Monday, April 19, 1999
UC's Plummer to Denver in 6th
Miami's Armour, Johnson picked
BY CAREY HOFFMAN
Enquirer contributor
For once in his career, Chad Plummer actually enjoyed getting blindsided.
Plummer was momentarily distracted from watching TV coverage of the NFL draft Sunday afternoon when the phone rang.
The voice on the other end offered congratulations. Plummer replied, “About what?” The reply came back: “How do you feel about joining the Denver Broncos?”
Plummer was one of three area football players who earned the distinction of being selected on the second day of the 1999 NFL draft. Plummer, from the University of Cincinnati, went to the Broncos in the sixth round. Miami University safety Paris Johnson was taken in the fifth round by the Arizona Cardinals and linebacker JoJuan Armour went in the seventh to the Oakland Raiders.
Plummer was thrilled to not only be selected, but taken by his favorite team. After a college career where he split time between quarterback and wide receiver, he's looking forward to the possibility of catching passes from John Elway.
“That's exciting, really exciting,” said Plummer. “I would think when I go to class tomorrow morning that's all people are going to want to talk about.”
Plummer, who despite limited time at wide receiver tantalized pro scouts with his size (6-2, 223 pounds) and speed (sub 4.6 in the 40), recognizes it may take time to make an impact for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. The Broncos already have Pro Bowler Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith at receiver, along with last year's first-round pick, Marcus Nash.
“They seem pretty confident in what I can do,” Plummer said. “I could give them insurance as an emergency quarterback, but I don't expect much in the first year.”
A broken foot after the college season also may have hurt his draft status, but he expects to be ready to go full speed in a few weeks.
Injury also slowed Miami's Johnson, who felt fortunate to be drafted after missing six of his team's final seven games with a sprained knee.
“I was just hoping that if I played the entire season, I would get the opportunity to show every ballclub what I could do,” Johnson said. “I feel blessed that Arizona saw enough talent in me in the games I played in.”
At 6-2, 209 pounds, Johnson is the biggest of five safeties on Arizona's current roster.
Johnson will try to establish his niche as a big hitter and special teams force.
“I just want to come in and try to fit in with the team and be a part of that defense they are trying to establish down there.”
Sunday was a day of frustration for Armour.
“I really feel like I have something to prove now,” said Armour, a 5-111/2, 229-pound linebacker. “I take things personal and a lot of teams didn't have the confidence in me I thought they did. So this is like starting all over.”
The Bengals signed a couple of undrafted free agents with local connections:
Brien Hanley, a former Xavier basketball player, comes to the Bengals after playing football at Kansas State. Hanley, an offensive guard, left XU without playing a game before the 1994-95 season.
Line coach Paul Alexander also signed the University of Cincinnati's Brian Uhl.
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