Staten wants to make statement

Friday, Jan. 17, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

"The thing about Staten, first and foremost, is that he's a football player," said Kansas City coach Marty Schottenheimer, who will coach the Alabama linebacker on the South team in Saturday's all-star game.

"A lot of times you come here and see guys who can run fast and jump high and in three years, they're out somewhere selling life insurance," Schottenheimer said. "I don't think Ralph will have that problem."

At Alabama, Staten often took second or third billing behind safety Kevin Jackson, who is also here this week, and fellow linebacker Dwayne Rudd, who announced he would forego his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

But Staten was a force -- the linebacker most teams ran away from -- on a defense that ranked in the top 10 in most defensive categories all season. He was fifth on the team with 47 tackles and had 6.5 sacks, good for second behind lineman Michael Myers.

At 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, some scouts worry that he might not be big enough to play linebacker in the NFL. Thus, the move to safety for the Senior Bowl. Staten said the adjustment hasn't been too difficult, something his position coach, Kurt Schottenheimer, agrees with.

"You're still tackling people on run defense," Staten said. "On coverages, the only difference is you spend more time on wide receivers and tight ends instead of running backs. The coaches have prepared me well. I look at it as a compliment because they think I'm capable of making the switch."

If he gains 10 or 15 pounds, he could play in the NFL as a linebacker. Staten said he'll do whatever the team that signs him wants, but he wouldn't mind playing in his natural position.

"My heart's there at linebacker," Staten said. "If I had to move to safety on a permanent basis I could do it. I hope they'll see that this week. I want them to see that I can adjust."

Schottenheimer seemed upset when he was asked about Staten by reporters. It appeared the out-of-position linebacker -- one of 100 players here to make an impression on coaches -- wouldn't be his own little secret anymore.

"He's a very, very interesting prospect," Schottenheimer said. "He's made the switch better than we expected. He knows how to play football and that's the most important quality anyone can have, whatever the position."