Talk about a marriage between talent and timing. The Redskins had a gaping hole at left tackle and the third overall pick was more than high enough to grab the 6-foot-5, 317-pound Chris Samuels, a first-team All-American and winner of the Outland Trophy.

Samuels fills an enormous void along the Redskins offensive line. Veteran Andy Heck, a late free-agent acquisition, gave them tremendous service last season, but broke down physically as the season went on. A torn hamstring kept him out of the playoff game against Tampa Bay, leaving the Redskins with no choice but to start journeyman Kipp Vickers. Vickers has since signed with Baltimore, leaving them with Heck and untested Derek Smith as tackle candidates. That's not nearly good enough for a team that has two immobile quarterbacks in Brad Johnson and Jeff George and clearly has designs on the Super Bowl.

Samuels is a natural left tackle, a former high school tight end who amazed scouts with his agility and ability to keep even the strongest, fastest defensive ends out of the Crimson Tide backfield. Recently timed at 4.93 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Samuels has long arms and a frame that should enable him to carry some extra weight comfortably. His last two seasons at Alabama, Samuels allowed just one quarterback sack, none last season.

Samuels joins an offensive line that trimmed its sacks allowed from 61 in 1998 to just 31 a year ago. He'll team with one of the NFL's top comeback stories of '99, guard Keith Sims, who was waived by Miami and Philadelphia and out of football until he struck a deal with the Redskins last offseason. He'll also team with second-round '99 pick Jon Jansen to form what Washington hopes will be one of the best young tackle tandems in the league.

Playing some of the top college competition in the country, Samuels was on the field for 532 plays in '96, 745 plays in '97, 732 plays in '98 and a whopping 887 plays in '99. The guy not only starts, he finishes.

The Question

Samuels injured his right knee in the fifth game of his senior season. Although he continued playing on it throughout the regular season, he missed Alabama's Orange Bowl confrontation with Michigan, a 35-34 loss. Redskins medical personnel checked him out thoroughly and have proclaimed him 100 percent healthy, but there are always going to be questions about a man his size with even the slightest history of knee problems.

Also, for all of his skills as a pass-protector, Samuels is not considered a brawling run-blocker. It's seen as an area in which he needs work, even though he opened many of the holes through which Shaun Alexander, selected No. 22 overall by Seattle on Saturday, ran. Finally, and this may be nit-picking, there's his personality. Samuels is a quiet, laid-back guy. He'll have to prove he has the intensity to dominate his opponent play after play. And he's never had to go against a player of Bruce Smith's caliber, who will test him day after day in practice.

Noteworthy

In addition to his other tributes, Samuels won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, awarded annually to the premier offensive lineman in the SEC ... A fifth-year senior, Samuels will graduate in a few weeks with a degree in Human Performance. ... Delivered 91 knockdowns and earned an average grade of 90.5 percent for an Alabama offense than averaged 376.9 yards per game. ... Had 10 knockdowns, three on Alabama's opening drive, in season-opener against Vanderbilt. ... Had the key blocks that enabled Alexander to score from 1-yard out in the second quarter, 13 yards in the fourth quarter and 25 yards in overtime in the Crimson Tide's 40-39 victory. ... "When you pick this far up, it should be a defining moment," Redskins owner Daniel Snyder said of getting LaVar Arrington and Chris Samuels. "It should raise the bar." ... "It's very unusual when you can make both the offensive and defensive coaches happy in the first round of the draft," coach Norv Turner said. "In a half-hour period, we made the offensive and defensive staffs happy."

Pre-draft scouting report

Combine Numbers

Height	Weight	40 yards	Vertical	Long jump	Bench	Shuttle	Cone
6-5-1/8	325	dnp	dnp	dnp	dnp	dnp	dnp

The nimble left tackle completed a tremendous career as a three-time All-SEC performer, the last two as a first-team lineman, and was recipient of the Outland Trophy, which goes to the nation's best interior lineman. Samuels has the total package that NFL clubs look for in at left tackle. He has excellent size, combining bulk, long arms and big hands with natural athleticism. He has outstanding footwork that allows him to quickly slide to the outside and stop speed rushers from getting to the passer or adjust to inside counter moves. He uses his long reach well, showing a excellent hand punch and the ability to push pass rushers wide consistently.

He has started since early in his freshman season, a span of 42 games until missing his final career start against Michigan due to a knee injury. He underwent a minor scope procedure but it cost him postseason action. He has shown the excellent athletic talent to protect the passer's blindside, displaying fine body control and lateral movement. He is a natural knee bender with the ability to get underneath a defender's pads and use his leverage. He was instrumental in the fine career of tailback Shaun Alexander, who consistently ran behind the big tackle in critical situations. Samuels came through time and again opening holes, with his strong drive blocking. He has the agility and explosiveness to dominant at the point of attack. He also can block on the second level, with the quickness to fire out and cut linebackers or lead runners around the corner.

He performed at a high level consistently, in the toughest conference in the country. He was tested weekly in the SEC by talented speed rushers and graded out high especially against top competition. He is very competitive and displays the toughness to shut down the premier rushers over an entire game. He has developed into a solid run blocker who plays with leverage and power with the agility and determination to finish the block. He uses fine technique and understands the importance of positioning to get the most of his excellent athletic talent. He possesses all the skills to become one of the NFL's premier left tackles and most likely within a short period of time.

He is similar to the Dolphin's Richmond Webb in size, agility and overall talent. The talented left tackle may go in the top five selections and is a certain Pro-Bowler.

Draft Projection: 1st Round- Top Five pick