CINCINNATI - The Cincinnati Bengals' first-round pick was a mild surprise: Florida State defensive end Reinard Wilson, who will be moved to outside linebacker.
Their second-round choice was a revelation.
Looking for someone to push Ki-Jana Carter and pick up the pieces if he fails again, the Bengals took running back Corey Dillon out of Washington in the second round Saturday. They insisted that they've lost no faith in Carter, but the decision to take another running back so high showed serious doubts.
''Ki-Jana really came on at the end of the year for us,'' offensive coordinator Ken Anderson said. ''Ki-Jana's going to be the guy and he's going to get a number of carries, but we've got another guy that can step in that role if needed.''
Last year, the Bengals claimed running back Garrison Hearst off waivers during training camp and eventually elevated him to starter. Carter, the top pick in the 1995 draft, gained only 264 yards on 91 carries in his first season back from reconstructive knee surgery.
Hearst left as a free agent and the Bengals weren't happy with Carter's physical condition at a recent minicamp. Dillon, who rushed for a school-record 1,555 yards and 22 touchdowns at Washington last season, will get a chance to turn it into a shared position again.
''We feel he can come in and compete and push,'' running backs coach Jim Anderson said. ''The whole thing about competition is that it makes people better. Last year, Garrison Hearst came in and made us a better football team.''
The Bengals expected to add to their offensive line depth in the late rounds. They got to it early by taking Michigan center Rod Payne in the third round as a backup to 11th-year veteran Darrick Brilz.
''I think many people had him rated as the top center in the draft,'' offensive line coach Paul Alexander said. ''We were not looking to get a center, really. In our minds, he was significantly better than the next one to choose.''
The first-round pick fit Cincinnati's main need, though not the way most analysts expected. Highly-rated linebackers Dwayne Rudd of Alabama and Jamie Sharper of Virginia were still available when the Bengals made the 14th overall selection in the first round.
They decided to take Wilson, who has not played outside linebacker. It was similar to the move the Baltimore Ravens made with the fourth overall pick, taking Florida State defensive end Peter Boulware with the plan of converting him to linebacker.
''Those other guys are both fine football players, really more experienced at playing linebacker,'' coach Bruce Coslet said. ''But we thought this guy fit us better than the other two. It comes down to splitting hairs when they're that close together as players.
''In today's game, you've got to put pressure on the passer. If you don't, all of the passers in the league will dice you up.''
Passers have done a lot against the Bengals the last two years, the main reason Cincinnati has brought in coordinator Dick LeBeau and his three-linemen, four-linebacker scheme.
The Bengals gave up a franchise-record 4,245 passing yards in 1995 and 3,826 last season, when they ranked second-last in the NFL.
Wilson had a school-record 35.5 sacks at Florida State. At 6-foot-2 and 259 pounds, he was considered small for an NFL defensive end. He said Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Baltimore and Cincinnati showed an interest in him as an outside linebacker.
''There were a few teams that talked about doing that, that it would be a great position for me because I'm a great rusher,'' Wilson said. ''I could have played (end in) a 4-3 if I gained five to 10 more pounds. Right now I can stay at the same weight and play great at Cincinnati.''
