"  ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) The Buffalo Bills have selected Western Michigan kicker JohnPotter with their ninth and final pick in the NFL draft.Selected 251st overall, Potter completed his four-year careerwith 333 points, to set a school record among kickers. Though hemissed all three field-goal attempts from beyond 50 yards, theBills were particularly impressed with how he consistently stronghe was on kickoffs.He had 36 touchbacks last season.General manager Buddy Nix says the Bills would consider usinghim in kickoff situations in a bid to force opponents to start attheir own 20.He becomes the first kicker the Bills have selected in the draftsince picking John Nies in 1990.Potter was the sixth player the Bills selected over the finalfour rounds on Saturday."

"  BEREA, Ohio (AP) The Cleveland Browns closed their NFL draft by selectingversatile Alabama fullback Brady Smelley, reuniting him withcollege teammate Trent Richardson.Smelley was used mostly as an H-back in a variety of formationsfor the Crimson Tide. He said Richardson, who was taken by theBrowns with the No. 3 overall pick, put in a good word for him withCleveland's coaches.The 6-foot-1, 233-pounder developed into a dangerous offensiveweapon last season for the national champions. Smelley caught 34passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns. He had seven receptionsin Alabama's 21-0 win over LSU in the BCS title game.Smelley played quarterback in high school but bulked up when hejoined coach Nick Saban's `Bama program."

"  FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) Before the NFL draft began, Falcons general manager ThomasDimitroff knew his team would not create a national buzz.Last year's first pick for Atlanta, receiver Julio Jones atsixth overall, caught everyone's attention.The first selection this year - No. 55 overall - was anoffensive lineman from Wisconsin who can play both center andguard.Dimitroff easily summed up the Falcons' approach.''Let's just get some solid football players who can fit intoroster spots of need,'' Dimitroff said Saturday night.A day after picking guard-center Peter Konz in the second roundand Southern Mississippi offensive tackle Lamar Holmes in thethird, the Falcons fleshed out their draft with a potentialsuccessor to fullback Ovie Mughelli and adding depth to theirdefense.Bradie Ewing, a fifth-round pick from Wisconsin, could replaceMughelli as the starting fullback. The Falcons could decide torelease Mughelli, a respected team leader and nine-year veteran, tocreate room under the NFL salary cap.Seven spots after picking Ewing, Atlanta added Troy pass rusherJonathan Massaquoi in the fifth round. The Falcons choseMississippi State strong safety Charles Mitchell in the middle ofthe sixth round and South Carolina defensive tackle TravianRobertson late in the seventh.Mughelli was named to the Pro Bowl two years ago, but his 2011season ended with a Week 7 knee injury. Despite the many roles heplays on Atlanta's special teams, Mughelli could become expendablebecause Ewing played a similar role at Wisconsin.Atlanta also has Mike Cox on the depth chart at fullback. Coxsigned a two-year contract as a free agent after Mughelli wasinjured. Mughelli's contract this year will count $3.7 millionagainst the NFL salary cap.''I don't want to comment on our financial situation and our capsituation publicly,'' Dimitroff said. ''That's what we discuss backin our offices. Suffice it to say, we feel like this opens upcompetition at the position. We feel like we have three solidfullbacks here that we hope will compete very strongly for thejob.''After walking on at Wisconsin, Ewing became an offensive captainas a senior and contributed heavily to the Badgers' coverage andreturn units on special teams.According to information released by the university, Ewing'sblocks resulted in 30 touchdowns last season. He caught all 28passes targeted to him in his four-year career. He was a Wisconsinteammate of Peter Konz, an offensive lineman drafted by Atlanta inthe second round Friday.''Obviously, drafting me as a fullback, I can block, I cancatch, I can split out as a receiver,'' Ewing said. ''I think it'smy versatility and I'm just excited to get down there.''Massaquoi, a cousin of Cleveland Browns receiver and formerGeorgia standout Mohamed Massaquoi, left Troy after his junioryear. He started 25 games and finished his Trojans career with 19.5sacks.When Atlanta begins its mandatory, three-day mini-camp June 19,Massaquoi will work behind starting ends John Abraham and RayEdwards and compete for snaps with Kroy Biermann and LawrenceSidbury.Massaquoi grew up as a Falcons fan in the Atlanta suburb ofLawrenceville, where he played at Central Gwinnett High School. Hespent the 2008 season at Butler (Kan.) Community College, helpingthe school win a junior college national title.''I have a non-stop motor,'' he said. ''I want to get to thatball no matter the depths of the field, and I believe the AtlantaFalcons see my relentless spirit and how bad I want to get to thequarterback.''Massaquoi hopes to follow in the footsteps of other former Troystandouts that became NFL stars.''With them producing Osi Umenyiora, DeMarcus Ware and now me,hopefully I can be put into that conversation of our powerfultradition,'' Massaquoi said. ''Only time will tell.''The Falcons, who will work under new defensive coordinator MikeNolan this season, upgraded their secondary Wednesday by tradingfor cornerback Asante Samuel.The only starter not returning from last year's defense ismiddle linebacker Curtis Lofton, who signed with New Orleans.Mitchell, who graduated in December, played in all 50 games ofhis career and was a senior team captain with Mississippi State. Helikely will compete with reserve safety Shann Schillinger for aroster spot, but must show Atlanta coaches that he can contributeheavily on special teams.Mitchell credits his success at safety with understanding how towatch film and break down opponents' strengths and weaknesses.''I'm a pretty physical guy,'' he said. ''I pride myself onmaking tackles and I always try to be around the ball.''Robertson, a compensatory pick, was the 242nd player chosen. Hewill compete with Peria Jerry, Atlanta's first-round pick from2009, and Vance Walker, a former undrafted free agent, for snapsbehind starting defensive tackles Jonathan Babineaux and CoreyPeters.Atlanta's defense finished 18th in points allowed and 20th intotal yards last season."

"  FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) The Atlanta Falcons have selected South Carolina defensivetackle Travian Robertson late in the seventh round of the NFLdraft.Robertson, a compensatory pick, was the 242nd player chosenoverall and sixth taken by the Falcons.He will compete with Peria Jerry and Vance Walker for snapsbehind starting defensive tackles Jonathan Babineaux and CoreyPeters.Robertson was the third defensive player drafted Saturday by theFalcons, who chose Troy pass rusher Jonathan Massaquoi in the fifthround and Mississippi State strong safety Charles Mitchell in themiddle of the sixth.Robertson, a fifth-year senior, helped South Carolina win 11games last season for the first time in school history.In a victory over Nebraska at the Capital One Bowl, Robertson'sblocked extra-point attempt resulted in a 2-point defensivePAT."

"  LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) In his first draft, new Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emeryproved he is not afraid to take a risk.After making controversial picks in the first three rounds, theBears on Saturday selected Temple tight end Evan Rodriguez, aplayer with a somewhat troubled past. Considering they took acornerback who will change positions to safety, a wide receiverbelieved by some to be a discipline problem and a top draft pickwho could be too light to play defensive end, it looks a great deallike the Bears aren't afraid to take chances on players theylike.''We started this offseason trying to improve our ballclub,''coach Lovie Smith said. ''We did that at the receiver position. Asfar as taking risks, I mean, there's risks in every player that youlook at, but you weigh that.''We checked out everybody that we brought in. We all feltcomfortable with that.''Rodriguez, the 111th pick overall (fourth round), started hiscareer at West Virginia, but transferred following the 2007 seasonafter a felony assault charge for an alleged physical altercationwith a female residence hall adviser. It was later reduced to amisdemeanor charge. At Temple, he was arrested for disorderlyconduct in 2009, and later was held out of a game for disciplinaryreasons.Emery pointed out that Rodriguez has not had any convictions andbelieves he benefited greatly as a result of his relationship withTemple coach Steve Adazzio.''Some players you have to put your thumb on a little bitharder,'' Emery said. ''I think Evan responds to really good, hard,old-fashioned coaching and he's had that, believe me, at Temple,especially with coach Adazzio.''Emery said his contacts at the school, extensive research he haddid, and Rodriguez's visit to Halas Hall convinced him this was nota risky pick.''It's growing pains as long as you learn from mistakes anddon't let them happen again and mature, which I have done,''Rodriguez said. ''They believed in me and I'm happy they gave methis opportunity. And I'm not going to let them down.''The Bears needed a tight end who could line up as an H-back andblock out of the fullback position or the slot, while alsopossessing speed to get downfield in pass patterns. Emery saidRodriguez, who is 6-foot-2, 244 pounds, has 4.56-second speed inthe 40-yard dash.Rodriguez has compared himself to another of Adazzio's tightends, New England's Aaron Hernandez. Rodriguez caught 69 passes for871 yards and six touchdowns at Temple.''I would consider myself a physical blocker,'' Rodriguez said.''I'm just a tough player. I don't mind getting dirty.''Also Saturday, the Bears drafted Nevada cornerback Isaiah Freyin the sixth round and TCU cornerback Greg McCoy in the seventhround. The 5-foot-11, 188-pound Frey played mostly in man-to-mancoverage at Nevada and will need to become more adept at zone withthe Bears. McCoy brings credentials as a kicker returner whoaveraged 30.6 yards per return last season.''Our scouts and coaches worked very hard on that back end ofthe draft on those skilled players, the corners and safeties,''Emery said. ''We had a list of four; we were able to get two ofthem. Felt very good about that in terms of knowing where we'd beable to find them and what their upside was.''On Thursday, the Bears at No. 19 drafted defensive end SheaMcClellin, considered by some too small to be a 4-3 defensive endin Smith's system and more suited to 3-4 linebacker. On Friday,they took South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who has hadweight and disciplinary issues. They drafted Oregon Statecornerback Brandon Hardin, who missed 2011 with a broken shoulderand is moving to a more physical position at strong safety.Smith took issue with the notion McClellin cannot play defensiveend at 6-3, 260 pounds.''Weight is one of the most overrated things that there is whenyou're talking about a football player,'' he said. ''You're talkingabout strength and athletic ability more than that. ... Shea,believe me, he will be able to hold his own with the big boys thathe's playing.''Emery said Friday he considered Jeffery one of the draft's topthree receivers, and overall was pleased with his first draft eventhough the Bears failed to come away with a tackle to help anoffensive line that allowed 105 sacks the last two seasons.''The overriding thing was again what we talked about earlier inthis week is finding the players that can help us the quickest toreach our goals of winning a championship, and we felt very goodthat we made progress in that area,'' he said."

"  EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) The New York Giants have offered two-time Pro Bowl defensive endOsi Umenyiora contract extensions each of the past two seasons.Speaking shortly after the NFL Draft ended on Saturday, Reesesaid the Super Bowl champions kept their options open entering thedraft, including the option to sign Umenyiora.The 29-year-old defensive end has been unhappy with management.He claimed Reese reneged on a promise to rework his contract afterthe 2010 season. Umenyiora has one year left on his currentdeal.''Our first choice with respect to Osi is that he will play forthe Giants and retire as a Giant,'' Reese said. ''That is what wewould like to happen. Osi has been offered an extension two yearsin a row now. So we would still like to make it work. Hopefully itwill work out. But all of our options are always open.''"

"  DAVIE, Fla. (AP) Miami Hurricanes running back Lamar Miller kept falling in theNFL draft until the Miami Dolphins traded up to take him.Despite pressing needs at receiver and safety, the Dolphinsselected Miller in the fourth round. He had been projected as alikely second-round pick and perhaps even a late first-rounder.''I was upset at first,'' he said after waiting more than 36hours to hear his name announced. ''But now I'm happy with whereI'm at.''Fearful that another team might be about to take Miller, theDolphins moved up six spots and grabbed him shortly after the draftresumed Saturday.''I expected him to go a little bit earlier, but that's thedraft,'' general manager Jeff Ireland said. ''For whatever reasonhe was still there, and I thought he was too good a value to passup.''The Dolphins still don't have an elite pass catcher forincumbent quarterback Matt Moore or rookie Ryan Tannehill, theirfirst-round pick Thursday. They did add a potential possessionreceiver by selecting Michigan State's B.J. Cunningham in the sixthround.And Miller could provide a multiple threat as an understudy toReggie Bush. He rushed for 1,272 yards and nine touchdowns with theHurricanes last year, and he's an elite kickoff returner and acapable pass catcher.''We look at Lamar Miller as a back that has the opportunity tocreate explosive plays,'' coach Joe Philbin said. ''He's a guy whocan break tackles, and he has very good speed. It was hard toignore the guy.''After deciding to forgo his final two years of collegeeligibility, Miller will play in the same stadium where he starredwith the Hurricanes.''To be in my hometown, to get a chance to play for a SuperBowl, that's always a great thing,'' he said. ''I'm just ready toput the team on the map.''Miller became the second Hurricanes player taken by theDolphins. In the third round they selected defensive end OlivierVernon, the first Hurricane drafted by the Dolphins since 2004.''We got a chance to visit with all the University of Miamiguys,'' Ireland said. ''We want to try to create a relationshipwith the Hurricanes and coach Al Golden. I like the way he coacheshis players. I believe in his program. We had a good long talkabout the players we drafted, and I think we're just scratching thesurface of the two. They're two tremendous prospects. Theirceilings are endless.''The Dolphins drafted Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martinin the second round and Missouri tight end Michael Egnew in thethird round. In the fifth round they took Oregon outside linebackerJosh Kaddu, and their seventh-round picks were Texas defensivelineman Kheeston Randall and Nevada receiver Rishard Matthews.Six of the Dolphins' nine choices were offensive players. Theydidn't take a safety, where a void remains after the release ofveteran Yeremiah Bell last month, and Ireland said the draft wasthin at the position.The draft was the second for Ireland since the departure ofDolphins football czar Bill Parcells. Ireland said a high successrate on his picks this year will be critical.''We're trying to win championships, and I believe this is thebest way to build a team,'' Ireland said. ''It's extremelyimportant for this franchise that we hit on a lot of theseplayers.''Cunningham was Michigan State's leading career receiver with 218catches. The Dolphins hope he will help fill the void created bythe departure of Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall, who was tradedto the Chicago Bears in March.''I'll line up inside, outside, wherever you want,'' Cunninghamsaid. ''However they utilize me - special teams, whatever they needto do - I'll come out and I'll produce for them.''Tannehill, the first quarterback taken in the first round by theDolphins since Dan Marino in 1983, was formally introduced at amorning news conference. Holding his new No. 17 jersey, he posedfor photos with owner Stephen Ross.''Hope one day we can retire this number,'' Ross said.''I couldn't have come to a better place,'' Tannehill said.''I'm honored to have been selected by such a greatorganization.''Tannehill's coach at Texas A&M was Mike Sherman, theDolphins' new offensive coordinator. Tannehill immediately beganstudying the playbook and liked the looks of it.''It was pretty familiar,'' he said. ''I'm really excited to getback into it. There have been some changes, but the foundation ofit is all the same. I'm excited to get into the new stuff thatthey've added in the past few months that we didn't have atA&M, and to get on the field and start running the plays.''Tannehill and the rest of the rookies will report for anintroductory camp next weekend, and the objective will be modest,Philbin said.''Hopefully when we get plays going to the right, we'll geteverybody to go to the right and not run into one another,'' hesaid. ''It's more of an orientation that a real camp.''"

"  ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) The Detroit Lions insist they didn't plan on adding defensivedepth with every pick on the final day of the NFL draft.It just worked out that way.Coincidence?''Pretty much, yeah,'' Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said.The Lions started off Saturday by taking Oklahoma's RonnellLewis, who can play defensive end or outside linebacker, in thefourth round. They drafted Temple outside linebacker TahirWhitehead and Albion cornerback Chris Greenwood in the fifth.''We feel good about all those guys helping us on defense andspecial teams,'' general manager Martin Mayhew said.Later, Detroit drafted New Mexico State cornerback Jonte Greenin the sixth round.''I run a 4.3 40,'' Green said. ''I say that's mystrength.''Detroit's weakness is at cornerback, the only position itdoesn't have a starter returning from its first 10-win team since1995.''Yeah, I'm aware of that,'' said Green, who is from StPetersburg, Fla.The Lions closed the draft by taking Oklahoma outside linebackerTravis Lewis, the first player in school history to at least sharethe team lead in tackles four years in a row. Lackluster results atthe NFL combine, though, led to him being available when the Lionsdrafted him 223rd overall.''I'm going to prove them right and a lot of teams wrong,'' saidLewis, who is from San Antonio.The Lions had chances to move back and up during the first twodays of the draft, but stuck with their slots to select Iowaoffensive tackle Riley Reiff in the first round, Oklahoma widereceiver Ryan Broyles in the second and Louisiana-Lafayettecornerback Dwight ''Bill'' Bentley in the third.On the third and final day of the draft, Detroit was on themove. The team slid back in the fourth round and moved up twice tomake their fifth-round picks.''It's all about opportunity and the players on the board,''Schwartz said.Detroit selected Lewis 125th overall with a pick acquired bytrading the No. 117 pick to San Francisco for the 49ers'fourth-round pick and their sixth-round selection, 196thoverall.The 6-foot-1, 253-pound Lewis started nine games last season asa defensive end and played in 10 for the Sooners, making 13 tacklesfor losses, including 5.5 sacks. The native of Dewar, Okla.,skipped his senior season.Lewis missed some games because of a sprained ligament in hisleft knee last season and wasn't academically eligible to play inOklahoma's bowl game. Schwartz said Lewis acknowledged he's not agood student, but the team isn't worried about that because thereisn't an Academic All-NFC North team.''We don't have any classes here,'' Schwartz said.The Lions moved up to get Whitehead early in the fifth roundwith the 138th pick overall. They traded a fourth-round pick nextyear to Minnesota to acquire the pick. Whitehead had 59 tackles,including five sacks, last season at Temple. The 6-1, 233-poundlinebacker is from Jersey City, N.J.''It's a little bit of a projecting, making him an off-the-balllinebacker,'' Schwartz said.Whitehead, though, knows his best chance at earning a rosterspot will be on special teams.Likewise, Greenwood will have to play special teams to make ateam that is coming off its first playoff appearance since the 1999season.Greenwood, who is from Detroit, is the first MichiganIntercollegiate Athletic Association player selected in the NFLdraft since 1967, when New Orleans selected Albion linebacker BarrySiler in the eighth round.The three Division III players taken in the NFL draft between2008-2011 - Pierre Garcon, Andy Studebaker and Cecil Shorts - areall in the league.Detroit really wanted to draft Greenwood 148th overall, sendingits 158th pick later in the round and a seventh-round selection toOakland to take him. He was the MIAA's defensive MVP and led Albionto a conference title last season.The Lions say they were impressed with Greenwood's physicalskills during a private workout and when he was at the Universityof Michigan pro day. Greenwood said he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.34seconds and has a 43-inch vertical leap, leading to him visitingeight other NFL teams.''His measurables are off the charts,'' Mayhew said.Greenwood attended Northwood and Eastern Michigan before goingto Albion, a school 85 miles west of Detroit, and won't besurprised if he is making a living back in the Motor City with theLions.''If I work hard and do what I can do, I'll have a shot,'' hesaid.---Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/larrylage"

"  PITTSBURGH (AP) Kevin Colbert spent the days leading up to the NFL Draftstressing the Pittsburgh Steelers would focus on ''want'' and not''need.''Maybe, but it's no coincidence the general manager wanted - andgot - everything his team needed.The Steelers stockpiled prospects for its beleaguered offensiveline and addressed depth issues at linebacker, nose tackle and widereceiver with their nine picks.''It was no grand design,'' Colbert said. ''That's just howthese drafts break.''Pittsburgh wrapped up the draft with a flurry of activity onSaturday, moving up in the fourth round to take nose tackle AlamedaTa'amu out of Washington then grabbing speedy Florida running backChris Rainey in the fifth.The Steelers selected Colorado wide receiver Toney Clemons, aPittsburgh native, in the seventh round before choosing TexasA&M cornerback Terrence Frederick, Oregon tight end DavidPaulson and SMU lineman Kelvin Beachum with compensatory picks.''The last three days unfolded very well for us,'' Colbert said.''We got a lot of players we had targeted. We didn't think wereached for everybody and we got everybody where we felt verycomfortable.''Pittsburgh addressed its line issues in the first and secondround by taking Stanford's David DeCastro and Ohio State's MikeAdams then adding Miami (Fla.) linebacker Sean Spence in thethird.The only time the Steelers moved aggressively in the draft camein the fourth, when they traded picks with Washington and gave up asixth-rounder to take the 348-pound Ta'amu, who gives Pittsburghinsurance at the position that anchors its 3-4 defense.Longtime starter Casey Hampton is recovering from offseason kneesurgery and longtime backup Chris Hoke retired in January leavingthird-year man Steve McLendon as the most experienced nose tackleon the roster.Ta'amu had 30 tackles and four sacks during his senior year withthe Huskies and was an honorable mention All Pac-12 selection. Heplayed extensively against DeCastro. Ta'amu had high praise for hisformer rival turned teammate.''When you go against DeCastro, you can feel his presence,''Ta'amu said. ''There's not a lot of guards that can block down on anose tackle and you can feel him. The thing about DeCastro is he'sexplosive, from play one all the way to the last play. There's nota lot of guards that can stay the same like that.''The Steelers are in no hurry to bring Ta'amu along, though hebelieves he can be a three-down player. When asked about his passrush skills, Ta'amu just laughed.''My pass rush is amazing,'' he said.So is Rainey's speed. The former All-American track star withthe Gators is be used in a variety of ways.''I think he's a very versatile player that is very fast andexplosive,'' offensive coordinator Todd Haley said. ''He can runit, he can return it. That's a commodity.''One the Steelers could use. Antonio Brown made the Pro Bowl as areturn man last season, but will be elevated to a starting widereceiver following the retirement of Hines Ward.Rainey, whose older brother Rod Smart played five seasons in theNFL with the Eagles and Panthers, understands he'll need to be opento anything. He's certainly confident in his ability, callinghimself the fastest player on a team that includes Pro Bowl widereceiver Mike Wallace.Though he lined up at slot receiver at Florida, Rainey considershimself a running back but will likely need to make the 53-manroster as a special teams ace. Though he will get a look atreturning kicks, Rainey set a Southeastern Conference record byblocking six punts during his career.Rainey called Pittsburgh the ''perfect'' spot for him, notingthe team's status as a Super Bowl contender and his closerelationship with Steelers offensive linemen Maurkice Pouncey.That relationship made Rainey more attractive to the Steelersafter character concerns stemming from his arrest in 2010 on anaggravated stalking charge for allegedly sending a threatening textto a former girlfriend. He spent a night in jail and was kicked offthe team the next day before being reinstated. Rainey leanedheavily on Pouncey's family for support after the arrest, and theSteelers reached out to the Pounceys before making the pick togauge Rainey's commitment to staying out of trouble.Looking back, Rainey called the incident a turning point.''I became a man. I matured,'' Rainey said. ''I learned a lessonnot to do that ever again ... this stuff happens for areason.''It's a message Clemons echoed after being chosen by his boyhoodteam. Clemons starred at Valley High in New Kensington, Pa., justnorth of Pittsburgh before signing to play at Michigan. Hetransferred to Colorado after his sophomore year and developed intoa pleasant surprise last fall, catching 44 passes for 680 yards anda team-high eight touchdowns for the Buffaloes.The 6-foot-2 Clemons gives the Steelers size at wide receiverand the team was impressed by Clemons' resiliency and the way hebattled for the ball in the air against multiple defenders.''He's a competitor and it jumps off the screen at you,'' coachMike Tomlin said.Clemons wasn't sure he'd get a look after a bumpy career thatincluded a transfer and a series of coaching changes.''It took me awhile to find myself,'' Clemons said. ''When Ifinally found myself in a system that had faith in me, I was ableto go out there and perform.''Most of the new players - including undrafted rookie free agents- will participate in a rookie minicamp next weekend, though Adamsand DeCastro will not be there due to academic commitments."

"  ST. LOUIS (AP) The St. Louis Rams will release kicker Josh Brown, who's beensomething of a disappointment, and drafted a potential replacementin the sixth round of the NFL draft.Brown, who turns 33 on Sunday, is entering the final year of afive-year, $14.2 million deal. He's a career 81 percent kicker butwas 21 for 28 on field goals last season, with five misses insidethe 50 and one inside the 40.The Rams selected Greg Zuerlein of Missouri Western, who set anNCAA Division II record with 21 consecutive field goals last seasonand missed once in 24 attempts overall."