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Saturday, April 22, 2000

Rams have
high hopes for Noa

St. Louis offensive line coach
Jim Hanifan says, 'He's the
type of kid we'd like to have'

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

The Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams wanted University of Hawaii guard Kaulana Noa badly enough during last weekend's National Football League draft to sacrifice two picks to get him.

The Rams, who decided to pass on Rainbows tackle Adrian Klemm (who went to New England in the second round) at the end of the first round, traded up 21 places in the fourth round with Chicago because venerable offensive line coach Jim Hanifan decided Noa was perfect for the Rams.

The maneuver, which University of Hawaii head coach June Jones said he didn't even know about until midweek, left St. Louis with four instead of six picks.

"I like the total package that he presented," said the 66-year-old Hanifan, who was head coach (1980-85) when the Rams were in Los Angeles.

"Going into the fourth round, Kaulana was still there but we didn't think there was any way in hell he'd wind up being there when we picked the 31st pick," Hanifan said.

"We really had high hopes for this kid, thinking he could wind up being a tackle or move him inside. He's a tough kid who finishes his blocks and gets after people. The kind of kid we'd like to have."

So the Rams, who had two picks in the fifth and two in the seventh rounds, gave the Chicago Bears one from each round.

Hanifan also loves Noa's ability to endure pain.

"He has sustaining power," Hanifan said. "He can play through nagging types of ailments and line up and play."

Noa started a school-record 48 consecutive games for Hawaii.

"I think Jim will really like Kaulana," said Jones.

"He's his kind of player. He's from the old school. He likes hard-nosed guys, and Kaulana's that kind of kid."