MOBILE, Ala. (April 24) -- Based on the results of the recently completed 2001 NFL Draft, the Senior Bowl has again proven itself as the nation's premier talent showcase.

A total of 90 members of the 2001 Senior Bowl roster were chosen in the seven-round draft, a total which far exceeds those recorded by any other all-star game.

"We're very pleased that so many of our players were able to use fine performances during Senior Bowl Week to put themselves in a position to enjoy tremendous success on draft day," said Senior Bowl President Steve Hale.

"In addition to being able to showcase to our fans so many future top NFL draftees, we're also gratified to see that each of the 31 NFL teams, who had sent over 650 representatives to Mobile during Senior Bowl Week, also drafted at least one Senior Bowl player with many NFL clubs taking several of our players who they feel could help make them the next Super Bowl Champion."

In a draft which featured more underclassmen (13) who were selected in the first round of the draft than ever before and more than twice as many as the year before, Senior Bowl 2001 still managed to feature nine first-round selections.

That impressive group was led by the first running back selected in the draft and the fifth player chosen overall -- 2001 Senior Bowl Overall Most Valuable Player LaDainian Tomlinson of TCU -- who was selected by the San Diego Chargers.

Other first-round selections who took part in Senior Bowl Week 2001 included the first two senior wide receivers taken in the draft -- Clemson's Rod Gardner, chosen by Washington, and Miami's Reggie Wayne, selected by Indianapolis, and a duo of offensive linemen from Michigan -- Steve Hutchinson (Seattle) and Jeff Backus (Detroit).

Senior Bowl 2001 defensive stars selected in round one included defensive tackle Marcus Stroud, selected by Jacksonville with the 13th selection overall; the first two safeties chosen in the draft in Adam Archuleta of Arizona State (St. Louis) and Florida State's Derrick Gibson (Oakland); and Syracuse cornerback Will Allen, chosen by the New York Giants.

Round two featured 20 more Senior Bowl selections and round three also saw 19 more Senior Bowl players chosen giving the contest an impressive total of 48 players selected in the draft's first three rounds.

Other round-by-round totals included 16 Senior Bowlers in round four, ten more in round five, nine were chosen in round six and seven in round seven for the grand total of 90 Senior Bowlers chosen in the draft.

The overall depth and quality of this year's roster was also evidenced by the high number of senior players chosen at their respective positions who played in the Senior Bowl.

For example, the first six senior cornerbacks chosen in the draft -- Allen, Ken Lucas, Fred Smoot, Michael Stone, Andre Dyson, Gary Baxter and Tay Cody all played in the Senior Bowl, while the first five senior safeties selected -- Archuleta, Gibson, Tony Dixon, Cory Bird and James Boyd also played in the game.

Senior Bowl 2001 also featured the first four senior wide receivers taken in the draft -- Gardner, Wayne, Quincy Morgan and Chad Johnson -- as well as eight of the first nine senior linebackers, four of the first five senior running backs and six of the first seven senior offensive linemen.

While each of the 31 National Football League teams drafted at least one Senior Bowl player, the Jacksonville Jaguars made the most Senior Bowl selections with six -- Stroud, Maurice Williams, Eric Westmoreland, Boyd, David Leaverton and Chad Ward -- and the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers and Seattle Seahawks each drafted five Senior Bowlers apiece.

The next showcase of future NFL stars is scheduled for Saturday, January 19, 2002, when the 53rd annual Senior Bowl will be played in Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Tickets for the contest, which will be nationally-televised by ESPN and broadcast nationally on ESPN Radio, are currently on sale for $24, $18 and $12 each by calling the Senior Bowl ticket office at 334-432-4109. Each of the last seven contests have been early sellouts.