Memo to Ki-Jana Carter:
You know that Weight Watchers Diet? The one where you put on weight while we watch?
Well, the Bengals have noticed and sent the sternest message possible to their star-crossed running back Saturday during the NFL draft. Just two years after taking Carter with the draft's top pick, the Bengals used the second round to take a player many feel is this draft's top running back - Washington's Corey Dillon.
The Bengals' brass then declared the job virtually open.
''His history is, (Carter) responds to competition,'' said President and General Manager Mike Brown.
''We have a competition. The fact is both will play some. That's a position where very few teams nowadays have one guy who carries the load.''
The pick raised eyebrows, confirming just how furious the Bengals are with Carter's condition.
But also because Dillon, who has never been at one college for more than a year, comes with more baggage than a 747.
According to the Pro Football Weekly 1997 Draft Preview, published reports in Washington said Dillon was arrested when he was 15 for selling crack cocaine to three undercover officers. From 1987-1992, the preview said, Dillon was convicted of five juvenile offenses, including obstructing a police officer and assault and theft at a department store.
Indications are Dillon, 21, hasn't been arrested as an adult.
With the 43rd pick, the Bengals convinced themselves that between Carter's 1995 knee injury, his 1997 condition, and Garrison Hearst's departure, they had to go for the best running back on their board. They wanted Virginia's Tiki Barber, but he went eight picks before to the Giants.
The key player in the Bengals' war room was new special teams coach Al Roberts, who just happened to coach the Washington running backs last season when Dillon rewrote the Huskies' record book in less than two months. Roberts convinced the Bengals that Dillon is a good kid who had a rough start growing up in Seattle's poor Central District.
''If you want to run, use Corey. If you want to catch, use him. If you want to block the outside linebacker, well, my oh my. I'll tell Cincinnati to take him (if) they get a chance. Take him. Take him,'' Roberts told the Seattle Times four months ago.
On Saturday, Roberts did and then vehemently denied Dillon sold crack.
''ESPN, those guys saying it, that's a lot of poor information,'' Roberts said. ''He's a great kid. He's progressively getting better all the time in his character. Yes, he had some problems. Most of us did. He had no problems with us at Washington.''
The 6-foot, 217-pound Dillon certainly had no problems on the field, where he set school records with 1,555 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns despite not starting until the fourth game.
He finally reached Washington after struggling with grades at Garden City (Kan.) Community College and Dixie (Utah) Junior College.
The book on Dillon is that he's a slashing runner who feeds off contact. He doesn't have breakaway speed and isn't all that elusive, but he's got superior vision and sets up blockers well.
He's got the instincts of a baseball player drafted by the San Diego Padres. He started at Edmonds Community College in baseball.
Roberts acknowledged, ''He's a kid who doesn't like school, but he had no problems socially.'' Brown said the club went on Roberts' recommendation that Dillon has turned his life around and on reports from NFL security.
As of Saturday night, neither of the Bengals' running backs had anything to say.
Carter couldn't be reached for comment, and Dillon, after speaking with head coach Bruce Coslet and running backs coach Jim Anderson, declined to talk to the media. He told Bengals' officials he was disappointed at not getting drafted earlier.
''I'm glad he's here,'' Roberts said. ''It's not LA. New York or Chicago Š This is a good place for him.''
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