It’s All About Timing for Udeze and Vikings

After mismanaging the clock during the previous two NFL drafts, the Minnesota Vikings made sure they got their first-round pick in on time Saturday.

USC defensive end Kenechi Udeze was happy the Vikings were punctual.

Udeze, an All-American, was selected by the Vikings with the 20th pick overall, the first of three USC players chosen in the first two rounds.

The Dallas Cowboys selected All-American offensive tackle Jacob Rogers in the second round with the 52nd pick. The Carolina Panthers chose flanker Keary Colbert, USC’s all-time receptions leader, with the 62nd pick.

The Philadelphia Eagles selected UCLA free safety Matt Ware in the third round with the 89th pick.

Quarterback J.P. Losman, who played at Venice High and briefly attended UCLA before transferring to Tulane, was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the first round with the 22nd pick. The Bills had already chosen Wisconsin receiver Lee Evans with the 13th pick before working a deal with the Cowboys to move into the spot to pick Losman.

Udeze, 6 feet 4 and 280 pounds, is the first USC defensive lineman to be selected in the first round since Darrell Russell, who was taken by the Raiders with the No. 2 pick in 1997.

Udeze, who had a nation-leading 16 1/2 sacks last season as a redshirt junior, had been projected as possible top-10 pick, but questions about the condition of his right shoulder apparently caused him to drop. Udeze injured the shoulder in the Trojans’ final regular-season game against Oregon State, but he played in the Rose Bowl against Michigan and recorded three sacks.

Udeze said he was happy to be drafted by the Vikings and told reporters he was not surprised that he dropped below some projections.

“This last week has been crazy to where teams have been calling and asking about my shoulder, the teams mostly in the top 10,” Udeze said.

“I told them nothing was wrong with it.”

Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris, selected by the Chicago Bears with the 14th pick, was the first defensive lineman chosen. The New Orleans Saints took Ohio State defensive end Will Smith with the 18th pick.

Miami then moved up one spot by trading its fourth-round pick to the Vikings. The Dolphins selected guard Vernon Carey of Miami and the Vikings took Udeze, the only player Minnesota had brought in for a pre-draft visit.

Minnesota Coach Mike Tice said Udeze was ranked in the top 10 on the Vikings’ draft board. He said the team “had some questions on his shoulder,” but was not as concerned about it because of its draft position.

Rogers is the first Trojan offensive lineman to be drafted since Travis Claridge, a second-round pick for Atlanta in 2000.

“I’m really happy,” Rogers said. “I’ve always been a fan of the Cowboy organization.”

Nevada linebacker Jorge Cordova, who played at Murrieta High, was selected in the third round by Jacksonville.