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Monday, April 21, 1997

Texas' Mike Adams shocked to be final-round pick

By BILL NICHOLS

The Dallas Morning News

Texas receiver Mike Adams made a career out of catching big passes. In Sunday's NFL draft, Adams almost got passed over.

Despite breaking every Texas receiving record in his four years, Adams was the 223rd of 240 players chosen. By the time Adams was selected by Pittsburgh in the seventh round, he already was contemplating a career change.

"It's beyond shock," Adams said as the seventh round unfolded. "I'm almost without feeling. It got to the point where I wasn't even upset anymore. I thought for sure I would be a second- or third-round pick. That's what everybody told me."

Adams holds every UT career reception record. He finished with 177 catches for 3,032 yards and 16 touchdowns, and broke Eric Metcalf's school mark for all-purpose yards (5,822).

Yet the draft was not what it was expected to be for Adams, as well as some other Southwest players.

Texas A&M linebacker Keith Mitchell, a relentless pass rusher who led the Big 12 with 14.5 sacks his senior season and finished fourth on the Aggies' career list with 34, was not even drafted.

And UT tight end Pat Fitzgerald, who set school records for a tight end with 80 career receptions for 1,106 yards and 12 touchdowns, was taken by Buffalo three picks after Adams. He was the fifth Longhorn taken.

Adams figured that in a worst-case scenario, he would be taken in the middle rounds. Although he said some NFL scouts expressed concern over a lack of speed due to a hip flexor injury that bothered him his entire senior season, Adams ran 40-yard dashes of 4.33 seconds, 4.37, and 4.49 before NFL officials March 19 in Austin.

"I was told I had a good workout," Adams said. "I guess they all thought my speed had decreased. This is almost like a slap in the face. They talk about productivity. I was productive."

Adams, though, said he felt better after talking to Pittsburgh officials.

"It's bittersweet," he said. "I just wanted to have an opportunity, and I got that. They lost a couple of receivers, and they're in need of a return man. So I'll have a chance, which is all I wanted."Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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