JOESAM2002

One of Top Cornerback Prospects for Saturday's NFL Draft

.c The Associated Press

DUARTE, Calif. (April 20) -- Dennis Weathersby, a standout cornerback at Oregon State and a top prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft, was shot in the back Sunday in an apparent gang-related shooting.

Weathersby, 22, was shot at about 5:24PM PT in a residential neighborhood, said Sgt. Donnie Johnson, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He was taken to a hospital, but his condition was not immediately known.

The drive-by shooting occurred in an area with a fairly high concentration of gang activity where numerous shootings have occurred recently.

Weathersby was a semifinalist last season for the Jim Thorpe Award given to the nation's best defensive back. He was rated as one of the top 10 cornerbacks in this year's draft class and had been predicted by some draft gurus to be taken in the first round.

04/21/03 01:36 EDT



[Edited on 21/4/2003 by JOESAM2002]