AFL teams add depth in dispersal draft

by AFL Press Release
December 10, 2001 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)

AFL Press Release

ATLANTA SELECTS FORMER BOBCAT LINEMAN MIKE LAWSON WITH FIRST PICK

CHICAGO (December 10, 2001) - The Arena Football League held a dispersal draft today with the Atlanta franchise selecting offensive/defensive lineman MIKE LAWSON [6-4, 280, Miami (FL)] from the Florida Bobcats with the first overall pick. The draft enabled the league's 16 teams to select from the rosters of the Florida Bobcats, Houston ThunderBears, Milwaukee Mustangs, and Oklahoma Wranglers, who were all part of the League's contraction for the 2002 season.

Lawson was one of five linemen selected in the top 10 picks in the draft. The New Jersey Gladiators selected wide receiver/defensive back SEDRICK ROBINSON (5-10, 185, Kentucky Wesleyan) with the second pick, while Indiana Firebirds traded with the Los Angeles Avengers to acquire the No. 3 pick to select fullback/linebacker RICHARD YOUNG (6-3, 255, Tulsa). Carolina Cobras selected wide receiver/defensive back CLARENCE LAWSON (5-7, 165, Utah) at No. 4, while the Orlando Predators rounded out the top five by taking defensive specialist RICHARD JONES (5-9, 185, Texas A&M Kingsville) with the fifth pick.

The complete results can be found below.

The Arena Football League will field 16 teams for its 16th season in 2002. The expansion Dallas Desperados, owned by Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Jones, will be joined by Atlanta as new AFL markets for the 2002 season. Teams preparing to begin play over the next several seasons include Denver, Jacksonville, Nashville, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington.

2002 DISPERSAL DRAFT RESULTS

ROUND ONE
Selection... Position... Name... Ht.... Wt.... College... Selected from
1.  Atlanta@... OL/DL... Mike Lawson... 6'4... 280... Miami (FL)... Florida
2.  New Jersey...  WR/LB... Sedrick Robinson... 5'10... 185... Kentucky Wesleyan... Houston
3.  Indiana*... FB/LB... Richard Young... 6'3... 255... Tulsa... Milwaukee 
4.  Carolina^... WR/DB... Clarence Lawson... 5'7... 165... Utah... Florida
5.  Orlando%... DS... Richard Jones... 5'9... 185... Texas A&M-Kingsville... Milwaukee
6.  Chicago... OL/DL... John Moyer... 6'3... 265... Eastern Illinois... Florida
7.  Detroit... OL/DL... Desmond Byrd... 6'3... 305... Oregon... Florida
8.  New York... OL/DL... Tim Martin... 6'5... 280... Tulsa... Oklahoma
9.  Toronto... OL/DL... Doug Lytle... 6'3... 295... Chadron State (NE)... Milwaukee
10.  Arizona... FB/LB... Terrence Melton... 6'2... 235... Rice... Houston
11.  Orlando... FB/LB... Brian Goolsby... 6'2... 255... Kansas State... Oklahoma
12.  Los Angeles*... OL/DL... Sean McNamara... 6'3... 305... Pittsburg State... Houston
13.  Tampa Bay... OL/DL... Craig Moore... 6'3... 300... Mississippi... Milwaukee
14.  San Jose... WR/DB... Sean Riley... 5'9... 170... Western Michigan... Milwaukee
15.  Atlanta... WR/DB... Kusanti Abdul-Salaam... 5'9... 175... UCLA... Oklahoma
16.  Grand Rapids... OL/DL... Demetrius Crowder... 6'2... 280... Oklahoma State... Oklahoma
ROUND TWO
Selection... Position... Name... Ht.... Wt.... College... Selected from
17.  Dallas... WR/LB... Shawn Foreman... 6'1... 205... West Virginia... Oklahoma
18.  New Jersey... OL/DL... Karl Bates... 6'4... 275... Kentucky Wesleyan... Houston
19.  Indiana*... OL/DL... Josh Heskew... 6'1... 300... Nebraska... Oklahoma
20.  Carolina^... WR/DB... Nick Ward... 5'11... 180... Miami (FL)... Florida
21.  Arizona#... WR/DB... Kevin Cobb... 5'10... 185... Memphis State... Oklahoma
22.  Buffalo&... QB... Kahlil Carter... 6'0... 190... Arkansas... Milwaukee
23.  Detroit... WR/DB... Carl Greenwood... 6'0... 190... UCLA... Houston
24.  New York... DS... Mark Williams... 5'10... 185... Oregon State... Florida
25.  Toronto... OL/DL... Marvin Coley... 6'5... 285... North Alabama... Florida
26.  Arizona... WR/DB... Bobby McGowens... 6'3... 215... South Carolina State... Oklahoma
27.  Orlando... WR/DB... Tremain Jones... 6'3... 194... Angelo State... Florida
28.  Los Angeles*... OL/DL... Tony Plantin... 6'5... 300... Clemson... Milwaukee
29.  Tampa Bay... FB/LB... Ricky Wood... 5'11... 245... Norfolk State... Florida
30.  San Jose... WR/DB... Kevin McKenzie... 5'11... 185... Washington State... Florida
31.  Atlanta... OL/DL... Marcus Keyes... 6'3... 280... North Alabama... Florida
32.  Grand Rapids... OL/DL... Madison Johnson... 6'3... 290... Tuskegee... Florida
ROUND THREE
Selection... Position... Name... Ht.... Wt.... College... Selected from
33.  Dallas... FB/LB... Lawrence Lewis... 6'4... 265... Virginia Tech... Milwaukee
34.  New Jersey... OL/DL... Chris Janek... 6'4... 295... Wisconsin... Milwaukee
35.  Los Angeles... DS... Derek Grier... 6'0... 185... Marshall... Milwaukee
36.  Dallas&... FB/LB... Rick Boyer... 6'2... 245... Millersville... Houston
37.  Buffalo^... OL/DL... Ryan Shuff... 6'5... 300... Eastern Illinois... Houston
38.  Chicago... K... Scott Szeredy... 6'2... 215... Texas... Houston
39.  Detroit... WR/LB... Anthony DiCosmo... 6'3... 225... Boston College... Florida
40.  New York... DS... Tray Crayton... 6'1... 195... Pittsburgh... Oklahoma
41.  Toronto... OL/DL... Anthony Martin... 6'4... 270... Oregon... Milwaukee
42.  Arizona... K... Chris Sailer... 5'10... 190... UCLA... Oklahoma
43.  Orlando... PASS
44.  Indiana... WR/DB... Kevin Huntley... 6'2... 200... Wisconsin... Milwaukee
45.  Tampa Bay... QB... John Fitzgerald... 6'3... 215... Tulsa... Houston -- DONE
46.  San Jose... OL/DL... Winfield Garnett... 6'6... 320... Ohio State... Florida
47.  Atlanta... DS... Scotty Lindsey... 5'9... 170... Stephen F. Austin... Houston
48.  Grand Rapids... WR/DB... Corey Bridges... 5'9... 175... South Carolina... Florida
ROUND FOUR
Selection... Position... Name... Ht.... Wt.... College... Selected from
49.  Dallas... OS... Wes Caswell... 5'9... 183... Tulsa... Oklahoma
50.  New Jersey... OL/DL... Shatony Sargeant... 6'5... 280... Fresno State... Milwaukee
51.  Los Angeles... DS... Chris White... 6'3... 205... Texas A&M... Houston
52.  Dallas... PASS
53.  Buffalo... PASS
54.  Chicago... FB/LB... Britt Bowen... 6'3... 250... Eastern Kentucky... Oklahoma
55.  Detroit... PASS
56.  New York... DS... Darwin Brown... 5'11... 175... Texas Tech... Houston
57.  Toronto... FB/LB... Julian Duncan... 6'2... 240... Rice... Houston
58.  Arizona... OL/DL... Lindsay Hassell... 6'2... 275... Utah State... Oklahoma
59.  Orlando... PASS
60.  Indiana... PASS
61.  Tampa Bay... PASS
62.  San Jose... FB/LB... Matt Kinsinger... 6'3... 260... Slippery Rock... Houston
63.  Atlanta... PASS
64.  Grand Rapids... PASS
ROUND FIVE
Selection... Position... Name... Ht.... Wt.... College... Selected from
65.  Dallas... PASS
66.  Dallas... PASS
67.  Los Angeles... PASS
68.  Buffalo... PASS
69.  Carolina... PASS
70.  Chicago... OL/DL... Mike Mari... 6'3... 280... Humboldt State... Oklahoma
71.  Detroit... PASS
72.  New York... PASS
73.  Toronto... PASS
74.  Arizona... OL/DL... Elliot Fortune... 6'5... 300... Georgia Tech... Milwaukee
75.  Orlando... PASS
76.  Indiana...PASS
77.  Tampa Bay... PASS 
78.  San Jose... PASS
79.  Atlanta... PASS
80.  Grand Rapids... PASS
ROUND SIX
Selection... Position... Name... Ht.... Wt.... College... Selected from
81.  Dallas... PASS
82.  New Jersey... OL/DL... Jeff Miller... 6'4... 315... Mississippi... Houston
83.  Los Angeles... PASS 
84.  Buffalo... PASS
85.  Carolina... PASS
86.  Chicago... PASS
87.  Detroit... PASS
88.  New York... PASS
89.  Toronto... PASS
90.  Arizona... OL/DL... Ramon Okoli... 6'4... 290... Murray State... Houston
91.  Orlando... PASS
92.  Indiana... PASS
93.  Tampa Bay... PASS 
94.  San Jose... PASS
95.  Atlanta... PASS
96.  Grand Rapids... PASS

@ - Atlanta acquired the No. 4 in the Expansion Draft along with No. 1 pick
in Dispersal Draft from Dallas in exchange for OL/DL Aaron Hamilton.
* - Indiana acquired the No. 3 and No. 19 pick from Los Angeles in exchange
for WR/DB Kevin Ingram, No. 12, and No. 28 pick.
^ - Carolina acquired the No. 4 and No. 20 pick from Buffalo in exchange for
QB Fred McNair, No. 37, and No. 53 picks.
% - Orlando acquired the No. 5 pick from Carolina in exchange for OL/DL Jon
McCall and OL/DL A.J. Blum.
& -- Buffalo acquired the No. 22 pick from Chicago in exchange for the No.
11 (Tristan Moss) in the Expansion Draft.
$ - Arizona acquired the No. 21 pick from Chicago in exchange for future
considerations.

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from December 10, 2001

• AFL teams add depth in dispersal draft - OSC Original by AFL Press Release

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.