Will compete for the wide-open nose tackle spot with a cast of thousands, including Bengals vets Kimo Von Oelhoffen, Tim Morabito, Tim Johnson and Artie Smith. ''Will he start? I don't know,'' said defensive line coach Tim Krumrie. ''But he will compete hard and run to the ball.''

Purvis has long arms and great strength and can be explosive off the ball, but sometimes is slow to read and react - hence the fifth-round selection. Analysts rate him in two categories, as either the perennial ''tease'' or someone who, like low-rounder Krumrie once did, blossoms into a solid player. Positives include that he was always a playmaker at Carolina, where in '96 he was co-Most Improved Player with 24 tackles, 2ï sacks and 14 quarterback pressures. One negative is that he was a backup for his entire career, but his size and Krumrie-like enthusiasm could work in his favor.

He runs the 40 dash in 5.1 seconds, but as Krumrie said, ''If he has to run 40 yards for us, we'll be getting beat anyway.''

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