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Jan. 14, 2003, 12:19AM

Casserly prepared to make a deal
Texans could trade draft's No. 3 pick
By JOSEPH DUARTE
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
MOBILE, Ala. -- Interest in the Texans' much-coveted first-round NFL draft position is heating up.

General manager Charley Casserly said Monday night he has held preliminary discussions with "more than one team" interested in trading for the team's No. 3 overall pick in April's draft.

"We've already talked to some teams about trading the pick," Casserly said. "We've definitely gotten interest."

The Texans, in search of an impact player and help at offensive tackle, are currently slotted to pick behind Cincinnati and Detroit.

That's no sure thing, however. It depends on which players are available, which underclassmen declare for the draft, and what treasure troves teams are willing to offer.

Casserly said the Texans are willing to listen to offers and deal the pick if a sure-thing game breaker is not available.

He declined to identify the teams that have contacted the Texans, but he acknowledged there has been discussion since his arrival for this weekend's Senior Bowl.

Chicago (No. 4), Arizona (No. 6), Carolina (No. 9) and Denver (No. 20) are all teams that could be in the market for a quarterback.

Casserly expects to continue talks throughout this week and as the draft gets closer.

"We'll look at all possibilities," he said.

This year's draft will feature a deep talent pool at quarterback, which could be favorable for the Texans as teams scramble to move up in the pecking order.

Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer of Southern California is expected to be the No. 1 selection. Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich is also expected to be a first-round pick.

A wild card with potential ramifications for the Texans is the pending decision by Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning on whether to skip his senior year and enter the draft.

If Manning elects to forgo his final year of eligibility, it "would add a lot of value" to the Texans' first-round selection, one league official said Monday.

Scouts have been impressed with Manning's arm strength, relative accuracy, size and ability to read defenses.

A perceived lack of mobility has been the biggest knock on Manning, who is 14-10 in two seasons as a starter and owns 20 Ole Miss passing records.

He led the Southeastern Conference in total offense this past season and passed for 3,401 yards and 21 touchdowns.

If Manning, the son of former NFL great Archie Manning and younger brother of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, does not make his decision by Wednesday, he would not be able to attend the critical pre-draft combine or visit NFL teams for on-site workouts.

However, scouts would be permitted to go to Ole Miss and watch Manning work out on campus

The quarterback pool also includes Florida's Rex Grossman, Texas' Chris Simms and Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury.

Teams could also be eager to move up high in the draft to select Michigan State wide receiver Charles Rogers, Penn State defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, Arizona State defensive end Terrell Suggs or Kansas State cornerback Terrence Newman.

All are expected to go early in the draft, which will be held April 26-27.

It's possible the Texans could trade the No. 3 pick for an additional second-round selection and pick later in the first round.

That would likely allow the team to select a much-needed offensive lineman like Stanford's Kwame Harris or Utah's Jordan Gross, considered the best prospect at tackle.

The Texans have targeted wide receiver, running back, offensive tackle, safety and defensive tackle as their top areas of need. They have 14 draft selections, which include additional picks that begin in the third round.

With Dom Capers and his staff coaching the North squad at this week's Senior Bowl, the Texans had hoped to get a firsthand look at Gross.

Gross, a 6-5, 306-pound tackle who didn't allow a sack the past two seasons, opted not to attend and is currently working out in Phoenix.