Football
SportsTicker 19y

Bucs select Auburn RB Williams with fifth pick

NEW YORK - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a move to
improve their lackluster running game, selecting Auburn running
back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams with the fifth pick in the NFL
draft.

Williams is the third running back taken within the first five
picks, joining college teammate Ronnie Brown and Texas' Cedric
Benson. Brown was taken second by Miami and Benson fourth by
Chicago.

Williams and Brown are the first teammates taken in the first
round since John L. Williams and Neal Anderson of Florida in
1986.

At Auburn, Carnell Williams put Bo Jackson's records to the
test, claiming the school's career points mark with 276 and
rushing 741 times for 3,831 yards in 42 games.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden coached Williams in practice leading
up the Senior Bowl.

"To be honest with you, I was thinking I was going to go to
Tampa, because we had such a great relationship when I was at
the Senior Bowl," Williams said. "So I expected to go (to Tampa
Bay), but at the same time, I didn't know. But Coach Gruden, his
staff and myself, got along well down at the Senior Bowl."

"There's no point in my coaching career, two guys that shared
the ball as unselfishly and productively as they did at Auburn,"
Gruden said. "You're getting a character guy that's going to be
there everyday for you, working his butt off to help our
football team win. We saw that at close range, and I wasn't
alone."

In Tampa Bay, Williams should help a running game that ranked
29th in the NFL last season. Michael Pittman led the Bucs with
926 yards rushing last season.

There have durability questions about the 5-11 Williams, who
broke his collarbone in 2001, broke his leg in 2002 and sat out
the Senior Bowl because of a strained back.

Williams was one of the fastest running backs in draft, running
the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

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