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Show Page 56 A - THE HERALD, JJrcvo, UUX Thursday, August 30, J4 Lite As A Professional A r, 1.1 i II i 5.A I ? By DOUG WILXS Henld Sporti Writer The news came quickly that first Tuesday in May. "Todd, the 49ers have just made you their first round draft pick." And with that, Todd Shell became Brigham Young University's only defensive player ever to be drafted in the first round. A quick glance at last year's national press coverage of BYU reveals plenty of ink for All Americans Steve Young and Gordon Hudson. Both were busy breaking records and improving BYU's list of great offensive players by two. But Shell plays defense and BYU's defense hardly seemed newsworthy to the national press. Was there anyone out there who even noticed Todd Shell? Yes. The National Football League noticed. "I just went out there and played. You can't worry about things like (publicity)," said Shell of his years at BYU. "The thing that really helped me was going to the scouting combines. I got pretty good marks there," he said. The "combines" are scouting camps the NFL conducts for the nations top seniors. Each team, comes and takes a look at the new crop of players and tries to get a better idea of who's available. Shell made a great impression. 220 pounds, Shell is At an imposing figure on defense. The fact that he runs the sprint in 4.5 seconds, makes him a natural for outside linebacker. Add to that an ability to learn quickly and refrain from mental mistakes and its easy to understand why the 49ers are looking to Shell to help them make a return trip to the Super Bowl. "He's going to be a good one," said Bill Ring, 49ers' running back, now in his third year. "I think he has more skills for a linebacker then I've ever seen in a rookie linebacker at this point in (training) camp. He's d great on -- V... lMWS5db Shell zeroes in for a strike in Cougar action last year. He became a rich man when he signed with the Forty Niners. "There's a lot more learning here than in college. ' It's a lot longer here too," said Shell of the rigors of training camp. "Here we have six weeks to learn and (at BYU) we had only two weeks. The learning and getting the experience is the main difference between college and the 49ers," he said. Another difference is the change in financial status for Shell. He signed a four-yecontract worth more than $2 million to become the highest paid rookie in Forty Niners history. ar coverage," Shell said much of the arrangeRing should know. He has the job of running into Shell 'each day ment came in the form of upduring practice. But there are front money, giving him more lots of hard hitting linebackers in than half of his $2 million by the the NFL. That's not what has the end of this year; adequate funds to support his wife and coaches smiling. son. "There are a lot of people who The money has given Shell a told me 'you're not going to get cut because you're a first round . new interest in real estate and pick.' But I came here to play has probably burried forever a e wish to pursue dental football and do as much as I could to be in a position to play if school. they needed me to. "I've got one year left in micro"It takes time to actually get out there and know what you're biology. I thought about dental school but now it kind of depends doing without making mistakes. But that's what I've done best. on what happens. I'm involved in I'm able to learn things pretty real estate and that's kind of what I'd like to work around, he quickly," said Shell. His quickness to learn has come said. For now, Shell is about the in handy. During the first three weeks of training camp, Shell was business of football. And at the level, it is a busirequired to learn 50 different de- professional ness. fense's. Each offensive formation During contract negotiations, requires a different defensive re- Ronnie Lott used Shell's signing action, and in a game situation, as a bench mark for a new conto much time isn't make there o tract. Lott, a third-yea- r decisions. three-year-o- ld Youl vant U see FULL defensive back for the 49ers, believes his worth to the team should be proportionally more than rookie Todd Shell's worth. "Ronnie is in his option year so he wanted to renegotiate.' That's only fair. And I quess they did kind of use my contract as a bench mark. "I just happened to come out at the right time and that's what the crarnnn SELECTION P B rm i FULL MENU market (price) was. Anyone contract. V MEAT Lott signed a contract with the 49ers and Shell says there is no animosity between he and Lott. Another obstacle Shell is forced to deal with is the problem of injury. "My foot caught in the grass and I was hit. The knee twisted and I heard it pop. I was kind of scarred," said Shell of his well publicized knee injury during "SSL'S l STOKE S CELLAR" DELICIOUS S i 5 FEATURING P ? KWITH MORES ft ) DOWNSTAIRS! 5 DINNER f would have done the same," said Shell, concerning his lucrative 4 Ki SOUPS, -- A SALAD BAR AMD Y SANDWICHES. S ALL PRICED ITEMS TO PLEASE! ) O fclBOEEfeD ftp QB (D training camp. one-tim- all-pr- The team announced Shell would most likely undergo ar- throscopic surgery after three weeks of training camp to repair cartilage damage. But after four days of rest his knee felt fine. Shell will see plenty of action this year playing behind San Francisco's Keena Turner. He also will play side by side with Turner in passing situations to take advantage of both players good speed. "This is a job for me now. It's a way I can secure my future. I just want to take advantage of it." EXPERIENCE UNIQUE DINING TODAY! 101 North 500 West, Provo 375-199- 0 z |