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Divergent stories collide at Classic

But players bring the same goal: make an impression on scouts.

By KEITH NIEBUHR

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 13, 2001

ORLANDO -- Before this week, Jesse Palmer and Jacquay Nunnally had little in common.

Palmer was a big-name recruit from Canada who spurned several major programs to sign with Florida. There, he was a part-time starter at quarterback whose career was slowed by injuries and a coach all-to-willing to give him the hook.

Nunnally was a recruiting afterthought.

A Miami Edison graduate, he picked Florida A&M only after most major programs gave him a major snub. In college, he rose from obscurity to surpass Jerry Rice and become the NCAA's all-time leading receiver.

Today, the two are united by one game, one goal.

In the third annual all-star Gridiron Classic at the Florida Citrus Bowl, each hopes to play well enough to leave a lasting impression with pro scouts.

"This is a business week, for me and for a lot of other players," Palmer said. "Every repetition is watched by scouts. You can never prove yourself enough."

"It's another opportunity to prove yourself, and I've always had to prove myself," Nunnally said. "I've always been underrated."

In its brief history, the classic has proven to be a steppingstone for some.

More than 130 players who have played in the first two games either have been drafted by NFL teams or signed NFL contracts. Twenty-six from last year's game were drafted. Among them: running back Mike Anderson of Utah and placekicker Paul Edinger of Michigan State.

Anderson ran for 1,500 yards for the Broncos and set an NFL single-game rookie rushing record with 251 yards against New Orleans; Edinger received national attention on the final weekend of the regular season when he kicked the winning 54-yard field goal for the Bears in a game that eliminated Detroit from the playoffs.

Among the more well-known players in today's game are Penn State quarterback Rashard Casey, Arizona quarterback Ortege Jenkins, Auburn wide receiver Ronney Daniels and Palmer. USF has two representatives -- offensive tackle Kenyatta Jones and cornerback Anthony Henry.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity," Palmer said. "I feel very confident. (Florida coach Steve Spurrier) taught me a lot and it's paying off."

While Palmer received national media attention for much of the past four years, Nunnally quietly finished his college career with an NCAA-best 318 catches for 4,245 yards and 38 touchdowns. Though Nunnally said many of the classic's participants had heard of him, few had seen him play.

"A lot of people say that my numbers weren't against adequate competition, so I came out this week wanting to prove that I can do something against top-quality defensive backs," Nunnally said. "I've had a real good week of practice. I've been talking to some of the DBs this week, and they tell me they respect me for the type of stuff I can do on the field."

Today: Gridiron Classic

WHEN/WHERE: 1; Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando.

TV: ESPN2.

COACHES: Team Florida -- Lindy Infante (former coach of Packers and Colts). Team USA -- Buddy Ryan (former coach of the Eagles and Cardinals).

FORMAT: Team Florida (seniors who played at state colleges or high school in the state) vs. Team USA (seniors from outside Florida). The game will be played by NFL rules with NFL footballs.

SERIES: 1-1; Team USA won last year 21-14.

NOTES: The classic is designated by the NFL Players Association as its official all-star game, and is staffed by former NFL coaches. Proceeds from the game benefit the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, the Rotary International Foundation charities and Florida Citrus Sports charities. There are six players from the University of Florida, five from FSU, four from UCF, two each from FAMU, Miami and USF and one from B-CC. Seventy participants last year were selected in the NFL draft or signed NFL free-agent contracts. Tailback Jared McGrath of Vanderbilt, an Ocala native, suffered the week's only serious injury. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in practice Tuesday. -- Compiled by Keith Niebuhr.

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