A quick-hitting look at the combine ticker.(college football players)(Brief Article)

Hours before heading south from Chicago to Indianapolis, I watched Eminem and Elton John perform together on the Grammy Awards telecast and wondered: Why do red-carpet galas, like the Grammys or Oscars, always attract the biggest stars? I assume it has something to do with the size of the audience. The top celebrities know which events are either worthy of their presence or worthless to their image.

The same is true for potential stars in the NFL. The draft in April is the event with all the sizzle, while the NFL Scouting Combine held last week is just a chance to fizzle. The combine has gradually become an event that too many players, at the urging of their agents, regard as beneath them. In fact, the list of no-shows was discussed more than the happenings inside the RCA Dome. This year, Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick and Mississippi running back Deuce McAllister were the biggest stars to opt strictly for the interview portion of the audition.

Here are some notes on the players who accepted the invitation to show their stuff on the field during this casting call for future NFL stars.

* The most notable player to secure his imminent big payday was offensive tackle Leonard Davis of Texas. Already regarded as the best offensive lineman in the draft class of 2001, the 370-pound behemoth impressed the scouts and solidified his status as a top-10 pick by bench-pressing 225 pounds 33 times. Davis' long arms were supposed to put him at a disadvantage in such tests of strength, which makes his total even more impressive. By comparison, Florida's Kenyatta Walker managed only 24 repetitions with the same amount of weight on the bar. Walker probably will be the second tackle selected.

* The most puzzling no-show was Miami running back James Jackson. Few players figured to gain from a strong performance as much as Jackson. As of Saturday evening, various NFL personnel men I spoke with had no answers. Considering Jackson missed all the postseason all-star games because of an injury, his absence was inexcusable.

* Vick, expected to be the first player selected in the draft, chose not to measure his skills against the other quarterbacks at the combine. However, he did fall short, literally, in another way when the scouts put their tape measures to work and listed Vick's height at exactly 6 feet. Over the years, not too many NFL starting quarterbacks have measured less than 6-0, and Vick barely separated himself from that diminutive group. Still, Vick figures to be the first overall pick.

* For contrasting reasons, the scales weighed in negatively for defensive end Andre Carter of California and fullback Ja'Mar Toombs of Texas A&M Carter, projected as one of the top three players at his position, registered a slight 249 pounds at the combine. Although he played bigger last fall than his listed playing weight of 260 pounds, Carter's lack of bulk has teams concerned about his ability to hold up against the run. Carter could ...