Bruin talent drafted to Eagles, Titans, Cowboys
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 25, 2001 9:00 p.m.
By Joshua Mason
Daily Bruin Reporter
Less than a week after being drafted, Freddie Mitchell’s
situation in Philadelphia keeps getting better.
And two other Bruins, Drew Bennett and Jason Bell, also signed
their first professional contracts.
On Tuesday the Eagles made a bold move by releasing Charles
Johnson, the No. 1 target of quarterback Donovan McNabb last
season.
Johnson, 29, started all 16 games last year and was the
club’s leading wide receiver, with 56 receptions for 642
yards and seven touchdowns. Earlier in the year the team released
No. 2 receiver Torrance Small. “This was a very tough
decision to make,” Head Coach Andy Reid stated.
“However, we feel that we need to get our young wide
receivers an opportunity to step up and play.”
Mitchell, drafted Saturday by Philadelphia with the 25th overall
pick, was the only receiver chosen by the Eagles and will join
Dameane Douglas, Todd Pinkston, Gary Scott and Na Brown as the
nucleus of next year’s young receiving corps.
While Mitchell was the only UCLA player selected in the draft,
Bennett and Bell quietly agreed to terms with the Tennessee Titans
and the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday.
Bennett was signed by Tennessee, along with five other undrafted
receivers, in an attempt to fill one of the Titans’ biggest
offensive holes. They needed to build depth after waiving 14
players since March 14, mostly due to salary cap concerns.
“It’s a plus in recruiting and bringing in the young,
healthy, cheap talent that you need to stay cap-friendly in the
environment we’re in now,” Tennessee General Manager
Floyd Reese said.
Bell joined a Dallas team desperate for depth in the secondary
after losing cornerback Ryan McNeil to free agency (San Diego) and
with the potential retirement of cornerback Phillippi Sparks.
Other Bruins hoping to be drafted are linebacker Tony White,
tight end Gabe Crecion and guards Brian Polak and Oscar
Cabrera.
