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By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 18, 1999; Page D1
The Washington Redskins took a roundabout route in the first round of the NFL's college draft yesterday but got the player they had wanted all along. After making a pair of trades, the Redskins took University of Georgia cornerback Champ Bailey with the seventh pick of the first round and ended up with an additional first-round selection in next year's draft.
On a whirlwind day of dealing at Redskin Park, the team made its third trade of the afternoon to move up in the second round and select offensive tackle Jonathan Jansen of Michigan with the 37th pick of the draft. He'll compete for the starting right tackle job next season, club officials said.
The Redskins immediately penciled in Bailey, 20, to start at cornerback next season alongside 39-year-old Darrell Green. Coach Norv Turner said that the team will release veteran cornerback Cris Dishman on Monday.
| A Day Full of Trades |
| Redskin-Saints Trade Redskins Get: No. 12 in the 1st round, Saints' 3rd-, 4th-, 5th-, 6th- and 7th-round picks; Saints 1st- and 3rd-round picks in 2000. Saints Get: No. 5 pick in 1st round, which the Redskins got from Carolina as compensation for signing Sean Gilbert (used on Texas RB Ricky Williams). Redskins-Bears Trade Redskins Get: No. 7 pick in 1st-round (Bailey). Redskins-Bears Trade II Redskins Get: Bears' 2nd round pick, 37th overall (used on Michigan OT Jon Jansen). Bears Get: Redskins' 2nd-round pick, 40th overall, and 5th-round pick obtained from Saints. |
But Redskins officials previously had decided to pass on Williams. Instead, they sent the No. 5 pick to New Orleans for all the Saints' selections in this year's draft – the No. 12 pick in the first round and one selection each in rounds three through seven – plus first- and third-round picks in next year's draft. Then they traded the No. 12 selection – plus the Saints' third-round pick, their own fourth- and fifth-round selections and a third-round pick next year – to the Bears for the No. 7 pick, which they used to get Bailey.
"He's the guy we wanted," Turner said.
The third-round selection that the Redskins will surrender to Chicago next year will be whichever is lower, theirs or the Saints'. They have three first-round picks next year – theirs and those of the Saints and Carolina Panthers. For the Redskins, the net result was that they moved down two spots in the first round and picked up extra sixth- and seventh-round selections for today, as well as the additional first-rounder for next year. And they still got Bailey.
| The Bailey File |
| Name: Champ Bailey Position: Cornerback School: Georgia Size: 6-0½ 181 pounds Age: 20 Round: First Pick: Seventh overall Notes: An exceptional athlete considered by many to be one of the top defensive backs in the country. Recently timed at 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Bailey-whose full name is Roland Champ Bailey-holds Georgia's school record in the indoor long jump at 25 feet, 10¾ inches. Finished with 52 tackles, seven deflected passes and three interceptions last season. Had eight interceptions in 33-game collegiate career. Also used frequently at wide receiver, Bailey logged 957 plays last season (547 on defense, 301 on offense and 109 on special teams). The Bulldogs' second-leading receiver, he caught 47 passes for 744 yards and five touchdowns. Returned 12 kickoffs for 261 yards (21.8 average) and four punts for 49 yards (12.3 average). |
Bailey said from Folkston, Ga.: "I was a little scared. . . . I knew they were really interested. I knew they really want me in their organization."
No one in the league was surprised when the first three players taken yesterday were quarterbacks Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith. Most NFL people had assumed when the Colts traded running back Marshall Faulk to the St. Louis Rams last week that they'd take Williams with the fourth pick yesterday. Casserly said that when he went home Friday, that's what he believed Indianapolis would do.
But when team officials arrived at Redskin Park yesterday, there were rumblings that the Colts might go in another direction. The Redskins put their deals with the Saints and Bears in place early yesterday. Saints Coach Mike Ditka had declared publicly long ago that he'd trade his entire draft for Williams, and the Redskins cashed in on that after Indianapolis selected James.
Asked how much thought the Redskins had given to taking Williams, Casserly said: "We gave it consideration before [yesterday]. . . . We like Stephen Davis. We like Skip Hicks. We felt that getting another corner outweighed getting a running back."
The Rams took North Carolina State wide receiver Torry Holt with the No. 6 pick. If St. Louis had taken Bailey, the Redskins probably would have ended up with Arizona cornerback Chris McAlister. The Rams taking Bailey would not have prevented the Redskins from completing their trade with the Bears, Casserly said.
Turner said that Bailey likely will return some kicks next season but won't play wide receiver – as he did in college – before he's completely comfortable at cornerback. Bailey was 5 years old when Green played his first NFL game. Now the Redskins hope they'll form one of the better pairs of cornerbacks in the league.
The Redskins also traded with the Bears in the second round, moving up three spots by sending their second-round pick yesterday and a fifth-round selection today (the one they'd gotten from the Saints) to Chicago. The Redskins didn't want to miss their opportunity to get Jansen, who set a school record with 50 consecutive starts for the Wolverines.
| The Jansen File |
| Name: Jon Jansen Position: Offensive Tackle School: Michigan Size: 6-6½ 302 pounds Age: 23 Round: Second Pick: 37th overall Notes: Unanimous All-Big Ten choice and semi-finalist for the Lombardi Award. Holds school record with 50 consecutive starts, working last season at right tackle. He led the lineman with 106 knockdown blocks and an 85.6 percent grade for blocking consistency as the offense generated 4,955 yards. Scouts say he has the speed and quickness to slide out and pick up the outside rusher and is very adept at turning his hips to adjust to the in-line surge. Recently timed at 5.29 in the 40-yard dash. Jansen was an academic All-Big Ten selection. |
"I think he fits the things we're looking for in an offensive lineman," Turner said. " . . . I believe we have enough players that, through competition, we can raise our level of play."
Jansen, 23, also could replace unrestricted free agent Dan Turk as the Redskins' long snapper on special teams. He said from his in-laws' home near Dayton, Ohio: "My feeling is, I'd like to come in and start. But I have to come in and learn the team chemistry and the playbook and things like that."
The Redskins didn't have a third-round selection yesterday, having included it in February's trade with the Minnesota Vikings for quarterback Brad Johnson. They have a fourth-round pick, two sixth-round selections and two seventh-round picks today.
© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company
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