Bing Goes to Raiders; Chiefs Take Page

The second day of the NFL draft may not have produced many surprises, but Sunday did feature another USC player being selected lower than expected and a UCLA player pleased where he was picked.

The Trojans’ Darnell Bing, a safety predicted by many to be a chosen in the second round or late in the first, was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the fourth pick of the fourth round.

The Bruins’ Jarrad Page, a safety whose pre-draft projection varied from being a fourth-round pick to not being selected at all, was picked by the Kansas City Chiefs in the seventh round, 228th overall.

“I really didn’t know where I would end up and I’m kind of surprised that I didn’t go earlier, but I’m really happy with being picked by Kansas City,” said Page, expected to compete for playing time with second-round pick Bernard Pollard behind veterans Greg Wesley and former Trojan Sammy Knight.

“They told me that they need some young guys,” he said. “They have two guys who have been in the league for a while and are looking for players to be ready to play over the next few years.”

For Bing, Sunday went better than the day before, when he wasn’t picked in the first three rounds.

“Saturday was tough,” said Bing, who started 35 of 37 games at USC but decided to turn pro with a year of eligibility remaining. “I guess some teams wanted to go in a different direction. But I’m really happy to be drafted by the Raiders.”

Bing will play outside linebacker with the Raiders, who want him to add 10 pounds to his 6-foot-2, 227-pound frame.

“He can play in the box and he can run and he can cover,” Oakland Coach Art Shell told reporters. “Those are qualities that a linebacker has to have. The key thing for us is can he add the weight and not lose the speed.”

Bing joins Texas safety Michael Huff and Texas El Paso linebacker Thomas Howard with the Raiders, who used three of their first four picks on defensive players in hopes of improving a unit that was 27th in the NFL last season.

While Page was the only UCLA player who heard his name called Sunday, USC had three more players selected, giving the Trojans 11 in the two-day draft.

USC fullback David Kirtman, a Seattle native, was picked in the fifth round (163rd overall) by the Seahawks; defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round (204th overall) and offensive guard Fred Matua was selected by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round (217th overall).

“I didn’t know exactly where I was going to go, but I wanted to go to Seattle because that’s where I’m from,” Kirtman said. “It happened so I’m stoked ... My mom and dad live up there. So do my aunt and uncles. They went crazy, they were so happy.”

Four UCLA players signed free-agent contracts after the draft: quarterback Drew Olson (Baltimore), linebacker Spencer Havner (Washington), cornerback Marcus Cassel (Carolina) and offensive tackle Ed Blanton (New York Jets).

USC punter Tom Malone said he signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers.

-- Lonnie White

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Steve McNair’s tenure with the Tennessee Titans could be over today, according to his agent. Team officials don’t agree, even though they gave McNair’s agent permission to talk with the Baltimore Ravens.

Agent Bus Cook said the team was considering releasing McNair or trading him to the Ravens, with something possibly worked out by today.

General Manager Floyd Reese said the Ravens had discussed a trade with Tennessee, but the Ravens’ offer was insufficient. Asked about McNair being released, the Titan general manager said: “That’s not going to happen, no.”

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The Philadelphia Eagles made three trades to move up in the fourth round and select 356-pound guard Max Jean-Gilles and wide receiver Jason Avant. In the process, Philadelphia sent veteran defensive tackle Hollis Thomas to New Orleans and dealt starting left guard Artis Hicks to Minnesota.

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The San Diego Chargers obtained tight end Brandon Manumaleuna from the St. Louis Rams in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.... St. Louis Ram General Manager Charley Armey was back in the draft room Sunday, a day after being hospitalized because of chest pains. Armey spent the night at Missouri Baptist Hospital as a precaution.

From the Associated Press