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Dolphins' surprise pick: 'unique' Ole Miss RBBy CHARLES MULLING © St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 1998 Johnson is a master of misdirection, and he had a lot of people running into each other Saturday. They were trying to figure out what the Dolphins coach would do with his first pick. Johnson ran a double reverse. First, he traded down from No. 19 to 29. Then he selected a player few people knew -- Mississippi running back John Avery. "Like I said, we won't take a running back in the first round," Johnson said sarcastically, referring to his statements before the draft that the Dolphins didn't need a running back. Avery was one of five players drafted by the Dolphins, who had three of the top 49 picks Saturday. The other picks: cornerback Patrick Surtain of Southern Mississippi and defensive end Kenny Mixon of Louisiana State in the second round and linebacker Brad Jackson of Cincinnati and wide receiver Larry Shannon of East Carolina in the third round. The Dolphins have six picks today, giving them 11 total. Johnson gained four picks by moving down in certain spots. "I feel as good about the guys we got today as any of the players we took the last two years," Johnson said. "I feel good about their chances to come in and contribute." Johnson made things happen even before the draft. He started his day by signing a one-year contract extension that will keep him in Miami through 2000. Johnson's current four-year deal, worth $8.2-million, runs out after the '99 season. His extension is believed to be about $2.5-million for the year 2000. Johnson then turned his attention back to the draft. The Dolphins dealt their first-round pick to Green Bay for the Packers' first- and second-round picks, the 29th and 60th overall. The Dolphins then sent the 60th pick to Detroit for picks in the third round (79th), fifth round (143) and sixth (172). For the third year in a row, the Dolphins raised a few eyebrows with their top selection. Johnson has taken what amounts to a gamble on his three first-round picks. Two years ago, defensive tackle Daryl Gardener arrived from Baylor with baggage in tow. Gardener hasn't played to the potential or consistency the Dolphins had in mind. Last year, the Dolphins took wide receiver Yatil Green of Miami. Green, who had a history of injuries in college, blew out a knee in training camp and missed the season. Now comes Avery. The concerns about him are that at 5 feet 9, 184 pounds, he isn't big enough. But Johnson sees a lot of speed and big-play ability. "He can put the ball in the end zone, and that's the main thing with him," Johnson said. "He's a unique player. There was nobody in the draft quite like him." Johnson compares Avery with Tampa Bay's Warrick Dunn because of his ability to explode through -- and beyond -- the line of scrimmage and make defenders miss. "I'd like to say that I'm like a Barry Sanders, and I'd like to say that I'm a lot like Warrick Dunn," Avery said. "I guess I'm a mixture of a lot of people in one little body." The Dolphins aren't sure that Avery can beat out starting tailback Karim Abdul-Jabbar. They see him initially as a third-down back who can evolve into a player who can carry 20-25 times a game. "This is not a specialty player," offensive coordinator Kippy Brown said. "We don't look at him as just a third-down back. He's someone who should come in here and compete for playing time." Avery rushed for 862 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games last season, missing three because of a dislocated elbow. His 100-yard per game average was a result of him using his 4.4 speed to run away from people. "He is the quickest football player that I've ever been around," said Ole Miss coach Tommy Tuberville, a former assistant to Johnson at the University of Miami. "People are probably going to question the pick, but Jimmy made a steal. I know Jimmy likes speed, and he just got one of the fastest players he'll ever coach."
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AVIE -- Jimmy Johnson kept everyone guessing on draft day -- again.
