Eagles Draft Carter; Gladman Has No Takers

Cris Carter, the Ohio State wide receiver who lost his senior year of eligibility by taking money from agent Norby Walters, was chosen Friday by the Philadelphia Eagles in a controversial National Football League supplemental draft. The Eagles chose Carter, a projected All-American this season, in the fourth round. The other player eligible for NFL selection was Charles Gladman, a running back from Pitt. Gladman, however, was not taken in any of the 12 rounds.

By selecting Carter, the Eagles must give up a fourth-round pick in next year’s NFL draft. The supplemental draft is structured so that each team, starting with last season’s poorest, Tampa Bay, gets a shot at available players in each round. Philadelphia, apparently feeling that Carter was worth about a fourth-round pick, passed on its first three opportunities. By picking him in the fourth round, the Eagles can negotiate a salary on the level of a fourth-rounder.

The draft had been held “reluctantly” by the NFL under threat of a lawsuit by Carter and heavy pressure against it by colleges and college coaches.