by Adam Burns
Sports Editor
Houston has the only likely first round pick in this year's NFL draft by Conference USA teams with tailback Antowain Smith, but each team, especially the Louisville Cardinals and the Cincinnati Bearcats, could leave their mark on the draft.
The draft for the Cardinals should be the same as their 1996 football season, a lot of good defense, but zero offense.
UL linebacker Tyrus McCloud, the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, could have a future in the NFL.
McCloud had 143 tackles and three sacks in his senior season.
Defensive lineman Carl Powell and cornerback Sam Madison should both be picked also.
"Madison and McCloud are both outstanding players," Cincinnati coach Rick Minter said. Madison had six interceptions, one defensive touchdown, 16 broken up passes and 52 tackles. In spot duty on offense, he had 143 yards and a touchdown on three receptions and 21 yards on two rushing plays.
Powell led the conference with 11 sacks and had 84 tackles. Defensive back Rico Clark (seven tackles for a loss, six passes broken up and two fumble recoveries) and defensive lineman Leland Taylor (78 tackles, seven sacks) could have a shot as well.
Minter said six or seven of his Bearcats have a shot in the draft.
"We don't have a first round pick like Antowain Smith," he said.
Cincinnati receivers Robert Tate and Anthony Ladd, and safeties Chris Hewitt and Sam Garnes should each be drafted, Minter said.
Tate would be the first person to say he had a disappointing season, Minter said, but has done well in the winter and spring NFL workouts.
Tate set a UC season record with 1,685 all-purpose yards in his junior season, earning Conference USA Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Year.
But in his senior year, Tate only totaled 701 yards, including a mere 247 receiving yards.
Ladd caught 409 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 1996.
An inexperienced quarterback and an emphasis on the running game may have in part hindered Tate and Ladd from putting up better numbers, Minter said.
Still, Minter conceded that Tate's draft stock "probably slid a little bit."
In 1996, Hewitt had 80 tackles, six for a loss, six broken-up passes, two interceptions, four sacks and forced two fumbles. Garnes had 69 tackles - three for a loss, five broken-up passes, two interceptions and one sack - and forced one fumble in his senior season.
Minter said defensive ends Darrius Felder and Terry Grooms also have a shot at the pros, either as late draft picks or as free agents.
Based on feedback he has received from NFL scouts, Memphis coach Rip Scherer said he expects defensive linesmen Tony Williams and Marvin Thomas and linebacker Richard Hogans to be drafted.
Scherer said Thomas is probably a third-round pick.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 265-pound lineman runs a 4.7 in the 40, but Scherer said he needs to be more of a playmaker to make it on the next level.
"He needs to make more plays than what he did in college," Scherer said.
Williams (98 tackles and five sacks in 1996) may be hurt by his 6-foot-1-inch stature, Scherer said.
"He's gonna have to go in and have a great training camp (to stay on with an NFL team)."
Hogans (131 tackles last season) "needs to improve his speed," Scherer said.
Scherer said Memphis center Ken Newton and safety Keith Spann may each have a shot as a free agent if they go undrafted.
Offensive lineman Will Carlisle and running back Jerald Sowell from Tulane could both have a shot at the draft as well.
Sowell rushed for 595 yards and four touchdowns in 1996, but only averaged 3.9 yards per carry. He also caught 352 receiving yards last year.
Many of the top Southern Miss players were underclassmen last season.
Southern Miss assistant Thamas Coleman said Golden Eagles offensive lineman Darryl Terrell is "the only one that potentially has the chance to be drafted" from USM.
Coleman said he thinks speedy USM receiver Kendrick Lee has a shot as a free agent.