GIANTS PICK BRUINS' WILLIAMS.Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer When Green Bay, desperately seeking defensive backs, traded up 10 spots, UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX safety Shaun Williams Shaun LeJon Williams (born October 10, 1976 in Oakland, California) is a former American football safety, most recently for the Carolina Panthers, of the NFL. Williams attended Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California and played both tailback and safety. thought he'd be a Cheesehead. Then the Packers passed. OK, no problem, Williams thought. Detroit was next, at No. 20, and for weeks the Lions had promised they'd pluck him. Barry Sanders Barry Sanders (born July 16, 1968) is a Hall of Fame and Heisman Trophy winning American football running back who spent his entire professional career with the Detroit Lions of the NFL. , the Silverdome, former UCLA teammate Travis Kirschke Travis Kirschke (born September 6, 1974) is an American Football player who plays defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played the first six years of his NFL career with the Detroit Lions. - yes, Detroit would do just fine. Then the Lions passed. ``At that point, I was really worried,'' Williams said. ``After teams tell you they're going to choose you and they don't, you don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. who to trust. I knew New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of had some interest, but I didn't think I'd go that far.'' Neither did the Giants. They needed help at receiver and offensive line but, at No. 25, could not refuse Williams, the Crespi High School graduate who was considered the best safety in the draft. ``It was an easy choice,'' Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi Ernie Accorsi was the general manager of the NFL's New York Giants football team. Accorsi had held the position from January 8, 1998, when he took over for the legendary George Young until January 16 2007, the date of his retirement. said. And for Williams, born and reared in L.A., it marked the start of a new life. He has never been to New York. He doesn't know anyone on the team, and he has no friends in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . His role on the team is uncertain - starter? nickel back? - because the Giants don't have a glaring hole in the secondary. But none of that mattered Saturday afternoon. ``This whole day has been nerve-racking,'' Williams said. `I'm exhausted, and I'm glad it's over.'' So was UCLA tailback Skip Hicks Brian "Skip" LaVell Hicks (born October 13, 1974 in Corsicana, Texas) is a former American football running back in the NFL. In his four seasons, Hicks played for the Washington Redskins and the Tennessee Titans. , who had first-round dreams but fell to Washington early in the third round (69th overall). Apparently, concerns about his left knee and easy running style scared off potential employers. ``All the teams were talking about in the last couple days was, `What about the knee? What about the knee?' '' said Hicks, who had two knee operations at UCLA and has never been healthy for an entire season. ``It was a very, very long day, and I'm glad it's over. But I'm really excited. Washington has a great organization, a new stadium, a great offense, and they need running backs.'' Terry Allen Terry Allen may refer to:
``Washington really was one of the places I wanted to go,'' Hicks said. Williams was the first safety taken but, to his surprise, the fifth defensive back selected. (Syracuse's Tebucky Jones, picked ahead of Williams, played safety in college but is projected as a cornerback.) Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf said he traded up (from 29th to 19) in an attempt to select Williams, whose agent, Sean Jones, is a former Packer. But when North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday was unexpectedly available, Green Bay grabbed him. Then Detroit picked Tennessee cornerback Terry Fair, and Williams felt his balance eroding. How far would he fall? ``I thought one of those teams would pick me,'' Williams said. ``When Detroit took Fair, that's when I got worried.'' Thanks to New York, Williams became the fourth UCLA defensive back to merit first-round selection, following Kenny Easley, Don Rogers and Eric Turner. (Carnell Lake was a second-round pick.) ``I didn't get the awards those other guys got in college,'' Williams said. ``But at least I can uphold the first-round tradition.'' THE LEGACY LIVES Shaun Williams became the 19th UCLA defensive back selected in the NFL Draft and the seventh taken in the first or second round. Year Player Round/Pick 1981 Kenny Easley 1/4 1984 Don Rogers 1/18 1989 Carnell Lake 2/34 1989 Darryl Henley 2/53 1991 Eric Turner 1/2 1993 Carlton Gray 2/30 1998 Shaun Williams1/24 CAPTION(S): Box BOX: THE LEGACY LIVES (see text) |
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