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April 15, 2000
By HAL BOCK
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) – Running back Thomas Jones earned his psychology degree inthree years at the University of Virginia and then stuck around to break schoolrecords for all-purpose yards (2,195), single-season rushing (1,908), andcareer rushing (4,108).
So while other top NFL prospects sipped soft drinks at a predraft luncheon,Jones displayed his priority, carrying a football under his arm, just in casesome team was watching.
And if they had overlooked him – unlikely – Jones provided a scouting reporton himself.
“Quick. Strong. Catches the ball well. Blocks well. Durable. Smart.”
Then he paused. “That’s what I’d say about myself,” he said. “I watchfilms. I try to be perfect on every play.”
The Arizona Cardinals watched too and made Jones the seventh pick of thefirst round.
Even though he seems a bit undersized at 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds, Jones waspicked ahead of bigger guys like Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne, who went tothe New York Giants with the 11th pick.
“I feel I’m a good back,” Jones said. “There are a lot of good backs inthe draft. To be the first one taken wouldn’t be a bad thing, either.”
He was the second running back to go. The first player chosen was Penn Statedefensive end Courtney Brown, picked by the Cleveland Browns.
That left Brown’s college teammate, linebacker LaVar Arrington and tackleChris Samuels of Alabama for the Washington Redskins, who had the second andthird picks.
Then Cincinnati picked wide receiver Peter Warrick of Florida State andBaltimore picked running back Jamal Lewis of Tennessee, surprising some peoplewho thought Jones would be the first running back to go.
Philadelphia went for Florida State defensive tackle Corey Simon with thesixth pick before Arizona took Jones.
Before the draft, Arrington was asked how he thought the first round wouldevolve. The linebacker, who is described by some scouts as the next LawrenceTaylor, smiled.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “I might know, but I’mnot telling.”
Warrick, once considered a likely No. 1, slipped because of a scrape withthe law in his last season at Florida State. He was arrested after paying$21.40 for $412.38 worth of clothing in a department store, was suspended fortwo games and placed on probation after a plea bargain.
There also were some lackluster times in the 40-yard dash.
“People are judging me by what I did,” Warrick said. “It was somethingthat happened. What I did was wrong, but I’m a better person than that. Don’tjudge me by what I did. I can’t please everybody. I can’t be what somebody elsewants. I can only be myself.”