Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Friday, April 14, 2000

For Rainbows’
tackle Klemm, it’s
when, not if

Hawaii coach Junes Jones
and analysts say the talented
lineman will be a high pick,
with teammates not
far behind

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

About three mock drafts over the past month have picked University of Hawaii offensive tackle Adrian Klemm to go in the first round of this weekend's National Football League draft.

But he's been more often mentioned lately as a second-round pick.

Head coach June Jones said he glanced at the mock drafts and figured there was a chance Klemm could make history as the first Rainbow to be drafted in the first round.

"But more realistically, I thought, a second- round pick," Jones said.

That was until the prognosticator Jones trusts most, CBS SportsLine's Len Pasquarelli, rated Klemm 25th yesterday on his latest top 60 draft list.

Now he believes.

"Somebody's going to draft him in the first round, if CBS Sports picks him that high," Jones said.

"Pasquarelli talks to the inside. He's pretty accurate, that guy. In fact he's one of the only ones I ever plug up into. Every year he'd have those mock drafts, he'd have something like 27 of 28 right."

Pasquarelli has Klemm rated right after Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne.

The highest-drafted Rainbows were all second-round picks: Golden Richards (Dallas) in 1972, Jeris White (Miami) in 1973, and Walter Murray (Washington) in 1986.

"That would be huge," Jones said. "I don't think he (Pasquarelli) will be far off."

Pasquarelli calls the 6-foot-4, 307-pound Klemm, "Very raw but a terrific athlete with exceptional feet, lateral movement skills and a long frame that can handle another 10-15 pounds."

Mel Kiper's latest top 60 for ESPN rates Klemm 40th.

Jones' hopes are also higher for linebacker Jeff Ulbrich.

He said he has a "gut feeling" that Ulbrich, who set a school record for tackles, could go in the late first or early second round.

"He ran one of the fastest times in the combine, and people have been in working him out the last two or three weeks, and I think they like him," said Jones. He said he also bases his gut feeling on the number of calls he's received about Ulbrich in the past two days.

"That's why I think someone is going to step up and shock somebody," said Jones. It would not surprise me if somebody jumps up there and takes him first round."

None of the mock drafts has had Ulbrich going in the first round.

But Pasquarelli points out in his draft analysis that there are not very many defenders graded as first-round caliber this year. Jones said he thinks guard Kaulana Noa will be drafted and have a 10- to 12-year NFL career.

"He's bright and he can play both tackle and guard, and he's a guy who can line up every play," Jones said.

"He'll be a diamond if somebody picks him up in the second to fourth rounds."

Jones said he is confident that quarterback Dan Robinson will sign as a free agent with Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Cleveland or Dallas. He said these teams have shown definite interest in Robinson.

---

UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii