SPIN DRAFTERS

On a day when every team looks better and insists it got just what it wanted in the NFL draft, Mike Ditka has some explaining to do.

Twenty-four hours after the New Orleans Saints announced they were disbanding their cheerleading squad, Ditka eliminated draft day excitement on the bayou with the far-reaching selection of Colorado guard Chris Naeole with the 10th pick in the first round.

Moans and groans in New Orleans are nothing new, but in Round 2, with a chance to redeem himself, Iron Mike made it clear with the less-than glamorous selections of Ohio State safety Rob Kelly and Nebraska defensive end Jared Tomich, the Big Easy will be home only to tough guys.

“My kind of guys,” said Ditka.

The Saints still don’t have a game-winning running back, a game-winning wide receiver, and when this season begins, their starting quarterback will either be Jim Everett or Heath Shuler.

And they got rid of the cheerleaders--now making them eligible to play for the Chargers.

San Diego, waiting longer than any other team on the opening day of the draft to make its initial selection, took an ex-cheerleader in North Carolina tight end Freddie Jones with the 45th pick.

Everyone has a story on draft day, including the Raiders, who insisted they knew what they were doing all along when they prematurely traded with New Orleans a few weeks ago to position themselves to take Ohio State offensive tackle Orlando Pace.

“We got the best football player in the draft,” Oakland Coach Joe Bugel said after following the Rams’ selection of Pace with USC defensive tackle Darrell Russell, and it didn’t take him long to understand the Raider way.

Russell, 20 and criticized for not displaying consistent effort, had been pegged to join the New York Jets with the first pick in the draft, but a few days ago Coach Bill Parcells swapped with the Rams, who had the sixth selection, and then he began stockpiling draft selections.

Dropping back again to No. 8 after a trade with Tampa Bay, which then passed on the sixth spot to Seattle, the Jets emerged with Virginia linebacker James Farrior and four additional draft picks in place of Russell.

“We’re just trying to collect good players,” Parcells said in borrowing Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson’s draft-day strategy.

Seattle, free to take Ohio State cornerback Shawn Springs after the Raiders’ decision to provide Chester McGlockton with a playmate, then became the overwhelming first-round winners with the move from No. 12 to No. 6 to add Florida State offensive tackle Walter Jones.

“We couldn’t be happier,” Coach Dennis Erickson said.

As for everyone else, the early winners were Kansas City, Carolina, Baltimore, Dallas, the New York Jets, Miami and the Rams.

The Chiefs wanted California basketball player and tight end Tony Gonzalez, anticipated San Francisco jumping ahead of them at No. 15, and moved to No. 13 in a trade with Houston to get someone who can jump high enough to catch Elvis Grbac’s passes.

The Panthers, lost deep in Round 1 at No. 27 and needing a wide receiver, ended up with Colorado’s Rae Carruth, when inexplicably the most highly regarded receiver in the draft kept getting passed over.

The Ravens, strapped for cash and declaring they would not stick with the fourth slot, not only stayed there and took Florida State defensive end Peter Boulware, but came back in the second round and secured Virginia linebacker Jamie Sharper, who had been projected as a No. 1 pick. They may be asked to play for free.

The Cowboys, relying on the endorsement of quarterback Troy Aikman, who had worked out with Louisiana State tight end David LaFleur in the off-season, convinced division rival Philadelphia to look silly. The Eagles allowed the Cowboys to move up three places and take LaFleur in their spot, and then rivaled the Saints for the most bizarre selection of the day.

The Jets, while not getting Russell, opened the second round with the selection of North Carolina defensive tackle Rick Terry. Check back in three years to see who has been more effective.

The Dolphins, who started eight rookies a year ago, stayed at home to add Miami receiver Yatil Green, a Michael Irvin clone. Then in typical Johnson fashion, they struck it rich with Louisville cornerback Sam Madison and Akron defensive end Jason Taylor. The Dolphins also added three no-name guys, who will undoubtedly emerge as stars.

The Rams not only made the bold move to take Pace, the consensus best player in the draft, but allowed Coach Dick Vermeil to demonstrate his aggressiveness in rebuilding the team.

Vermeil, however, is still talking like a TV guy: “Orlando is going to set the pace here in St. Louis.”

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Houston there will be no need to hire additional ticket sales personnel to man the telephones, and for Washington running back Corey Dillon, there is now incentive to excel.

The Eagles selected Jon Harris at No. 25. Repeat, the Eagles selected Jon Harris, and as Harris said, “that was a big surprise to me.”

Harris expected to be selected in the second round, but after doing what they could to improve the Cowboys, the Eagles fell back and pounced on Harris, a defensive end from Virginia.

Philadelphia Coach Ray Rhodes, who salvaged the day by signing free-agent linebacker Darrin Smith earlier in the day, explained his team’s peculiar selection.

“There were teams at the top of [the second] round, and a team at the end of the round that liked this kid. This is one guy we wanted to come out of the draft with.”

Well, they got him, and in Atlanta, Coach Dan Reeves has Nebraska’s Michael Booker, the fourth cornerback selected in the first round. Had Reeves remained in the third position and not traded with Seattle, his team would have the top-rated cornerback in Springs.

The Oilers wanted a cornerback, but picking No. 13 they missed out on Iowa’s Tom Knight, so they agreed to move back into Kansas City’s slot at No. 18. As a result they missed out on Florida State defensive end Reinard Wilson, Miami defensive end Kenard Lang, Miami receiver Green and Florida receiver Reidel Anthony.

They took Miami defensive end Kenny Holmes, and of course the folks in Nashville will take anything at this point--so long as the team comes along.

Dillon, under scrutiny for some troubled times as a youngster but projected by some to be the Saints’ first-round pick, plummeted to No. 43--and worst yet--to Cincinnati.

In San Francisco, they now have a backup for quarterback Steve Young with the selection of Virginia Tech’s Jim Druckenmiller at No. 26, but more significantly, it’s clear Bill Walsh’s advice is no longer regarded.

Walsh rated Arizona State quarterback Jake Plummer, who went to Arizona in the second round, as this draft’s top quarterback, and he suggested he could make another Joe Montana out of him.

The 49ers, however, had Plummer rated third behind Druckenmiller and California quarterback Pat Barnes, who remained undrafted after three rounds.

While Barnes will get his chance today with four more rounds, this just in from New Orleans: Iron Mike has broken down and has selected a running back, Iowa State’s Troy Davis, with the understanding that he’s a tough guy too.

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FIRST ROUND

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PICK TEAM PLAYER POSITION, COLLEGE 1. St. Louis Orlando Pace OT, Ohio State 2. Oakland Darrell Russell DT, USC 3. Seattle Shawn Springs CB, Ohio State 4. Baltimore Peter Boulware DE, Florida State 5. Detroit Bryant Westbrook CB, Texas 6. Seattle Walter Jones OT, Florida State 7. N.Y. Giants Ike Hillard WR, Florida 8. N.Y. Jets James Farrior LB, Virginia 9. Arizona Tom Knight CB, Iowa 10. New Orleans Chris Naeole G, Colorado 11. Atlanta Michael Booker CB, Nebraska 12. Tampa Bay Warrick Dunn RB, Florida State 13. Kansas City Tony Gonzalez TE, California 14. Cincinnati Reinard Wilson DE, Florida State 15. Miami Yatll Green WR, Miami 16. Tampa Bay Reidel Anthony WR, Florida 17. Washington Kenard Lang DE, Miami 18. Houston Kenny Holmes DE, Miami 19. Indianapolis Tarik Glenn OT, California 20. Minnesota Dwayne Rudd LB, Alabama 21. Jacksonville Renaldo Wynn DE, Notre Dame 22. Dallas David LaFleur TE, Louisiana State 23. Buffalo Antowain Smith RB, Houston 24. Pittsburgh Chad Scott CB, Maryland 25. Philadelphia Jon Harris DE, Virginia 26. San Francisco Jim Druckenmiller QB, Virginia Tech 27. Carolina Rae Carruth WR, Colorado 28. Denver Trevor Pryce DE, Clemson 29. New England Chris Canty CB, Kansas State 30. Green Bay Ross Verba OT, Iowa

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SECOND ROUND

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NO. TEAM PLAYER POS SCHOOL 31. New York Jets Rick Terry DT North Carolina 32. Atlanta Nathan Davis DE Indiana 33. New Orleans Rob Kelly DB Ohio St. 34. Baltimore Jamie Sharper LB Virginia 35. Detroit Juan Roque G Arizona St. 36. New York Giants Tiki Barber RB Virginia 37. Tampa Bay Jerry Wunsch T Wisconsin 38. Chicago (from St. Louis) John Allred TE USC 39. New Orleans (from Oakland) Jared Tomich DE Nebraska 40. St. Louis (from Chicago) Dexter McCleon DB Clemson 41. Atlanta (from Seattle) Byron Hanspard RB Texas Tech 42. Arizona Jake Plummer QB Arizona St. 43. Cincinnati Corey Dillon RB Washington 44. Miami Sam Madison DB Louisville 45. San Diego Freddie Jones TE North Carolina 46. Houston Joey Kent WR Tennessee 47. Kansas City Kevin Lockett WR Kansas St. 48. Indianapolis Adam Meadows T Georgia 49. Minnesota Torrian Gray DB Virginia Tech 50. Jacksonville Mike Logan DB West Virginia 51. Washington Greg Jones LB Colorado 52. Buffalo Marcellus Wiley DE Columbia 53. Pittsburgh Will Blackwell WR San Diego St. 54. Detroit (from Dallas) Kevin Abrams DB Syracuse 55. San Francisco (from Phila.) Marc Edwards FB Notre Dame 56. Carolina Mike Minter DB Nebraska 57. Philadelphia (from S.F.) James Darling LB Washington St. 58. Baltimore (from Denver) Kim Herring DB Penn St. 59. New England Brandon Mitchell DT Texas A&M; 60. Green Bay Darren Sharper DB William & Mary

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THIRD ROUND

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NO. TEAM PLAYER POS 61. New England (from N.Y. Jets) Sedrick Shaw RB 62. New Orleans Troy Davis RB 63. Tampa Bay (from Atlanta, Seattle) Frank Middleton G 64. Baltimore Jay Graham RB 65. Dallas (from Detroit) Dexter Coakley LB 66. Tampa Bay Ronde Barber DB 67. Denver (from St. Louis, Jets) Dan Neil C 68. New York Giants Ryan Phillips LB 69. Chicago Bob Sapp G 70. Atlanta (from Seattle) O.J. Santiago TE 71. Philadlephia (from Arizona) Duce Staley RB 72. Oakland Adam Treu G 73. Miami Jason Taylor DE 74. San Diego Michael Hamilton LB 75. Houston Denard Walker DB 76. Cincinnati Rod Payne C 77. San Francisco (from Indianapolis) Greg Clark TE 78. Minnesota Stalin Colinet DE 79. Jacksonville James Hamilton LB 80. Washington Derek Smith LB 81. Houston (from K.C.) Scott Sanderson T 82. Pittsburgh Paul Wiggins T 83. Dallas Steve Scifres G 84. Arizona (from Phila.) Ty Howard CB 85. Oakland (from Buffalo) Tim Kohn T 86. Indianapolis (from S.F.) Bert Berry LB 87. Carolina Kinnon Tatum LB 88. New York Jets (from Denver) Dedric Ward WR 89. New England Chris Carter DB 90. Green Bay Brett Conway PK 91. x-Pittsburgh Mike Vrabel DE 92. x-Miami Derrick Rodgers LB 93. x-Miami Ronnie Ward LB 94. x-Dallas Kenny Wheaton DB 95. x-New York Giants Brad Maynard P 96. x-Miami Brent Smith T

NO. TEAM SCHOOL 61. New England (from N.Y. Jets) Iowa 62. New Orleans Iowa St. 63. Tampa Bay (from Atlanta, Seattle) Arizona 64. Baltimore Tennessee 65. Dallas (from Detroit) Appalachian St. 66. Tampa Bay Virginia 67. Denver (from St. Louis, Jets) Texas 68. New York Giants Idaho 69. Chicago Washington 70. Atlanta (from Seattle) Kent 71. Philadlephia (from Arizona) South Carolina 72. Oakland Nebraska 73. Miami Akron 74. San Diego N.C. A&T; 75. Houston LSU 76. Cincinnati Michigan 77. San Francisco (from Indianapolis) Stanford 78. Minnesota Boston College 79. Jacksonville North Carolina 80. Washington Arizona St. 81. Houston (from K.C.) Washington St. 82. Pittsburgh Oregon 83. Dallas Wyoming 84. Arizona (from Phila.) Ohio St. 85. Oakland (from Buffalo) Iowa St. 86. Indianapolis (from S.F.) Notre Dame 87. Carolina Notre Dame 88. New York Jets (from Denver) Northern Iowa 89. New England Texas 90. Green Bay Penn St. 91. x-Pittsburgh Ohio St. 92. x-Miami Arizona St. 93. x-Miami Kansas 94. x-Dallas Oregon 95. x-New York Giants Ball St. 96. x-Miami Mississippi St.

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x-Compensatory selection

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First Round by Position

Cornerback: 1

Quarterback: 1

Running Backs: 2

Tight Ends: 2

Defensive Tackles: 2

Linebackers: 3

Defensive Ends: 5

Defensive Backs: 5

Offensive Tackles: 4

Wide Receivers: 4

Guard: 1

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First Round by Conference

Pac-10: 3

Big East: 4

SEC: 4

Big Ten: 4

Big Twelve: 5

ACC: 8

Others: 2