Raiders pick McFadden

NEW YORK (AP) — Forget the intrigue. The NFL invited a

half-dozen players to Saturday’s draft, and they went in the first

six picks.

From Michigan tackle Jake Long, who already had signed with the

Miami Dolphins, to defensive end/linebacker Vernon Gholston going

sixth to the New York Jets, there was an air of predictability to

the proceedings. Unlike last year, when Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn

had to wait hours to be chosen, the players on-hand hit the Radio

City Music Hall stage quickly.

“It’s great to see the green room empty,” said Virginia

defensive end Chris Long, who went second to St. Louis.

“I had an open mind about it. I knew when you guys knew,”

Chris Long told reporters.

After St. Louis took the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie

Long, Matt Ryan of Boston College, who could solve the quarterback

problems in Atlanta, went to the Falcons.

Following a long-standing tradition, Oakland went for the

gamebreaking threat in Arkansas running back Darren McFadden,

prompting the fans to boo loudly. Many wanted the two-time Heisman

Trophy runner-up to fall to the New York Jets at No. 6.

All-American defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey of national champion

LSU was taken fifth overall by the Chiefs. Dorsey patted his heart

as he held up a No. 1 Chiefs red jersey that was so small he,

frankly, could never fit into it.

The Jets wound up with Gholston of Ohio State, who must now

learn to play in the 3-4 alignment the team prefers.

This draft was going quite predictably before the Patriots and

Ravens traded away the next two spots. New Orleans moved up to No.

7 to get defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis of Southern California, who

was recruited to the school by the Saints’ new defensive line

coach, Ed Orgeron.

New Orleans gave up the No. 10 overall spot and its third-round

slot and got a fifth-rounder along with the chance to take Ellis.

Then Jacksonville moved up from 26th overall to eighth, where it

grabbed Florida DE Derrick Harvey. The Jaguars gave the Ravens four

picks to get to that spot.

The NFL cut the first round from 15 minutes per pick to 10, and

the Dolphins used only a few seconds to hand in their card. The

Rams and Falcons didn’t take much longer, but the Raiders used

almost their entire time, as did Kansas City.

Jake Long signed a five-year contract with the Dolphins this

week worth $57.75 million, $30 million of it guaranteed.

“It was nice to be able to relax, because everything was

done,” the Wolverines star said.

Jake Long became the first top overall pick from Michigan since

Tom Harmon in 1941. He was accompanied by several family members

onstage as he donned a Dolphins hat.

Then came another Long, who proudly held up a Rams jersey and

pointed to the fans in the upper deck of the hall. Chris Long is

the second straight defensive lineman selected in the opening round

by St. Louis, following Nebraska’s Adam Carriker last year.

Carriker likely will move to DT to open a spot for his new

teammate.

“I knew I was in the running, but all the guys here were great

players and they could have chosen anyone,” Chris Long said. “It

came down to needs.”

Ryan has an open course to starting in Atlanta, with Michael

Vick in jail on dogfighting charges, and only journeymen Chris

Redman and Joey Harrington to compete with.

“I have to go down and gain the respect of my teammates, do

everything I can do to get on the field next year,” Ryan said.

Asked about replacing Vick in Atlanta and whether he expected to

play or watch as a rookie, Ryan added: “I’ll go down there to do

all I can to be successful, try to not be distracted, try to win.

... There’s not a right or wrong way to do it. I want to get there

and learn the offense so I have a chance to play.”

McFadden joins a crowded backfield in Oakland, where Justin

Fargas recently signed a new contract and Dominic Rhodes and LaMont

Jordan are on the roster.

Dorsey will be a building block for the Chiefs, who are

revamping their roster this offseason. Gholston could do the same

for the Jets, who have lacked a true pass-rushing threat since

trading away John Abraham.

Following the trades, Cincinnati took USC linebacker Keith

Rivers ninth, then the Patriots selected another linebacker, Jerod

Mayo of Tennessee. Buffalo went for Troy CB Leodis McKelvin and

Denver took Boise State tackle Ryan Clady.

Carolina, looking for a complement to DeAngelo Williams,

selected Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart. Chicago, which also

is in the market for a running back, instead took Vanderbilt tackle

Chris Williams for its spotty offensive line.

Chris Long’s teammate, guard/tackle Branden Albert, went 15th to

Kansas City after the Chiefs traded up with Detroit. Two slots

later, tackle Gosder Cherilus of Boston College went to the Lions,

prompting some in the audience to chant “FIRE MILLEN” in

reference to Lions president Matt Millen.

The first player from the former Division I-AA went 16th when

Arizona selected CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie of Tennessee State.

At No. 18, another small college guy was taken when Baltimore

traded up to get quarterback Joe Flacco of Delaware with a pick

Houston had owned.