''A pure penetrator,'' according to Krumrie, who compares Carr's fireplug build to NFL veteran Jerry Ball, a multiple Pro Bowl selection. The Bengals say Carr lasted this long because he is a pure nose tackle, and most teams do not play the 3-4 front that Cincinnati will use.

''There's no doubt in my mind he can contribute right away,'' Krumrie said. ''He's a hard-nosed football player.''

Had six sacks as a junior and three as a senior at Michigan, and was named All-Big Ten. Draft analysts say he has fine initial quickness and is solid gap penetrator who generally plays hard. Negatives are that he tends to put on weight, and he lacks stamina and endurance. But he will not be required to carry a heavy load for the Bengals as a rookie, where he faces a slew of competitors at nose tackle including No. 5 draftee Purvis.

As a junior he registered 21 stops behind the line,
fourth-best in Michigan history. Opponents identified him as the man to stop in 1996, so he dropped to 15 minus-yardage stops.

Athletic enough to have been used as short yardage and goal-line fullback at Michigan.

WHAT'S NEXT
DAUGHERTY COLUMN
SULLIVAN COLUMN
ANALYSIS
BENGALS DRAFT PAGE