BY Patrick McManamon
Date: 8/1/01

Rookie wide receiver stands out in crowd for ability to pull in the football

A late-round draft choice is making an early impression on the Browns' coaching staff. Wide receiver Andre King, the 245th player selected in the April college draft, has done little to hurt himself and a lot to help his cause in training camp. King, a 27-year-old rookie from the University of Miami who spent four years playing minor-league baseball, catches everything thrown his way and always seems to be in the right spot for the quarterback.

Coach Butch Davis yesterday singled out King and Bobby Brown for excellent work. ``Andre consistently fights for possession of the ball and makes catches,'' Davis said. King will be in a battle for a receiving spot.

The Browns have 10 receivers in camp (11 if Dennis Northcutt is counted), and will keep five or six. If King plays in this weekend's scrimmage against Buffalo and exhibition games the way he's practicing, he might force his way on the team. ``I'm just trying to catch everything,'' he said. ``I was coached at Miami that our job is to catch the ball no matter if it's 10 rows in the stands. I've been programmed to catch everything -- across the middle, in the stands, diving, digging it out. ``Whatever. I have to pull it in.''

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