Mcneese st: Steve Mcnair a true freshman at Mcneese st, threw for over 3000 yards and 11 td in his freshman year. this was the last of mcneese st and steve mcnair in the same breath as him and the coach did not get along. many off the field issues. Mcnair does not speak much of mcneese st. Mcnair said "it never felt like home". Mcnair left Mcneese and continued on with a fantastic career at Alcorn st.

Alcorn st: In his senior season (1994), he amassed incredible statistics - throwing for 4,863 yards with 44 touchdowns and rushing for 936 yards. He garnered the cover of Sports Illustrated in September of 1994 with the headline "Hand Him the Heisman."[2] McNair was subsequently selected with the third pick in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. McNair was brought along slowly in the NFL by the Oilers, backing up or sharing time with quarterbacks Chris Chandler and Dave Krieg.

just when jon runyan thought his hardest task retired another one came boy this will be a good rivalry. redskins first big move

what is every body lookin for at first. The first thing i am lookin for is asante samuel get his first pick and see how lehigh erupts. im tired of people saying he is a system cornerback he will thrive in the jim johnson scheme. i look for him to get a whole lot more picks im also lookin for quinton demps. holla at me tell me what you guys think

its official he is a cow boy now the eagles need a reciever o man it is going to be a great year

minisota gets another young stud to play for them

here comes all the rumors of him coming to philly or dallas or washington

its official another Ol taken maybe he will be good ronnie brown and john beck are happy

I had my hopes set high on reciever lets keep lito and draft desean lets get a rook who will make immediate impact you know reid aint going to put a rook at number 1 desean may kill for us in kr who knows devin hester jr keep lito remember defense wins championship lito and asante are boys he might want to stay remember lito the cowboy killer

Im so exited finnaly farewell lito hope you do goo yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

Im hyped now were moving to help offensive side wo is coming kris wilson will be like dallas clark he can split out like him and he learned from the best

CULVER CITY, Calif. -- As the first overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft, Alex Smith was expected to restore the great quarterback tradition of the San Francisco 49ers that included such luminaries as Joe Montana and Steve Young.

That possibility now seems on shaky ground.

San Francisco coach Mike Nolan made it clear on Wednesday that there will be an open competition for the team's starting quarterback position in training camp and the preseason between Smith and Shaun Hill, who was given a three-year contract in early February after leading the 49ers to consecutive late-season victories in 2007 over Cincinnati and Tampa Bay.

"It will be an open competition," Nolan said before an appearance on NFL Network. "It's no one's job to lose. It's both guys' job to take."

Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images

Shaun Hill's 2-0 mark as a starter earned him a three-year deal with the 49ers.

» Highlights: Hill's starting debut

Nolan added that on-field production will be the determining factor as to who wins the job and that Smith's status as a former No. 1 pick will play no role in the final decision.

"I have no favorites, I have no favorites at all," Nolan said. "You want to get the best one out there, because the players are looking. You're a football team, it's about winning. And your football team performs better when they know that jobs are won or lost on the field. That's where this will happen."

Smith's standing with the 49ers has changed dramatically in just one year.

Last offseason he was seen as a quarterback on the rise, and there were no questions about his place as a starter after throwing for nearly 3,000 yards in 2006, while leading San Francisco to a three-win improvement over his rookie season.

Now he has no more claim to the position than Hill.

That pronounced change of fortune symbolizes Smith's roller-coaster three-year tenure with the club. His arrival coincided with that of Nolan, and together they were charged with delivering the franchise from a bleak two-year period in which the team went 9-23 under the guidance of Dennis Erickson.

The first year for the duo was full of struggles as Smith lost five of his seven starts and completed only 48.7 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and four interceptions, as the team finished 4-12. He made typical rookie mistakes while showing few significant signs of progress.

The 49ers brought in Norv Turner to coordinate the offense in 2006 and a turnaround began. Smith started all 16 games and completed 58.1 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns as the team improved to 7-9.

It looked as though the 49ers were well on their way towards re-establishing themselves as a contender in the NFC West. That's when Smith and the 49ers suffered a major blow. Turner left to take the head coaching job with the San Diego Chargers and the team struggled to find a replacement. They eventually settled on quarterbacks coach Jim Hostler, but he was unable to handle the position.

49ers offense in 2007

Stat Total NFL rank

PPG 13.7 Last

Total YPG 237.3 Last

Pass YPG 145.0 Last

Rush YPG 92.3 27th

What ensued was a disappointing 5-11 season and an offense that scored only 219 points, tied for the fewest in franchise history in a 16-game season. The 49ers were last in nearly every key offensive statistical category and Smith suffered a shoulder injury that eventually caused him to be placed on injured reserve. He made just seven starts and lost his last five after winning his first two. He threw only two touchdown passes, completed only 48.7 percent of his passes and averaged only 152 yards passing in six starts he played the entire game.

Meanwhile, the relationship between Smith and Nolan appeared to be deteriorating, and Smith even called his coach out publicly after Nolan questioned the severity of his quarterback's shoulder ailment, an injury that eventually required surgery last December.

"He came out and said some things to the team," Smith told the San Jose Mercury News last season. "I felt it was trying to undermine me with my teammates."

On Wednesday, Nolan said there are no more excuses for Smith with Mike Martz in place as offensive coordinator. He added that Martz, who was hired to replace Hostler, was the best gift he could have given his embattled quarterback.

"I'll do everything I can to make sure that he's got the best opportunity to be a good player," Nolan said of Smith, whose contract was extended through 2010 after the 49ers excercised a "buyback" clause in February. "There's not much more I can do for him right now than giving him Mike Martz as the offensive coordinator. That's a pretty damned good gift. That's like giving your kid a Maserati. 'Here ya go, buddy. You know you wanted a nice car, I just gave you one.'

"We'll see if he can drive it

I never see 85 putting his quarterback under a Bus. Beilive it or not he might have the best work ethic from any reciver in the leauge . I think him and mcnabb would set many records together. Any Philly fan who doesnt want him is a moron. this guy is a jokester thats it. he never came out before this year and said he wants out he maid the playoffs once in his career . some recievers need a change of scienery ala randy moss santana moss terrell owens javon walker

He seems to have got his legal troubles out the way and he has shown flashes of number 1 greatness. Why not trade a 3rd round pick for him. 6-3 210 mcnabb new toy

They Think they own the division now and mcnabb is washed up he is to me a hall of fame ring or not. just needs a reciever to take him over the top. all great ones have one today peyton manning tom brady carson palmer even Tony homo

For Fitzgerald, it would have been worth it.

Sheppard will continue to be used as a bargaining chip with Samuel now the starter at left cornerback, and there still are at least two Pro Bowl wideouts that may be had via trade.

Roy Williams, who burned the Eagles for nine receptions totaling 204 yards and a touchdown Sept. 23 for the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field, is one.

Detroit GM Matt Millen said this week he "would listen to an offer for anybody," then ended the Detroit Free Press interview by saying how much he wants to keep Williams.

Whatever.

The Lions are a complete mess and need all the help they can get on defense. Millen brought in two new cornerbacks during the offseason -- neither of whom are better than a healthy Sheppard.

As long as the Eagles did not burn any bridges in Arizona, a re turn phone call with an offer for its other Pro Bowl wide receiver, An quan Boldin, is in order.

Boldin, 27, has three years left on the $22.7 million extension he signed in 2005 and cannot be happy with the $10 million per-season Fitzgerald is now earning.

Boldin will likely say all the right things, but you can bet agent Drew Rosenhaus is licking his chops.

This time, the Eagles should consider including their first-round draft pick, rid themselves of Sheppard and get a deal for Boldin done.

Then, they can tear up McNabb's wish list.

John Nalbone is a Times staff writer.