CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Then-Carolina Panthers wide receivers coach Mike McCoy had his eyes set on Utah's Steve Smith when he entered the war room at Bank of America Stadium for the 2001 NFL draft.
For weeks, McCoy had been doing a soft sell on Smith to head coach George Seifert, not wanting his bias as a former Utah quarterback to make it appear this was more than a football evaluation on a 5-foot-9 player viewed more as a return specialist than a receiver.
"I had this inside scoop on Steve," said McCoy, six years removed from quarterbacking the Utes to a top-10 ranking.