Rowe, Vardell Score With Cleveland’s Draft

After a lifetime of wondering about his NFL chances and after a winter-long audition involving all-star games, the NFL Combine and personal workouts, San Diego State’s Patrick Rowe learned a little more about his future with a 2:30 p.m. telephone call Sunday heralding his draft notice.

Cleveland.

The Browns, who struck pay dirt previously with an SDSU receiver, Webster Slaughter, selected Rowe with their second-round pick, 52nd overall. He was the fifth receiver taken, behind Michigan’s Desmond Howard (Washington), Tennessee’s Carl Pickens (Cincinnati), Jackson State’s Jimmy Smith (Dallas) and Michigan State’s Courtney Hawkins (Tampa Bay).

And he was the second half of Cleveland’s one-two punch in San Diego. With their first-round pick--ninth overall--the Browns selected “Touchdown” Tommy Vardell, the former Granite Hills High and Stanford running back.

Rowe, 23, was involved in a video football game with his best friend, Maurice Jackson, when he received the phone call. Although Rowe’s New York-based agents had requested his presence in New York, Rowe decided to spend a quieter day Sunday with his family.

Jackson, who grew up with Rowe and played football at Madison High and then Weber State, flew in from Utah for the weekend to be with his friend.

“Every time the phone rang, Maurice said, ‘That’s it, that’s it!’ ” Rowe said.

When the call finally came, Rowe, 6-feet-1, 191 pounds, spoke with Cleveland Coach Bill Belichick and Owner Art Modell.

“I just know (Cleveland is) cold,” Rowe said. “As far as football, they have a pretty exciting offense. And they have tremendous fan support.”

Mainly, Rowe said he was pleased to have some certainty in his life.

“I’m very happy,” Rowe said. “I’m really relieved. It’s been a difficult time going through the draft. I’m glad it’s over. I thank the Lord for making this possible for me. Now, I’ll get ready for mini-camp.”

Although Rowe said he was just happy to be selected, Rocky Arceneaux--his agent--said they were a little disappointed Rowe lasted as long as he did.

“We really felt Patrick would go a lot higher,” Arceneaux said. “But when we saw the defensive swing in the first round, and when Pickens didn’t go until the second round, that was about where we figured Patrick would be.”

Arceneaux said he will seek a “second-round” contract for Rowe. According to Arceneaux, last year’s average second-round signing bonus was $308,000 and the average yearly base salary was $356,000.

Rowe, who will attend Cleveland’s mini-camp May 8-10, said he became increasingly nervous as the day wore on. He and his family had breakfast and watched the first round on ESPN, he said, but eventually ESPN switched to America’s Cup coverage and Rowe slowly began to wonder what was going on.

“In the first round, I was OK,” he said. “Then came early second round, where I was predicted, and that’s when I started getting nervous.”

But soon, he was on the phone with the Browns, and then the Cleveland media, and then just about everyone else he knew.

The Cleveland media, he said, quizzed him about his injury history. But his biggest frustration, he said, came with the draft publications that emphasized his dropping an occasional gimme pass.

“To tell you the truth,” Rowe said, “I was getting pretty upset with that. If you evaluate our films, I have had some drops, but nothing to put the spotlight on.”

The spotlight has been on Vardell ever since Stanford’s stunning upset at Notre Dame two falls ago. As a senior last fall, Vardell, 6-1, 238, gained 1,084 yards and scored 20 touchdowns.

“It’s been a roller-coaster ride of emotions,” Vardell said of the draft. “But had I known how it would turn out, I would have sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Said Belichick: “The guy is big, strong, fast, tough. He does really everything you’d want a back to do. He can run, he can catch, he can block. So it was really a pretty easy decision.”

Vardell adds to Cleveland’s depth at running back, but with the loss of Reggie Langhorne, Rowe hopes to play immediately.

“I’m very confident,” Rowe said. “I have a good work ethic. I’ll go there and pay attention, follow instructions and hustle. Those are my three things to do.”