Locomotives address needs with eight-player draft class

Jim Fassel should be this lucky at Christmastime.

The Locomotives' president and head coach got virtually everything on his wish list Monday as the two-time United Football League champions selected eight players in the league's 2011 draft: a left tackle, a quarterback, a couple of receivers and possibly a breakaway running back along with help at linebacker and defensive end.

"It couldn't have gone better," Fassel said. "We were pretty locked in, and we only had to switch once from our board."

That was in the sixth round when Fassel decided to draft former Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel, who has NFL experience with Seattle and Chicago, rather than take a linebacker. Teel is expected to challenge starter Chase Clement and veteran Tim Rattay for playing time.

"He can play quarterback in our league," Fassel said. "He's got a strong arm and he's a smart kid."

Las Vegas used the first of its six picks on 6-foot-7-inch, 310-pound left tackle Joel Bell, who has played the past couple of years for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.

"We had Joel in here (Sunday) and we were impressed with his size and strength," Fassel said. "We lost both our tackles to the NFL so he's probably going to be our starting left tackle."

The Locos took former Ohio State defensive end Lawrence Wilson with their second pick, hoping he can stay healthy after his last two seasons in college were cut short by injury.

The team's third pick was former Northwestern receiver Eric Peterman, who has also had injury issues the last couple of years while trying to stick with the Chicago Bears.

The most intriguing pick might be Kennedy Tinsley, a former North Carolina linebacker who tried to make the St. Louis Rams a year ago as a fullback. Fassel utilizes the fullback a lot in his offense and thinks Tinsley can be effective at the position and on special teams.

The other intriguing possibility is former Auburn running back Mario Fannin, who went undrafted in last week's NFL Draft after rushing for 395 yards and scoring seven touchdowns last season. It's a long shot that Fannin will play in the UFL, but Fassel decided he was worth a gamble in the ninth round.

"If somehow he doesn't sign with an NFL team, we got the steal of the draft," Fassel said. "If he signs with the NFL, then we squandered a ninth-round pick. That's better than wasting a No. 1 pick."

n LOCAL DRAFTED -- The Omaha Nighthawks selected former Palo Verde and Nebraska offensive lineman Mike Smith in the fifth round.

Smith missed the entire 2010 season with the Cornhuskers because of a broken leg. In 2009, Smith started all 14 games for Nebraska at left tackle.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter @stevecarprj.