Cornerback

The 15-minute clock was running on the Arizona Cardinals at the No. 8 overall position in the NFL draft yesterday, and the hearts of every member of the Ravens' front office and scouting staffs were pounding with every second.Then the phone rang and all the tension was relieved.Within the next 30 minutes, Arizona took Ohio State receiver David Boston and Detroit selected linebacker Chris Claiborne, clearing the way for the Ravens to select one of the players they coveted most in University of Arizona corner- back Chris McAlister with the No. 10 pick.

For each of the past two seasons, Lardarius Webb has returned the lion's share of the Ravens' punts, averaging 9.8 yards on 51 returns and scoring a 68-yard touchdown against the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 4. But last year, Webb emerged as the team's top cornerback, intercepting five passes in the regular season and three more in the playoffs, recording one sack, and making 55 tackles. His value to the defense would seem to be a higher priority than his contributions on punt return, where he is the target of 11 opposing players running at full speed to tackle him. But Webb said he has complete trust in the coaches that they are not unnecessarily putting him in harm's way. “I think the coaches and ownership are smart enough to know what they're doing,” he said last week.

The only touchdown the Ravens needed against the Buffalo Bills yesterday came courtesy of one of their standout defensive players. Cornerback Chris McAlister provided the touchdown when he intercepted quarterback J.P. Losman and returned it 31 yards. The play propelled the AFC North champions to a 19-7 win at M&T Bank Stadium and gave the Ravens the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and a first-round bye. McAlister's interception return with 3:46 left in the third quarter broke open what had been a two-point game and provided a spark to an otherwise lethargic offensive performance.

It would be understandable if Dale Carter - when he reflects upon his football career from time to time - contemplates the "what ifs?" What if the Ravens' newly acquired cornerback did not get suspended for an entire season, then half of another for failing the league's substance abuse policy? What if he had remained in Kansas City, where he made the Pro Bowl in four of his past five years there, rather than sign a free-agent contract with the Denver Broncos that included a signing bonus near $8 million, only to be cut after 14 games?

In fear of losing one of the best athletes in the NFL draft, the Ravens rejected several last-minute offers to trade down and selected University of Miami cornerback Duane Starks with the 10th pick in the first round yesterday.In another development, the Ravens are negotiating with the New England Patriots about trading a 1998 or 1999 draft pick for fourth-year cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock. An agreement could be reached as early as today.The Ravens' first-round selection was not much of a surprise considering that Starks, 5 feet 10 and 170 pounds, was generally rated the second-best cornerback behind Michigan's Heisman Trophy winner, Charles Woodson, and the best pure cover player in the college ranks.

The Ravens sought to improve their depth yesterday by upgrading their cornerback and tight end positions and reviving their practice squad, and they countered those additions by releasing two veterans, including wide receiver and hometown notable Calvin Williams.The Ravens raided the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad by reaching agreement with rookie cornerback Dorian Brew, and did the same with rookie linebacker Sedric Clark, who was available on the New Orleans Saints' development roster.

When all 6 feet, 205 pounds of Atcheson Conway first walked onto a Bowie State football field last season, Bulldogs coach Henry Frazier III saw a freshman cornerback with decent size and above-average speed. But defensive coordinator John Morgan had other ideas and immediately plucked Conway out of the secondary drills and inserted him at linebacker. "When he made that change, I didn't say anything, but I was sort of thinking, `He's 205 pounds and we have him in the middle,' " Frazier recalled.

There was no disputing that the Ravens' top three cornerbacks last season were starters Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams and top backup Jimmy Smith. The first cornerback off the bench after that trio was Danny Gorrer. Whether that scenario plays out this year is up in the air. Webb, Williams and Smith are back, but Corey Graham, a Pro Bowler for his prowess on special teams, was signed to a free-agent deal in March. A month later, the organization selected Asa Jackson in the fifth round of the NFL draft.

The regular-season opener is at hand, the spotlight is shining brightly on him, and right cornerback DeRon Jenkins is well aware of the crucial test that lies ahead.His response? Bring it on.Jenkins may lack NFL experience, but the third-year pro from Tennessee does not come up short on confidence.He has yet to prove his worth as a second-round draft choice, a guy for whom the Ravens gave up three picks to grab in 1996. He acknowledges that, as an unproven player at one of the game's most difficult positions -- especially lining up opposite a proven veteran like Rod Woodson -- he repeatedly will attract the attention of quarterbacks this year, beginning with Pittsburgh's Kordell Stewart.

Elvis has left the building. Unfortunately for the Ravens, his cap number has not. Ravens coach Brian Billick said yesterday that the Ravens are limited in their attempt to re-sign free-agent cornerback Duane Starks because quarterback Elvis Grbac refused to agree to a $5 million pay cut last week. Although released by the Ravens on Friday, Grbac will still count $4 million against the Ravens' 2002 salary cap, which is the remaining pro-rated portion of a $5 million signing bonus on a five-year contract.