NFL Draft on April 29 : Bucs May Trade Their No. 1 Pick

Suspense, strategy and quarterbacks should return to the first round of the April 29 NFL draft after a two-year absence.

The suspense will come with the first pick, which will be Auburn running back Bo Jackson. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers own that pick, but will entertain trade offers up until draft time. The Buccaneers already have received offers from at least five teams and interest should increase before the draft. Tampa Bay coach Leeman Bennett said he wants two defensive starters and a first-round draft pick for Jackson.

Jackson’s signing is also greatly anticipated, since it will set the tone for the salaries of all first-rounders.

In the last two years, the threat of the USFL signing players resulted in the first pick of the NFL draft signing weeks before the draft. Jackson, a pro baseball prospect, will probably wait for the major league baseball draft in June to help his bargaining position before signing.

The strategy will come in how teams deal with players who have tested positive for drugs in testing combines, and four “special case” running backs--Keith Byars of Ohio State, Kenneth Davis of Texas Christian, Napoleon McCallum of Navy and Marcus Dupree--whose status is clouded by injuries or other off-the-field factors.

At least two quarterbacks, Jim Everett of Purdue and Chuck Long of Iowa, should go in the first round. They probably will be the first quarterbacks taken in the first round since 1983, when six passers went in the first round--including Dan Marino, John Elway, Tony Eason and Ken O’Brien.

Other possible first-round quarterbacks are Jack Trudeau of Illinois and Robbie Bosco of Brigham Young.

“It’s a real good quarterback crop, nothing like 1983 but good,” said Ernie Accorsi, the Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations.

Still, quarterbacks will take a back seat to running backs and offensive linemen. Jackson is rated a can’t-miss superstar and Davis, Byars, Gary James of Louisiana State, Neal Anderson of Florida, Reggie Dupard of Southern Methodist and Rueben Mayes of Washington State could go in the first round.

“Bo Jackson is a higher echelon than the rest, but there are eight to 10 guys capable of gaining 1,000 yards in the league,” said Dick Steinberg, director of player development for the New England Patriots.

Of the “special case” backs, Davis should go late in the first round and the others later. Davis’ status should not be affected by his being dismissed from the Texas Christian team for admitting to accepting payment from boosters.

Byars’ broke his right foot twice in his senior season and it has not healed well. He would be a sure first-rounder if not for the injury, but some team will probably take a risk within the first three rounds.

McCallum, who is committed to the Navy for five years, might go as high as the fifth round. Dupree, who played only one season in college, already has parts of two seasons of the USFL behind him, but those were injury-filled years. Dupree reinjured a knee less than two weeks ago and opinion varies greatly among NFL talent evaluators.

“If Byars is healthy, you have an excellent crop of running backs,” Dallas head of player personnel Gil Brandt said. “This is not like the Marino draft in that there are not as many All-Pro type players, but down the line there is talent, especially offensive linemen.”

Quarterbacks and running backs should account for at least seven first-round picks, and the picks at these positions could snowball like in 1983. There should be more surprising first-round picks than the past two years, when clubs went for “safe” picks whom they were confident of signing.

The blue chip group of offensive linemen, is highlighted by tackles Brian Jowziak of West Virginia, Jim Dombrowski of Virginia, Doug Williams of Texas A&M; and James Fitzpatrick of USC, guards John Rienstra of Temple, Jim Juriga of Illinois and Will Wolford of Vanderbilt and center Gene Chilton of Texas.

“I never recall a year as good as this for offensive linemen,” Accorsi said. “These are big strong guys who could play.”