By CRAIG HANDEL
The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press

MIAMI - Quarterback Ken Dorsey and center Brett Romberg were leaders and roommates on University of Miami teams that went to three straight major bowl games and won one national championship.

However, the two found the 2003 NFL Draft to be a humbling experience. Dorsey didn't get drafted until the seventh round by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Romberg, a Rimington Award winner as the nation's top center, didn't get drafted at all. He later signed a free-agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Miami had three players drafted Sunday, giving the Hurricanes eight selections, which tied them for the most with Florida and Tennessee. Defensive end Jamaal Green and defensive tackle Matt Walters became the fourth and fifth Miami defensive linemen drafted. In the fourth round, Green went to the Philadelphia Eagles while Walters went to the New York Jets in the fifth.

In addition, kicker Todd Sievers signed a three-year contract with the Houston Texans.

Dorsey found 12 quarterbacks taken before him, and for a while thought he might not get drafted.

"When it gets that late, that starts to be a concern," he said. "I'm really not disappointed or upset where I went, I just feel like now I have something to prove and I want to do that."

A graduate of Miramonte High in Orinda, Calif., Dorsey grew up being a 49ers fan and his idol was Joe Montana. Dorsey showed his winning talents at Miami where he posted a 38-2 record as a starter including 34 straight wins. But scouts felt his weak arm strength and slight frame gave him the look of a backup.

Dorsey said he's bulked up from 189 to 215 pounds and is throwing a tighter spiral.

"I have a lot of confidence in myself and my ability to play football," he said. "It's a physical game, that's why you have to put on the weight."

Besides being a winner, 49ers coach Dennis Erickson said, Dorsey's arm has gotten stronger. "I guess in the combine, he didn't throw it very well," he said. "When we had him out here in our workout, he had plenty of arm."

Green joins Jerome McDougle, taken in the first round by the Eagles. The two could be battling each other for playing time.

"I'm back home. This is right across the bridge for me," said Green, a native of Camden, N.J. "Playing with Jerome will be a lot of fun. I'll have to show him around."

The Jets moved up three spots to take Walters and they seem set to move him to defensive end.

"I think it will be an easy transition," Walters said. "We had a lot of injuries throughout the year, and almost half of the season I practiced at defensive end."

Romberg suffered the indignity of having 10 centers drafted ahead of him. Those included Colorado center Wayne Lucier to the New York Giants and Central Florida center Mike Mabry to Baltimore on back-to-back picks in the seventh round.

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