MOBILE, ALA. • Penn State defensive end Jack Crawford doesn't think an NFL franchise in London is a good idea. And he should know better than most.
"I don't think it's possible," Crawford said. "That's a long, long ways off. They're so far away from the whole football community. I mean, the NFL is America, you know? The fans, everybody, are here."
Crawford grew up in London, but came to the United States in high school to pursue his dream of playing basketball in the NBA. Instead, he ended up getting bitten by the football bug while staying with a family in southern New Jersey as the equivalent of a foreign-exchange student.
Now he's on the brink of an NFL career as a member of the North squad at the Senior Bowl. When he goes back to England to see his family, Crawford said the flight out of Philadelphia takes about 6½ hours. Now imagine if a London NFL team had a game in Seattle or San Diego.
"It would take 'em forever," Crawford said. "I compared it to like if (Penn State) played at Hawaii — that would take a long time."
The NFL announced last week that the Rams will play a regular-season game in London for each of the next three seasons, sparking fears in St. Louis that the team could move to England if the Edward Jones Dome lease expires after the 2014 season.
Logistics aside, Crawford said there is plenty of interest in the NFL in London. Recalling the New York Giants-Miami Dolphins game in 2007 — the first NFL regular-season game played in London — Crawford said, "The tickets sold out in almost less than an hour. So there's a lot of fans. More than I thought. More than anybody out here would think."
Crawford, 6-feet-5 and 268 pounds, projects as a mid- to late-round draft pick. He talked to new Rams defensive line coach Mike Waufle after a practice session here earlier this week. If the Rams end up drafting Crawford, at least they'll have a knowledgeable "tour guide" in London next season.
Advice from Quinn
A two-time all-Atlantic Coast Conference first-teamer at North Carolina, Quinton Coples is considered one of the top defensive end prospects in the draft and a sure first-rounder.
Just before the start of Senior Bowl week, Coples received some advice from a former Tar Heels teammate, Rams defensive end Robert Quinn.
"He says always that I have to kill everybody; I just have the beast in me and to destroy everybody," Coples said with a laugh. "That's the type of defensive line that we have. It's never like: 'Go out and have a good day.' It's destroy and kill everybody."
(Presumably, the Tar Heels were not in "destroy and kill" mode at the recent Independence Bowl, where the Missouri Tigers mauled North Carolina 41-24.)
Coples also played defensive tackle at North Carolina, but at 6-5¾ and 281 pounds showed up lighter than expected at the Senior Bowl, perhaps a sign that he's more intent on playing end in the NFL. He had 7½ sacks last season for the Tar Heels, facing consistent double-team blocks.
Fast Zach
The Rams' search for help at outside linebacker might include North Carolina's Zach Brown, who's not the biggest or strongest linebacker in this year's draft but may be the fastest. Brown was a state 100- and 200-meter dash champion in high school in Maryland. He's expected to run a sub-4.5 in the 40-yard dash next month at the NFL scouting combine, but says he's shooting for a 4.35.
"Just to show that it wasn't a joke; that I really can run," he said.
Brown, 6-feet-1 and 236 pounds, is considered a late first- or second-round pick. He had 5½ sacks and three interceptions this season.
Another Illini
Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins was added to the South squad as a injury replacement for Alabama WR Marquis Maze (hamstring). He joins Illini teammate Jeff Allen, an offensive lineman, on the South.
