TBO: Miami's Taylor Impresses At Workout

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Miami's Taylor Impresses At Workout

By DYLAN BARMMER Tribune correspondent

http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGAYM38W9RD.html

CORAL GABLES - All- American safety Sean Taylor headlined a list of 19 University of Miami NFL draft-eligible players at an on-campus workout for league coaches, scouts and front-office personnel Saturday.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Taylor decided to leave Miami after a junior season in which he earned Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors with 77 tackles and a school-record 10 interceptions.

With his rare combination of size, speed and skill, Taylor soared immediately toward the top of several NFL teams' draft boards. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper ranks Taylor as the second-best player in the draft, behind Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

Taylor's workout Saturday was limited because of what he called a ``tweaked'' right hamstring, but those on hand walked away impressed with what they saw.

``He was just fine out there,'' Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Dave Campo said. ``He certainly didn't hurt himself at all with the workout. He's a very smooth athlete - and big. He's a very impressive football player.''

``I think he's a magnificent quarterback of a team,'' Arizona Cardinals coach and general manager Dennis Green said. ``I think at free safety, he'll be one of the best in the league. He can get up and down the sideline. He'll intercept a lot passes. He's a ferocious hitter. He has the whole package.''

Never one for many words, Taylor said he's not concerned with where he will go in April's draft. Most analysts have him going to either Detroit at No. 6 or Atlanta at No. 8. Cleveland holds the No. 7 pick, but is said to be heavily interested in fellow Miami early entry Kellen Winslow, who also impressed Saturday.

``I don't listen to that,'' Taylor said. ``I stay out of that. I let my actions show everything. My actions and my work.''

That work Saturday was limited by the hamstring, which Taylor said he pulled during a workout a few weeks ago. Taylor, like many other Miami players, did not work out at the recent NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

``I'm happy with how I performed,'' Taylor said. ``I can't expect myself to do too much more than what my leg will let me do.

``Put it like this - I'm not 100 percent, so you add that into the equation.''

Taylor and All-American tight end Winslow are considered Top 10 locks, with possibly four other Miami players joining them in the first round. Miami tied a record with five first-rounders in the 2002 draft, and has seen 13 players go in the first round over the past three years.

``Maybe five or six guys will be first-round picks,'' Houston Texans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said. ``They have an excellent program here. It's like a mini combine.''