, dt, Colorado (24); 2, Victor Bailey, wr, Missouri (50); 3, Derrick
Frazier, db, Texas A&M; (75); 3, Mike Reid, db, North Carolina State (77); 6, Derrick Oden, lb, Alabama (163); 7, Joey Mickey, te, Oklahoma (190); 8, Doug Skene, ot, Michigan (217).
@Phoenix Cardinals 1, Garrison Hearst, rb, Georgia (3); 1, Ernest Dye, t, South Carolina (18); 2, Ben Coleman, t, Wake Forest (32); 4, Ronald Moore, rb, Pittsburg State, Kan. (87); 6, Brett Wallerstedt, lb, Arizona State (143); 7, Will White, db, Florida (172); 8, Chad Brown, de, Mississippi (199); 8, Steve Anderson, wr, Grambling (215).
Pittsburgh Steelers 1, Deon Figures, db, Colorado (23); 2, Chad Brown, lb, Colorado 3, Andre Hastings, wr, Georgia (76); 4, Kevin Henry, de, Mississippi State (108); 5, Lonnie Palelei, g, UNLV (135); 5, Mark Woodard, lb, Mississippi State (140); 6, Willie Williams, db, Western Carolina (162); 7, Jeff Zgonina, dt, Purdue (185); 7, Craig Keith, te, Lenoir-Rhyne (189); 8, Alex Van Pelt, qb, Pittsburgh (216).
San Diego Chargers 1, Darrien Gordon, db, Stanford (22); 2, Natrone Means, rb, North Carolina (41); 3, Joe Cocozzo, g, Michigan (64); 4, Ray Lee Johnson, de, Arkansas (95); 4, Lewis Bush, lb, Washington State (99); 5, Walter Dunson, wr, Middle Tennessee State (134); 6, Eric Castle, db, Oregon (161); 7, Doug Miller, lb, South Dakota State (188); 8, Trent Green, qb, Indiana (222).
San Francisco 49ers 1, Dana Stubblefield, dt, Kansas (26); 1, Todd Kelly, de, Tennessee (27); 2, Adrian Hardy, db, NW Louisiana (48); 5, Artie Smith, dt, Louisiana Tech (116); 6, Chris Dalman, c, Stanford (166); 7, Troy Wilson, lb, Pittsburg State, Kan. (194); 8, Elvis Grbac, qb, Michigan (219).
Seattle Seahawks 1, Rick Mirer, qb, Notre Dame (2); 2, Carlton Gray, db, UCLA (30); Dean Wells, lb, Kentucky (85); 5, Terrence Warren, wr, Hampton (114); 7, Michael McCrary, de, Wake Forest (170); 8, Jeff Blackshear, g, NE Louisiana (197); 8, Antonio Edwards, de, Valdosta State (204).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1, Eric Curry, de, Alabama (6); 2, Demetrius DuBose, lb, Notre Dame (34); 3, Lamar Thomas, wr, Miami (60); 3, John Lynch, db, Stanford (82); 4, Rudy Harris, rb, Clemson (91); 4, Horace Copeland, wr, Miami (104); 6, Chidi Ahanotu, dt, California (145); 7, Tyree Davis, wr, Central Arkansas (176); 8, Darrick Branch, wr, Hawaii (220); 8, Daron Alcorn, k, Auburn (224).
Washington Redksins 1, Tom Carter, db, Notre Dame (17); 2, Reggie Brooks, rb, Notre Dame (45); 3, Rick Hamilton, lb, Central Florida (71); 3, Ed Bunn, p, Texas-El Paso (80); 4, Sterling Palmer, de, Florida State (101); 5, Greg Huntington, c, Penn State (128); 6, Darryl Morrison, db, Arizona (155); 6, Frank Wycheck, te, Maryland (160); 8, Lamont Hollinquest, lb, Southern Cal (212).