JIM FILES
Middle Linebacker
No. 58
Oklahoma
"Jim was the Giants' first choice for 1970 and won the middle linebacking job as a rookie. He switched to the outside with the emergence of Ron Hornsby in 1971."
-1973 Topps No. 49
PAT HUGHES
Linebacker
No. 56
Boston University
Possessed with good potential, Pat can play at center if needed. He co-captained Boston University in 1969, was MVP and earned All-East and All-New England honors."
-1973 Topps No. 201
RON HORNSBY
Linebacker
No. 67
Southeast Louisiana
"Ron stepped into a starting role as middle linebacker as a rookie in 1971 and was named to the NFC's All-Rookie Team. A sure and deadly tackler, he improved with each game. Ron had a big game in the 1971 victory over the Falcons, making nine solo tackles, assisting on five others and sacking the opposing quarterback for a seven-yard loss."
-1973 Topps No. 256
BRAD VAN PELT
Linebacker
2nd Round
Michigan State
"With his size (6-5, 225), scouts feel he could be the coming thing in strong safeties."
-Bob Billings, Football Digest, January 1972
"Some years ago your humble correspondent predicted the day of the 6-5, 250-pound strong safety. Within weeks after the utterance the New York Giants responded by lining up a one-time defensive end, Freeman White, in that position. He never quite mastered it, but the scouts feel Brad Van Pelt, the 6-5, 225, safetyman of Michigan State has.
'For a quarterback to look out and see that guy out there must be like looking at the Hancock Building,' said one scout in sheer amazement. And what White lacked in mobility and agility, Van Pelt has to the highest degree.
He's as big as any tight end he'll come up against in a man-to-man situation, has outstanding speed, and hits so hard that many scouts are looking at him as a potential linebacker. The one question mark is whether he wants to play football. He's already turned down a pro baseball offer of $100,000."
-Bob Billings, Football Digest, January 1973
"Gussie Busch of the baseball Cardinals had been in hot pursuit of this near-superhuman athlete who lettered for three years in baseball and football at Michigan State (he won two letters in basketball but gave up the sport to concentrate on baseball). The Giants landed him and he could be outstanding.
'He has all the tools, quickness, great strength,' say the coaches. Van Pelt could also be used at cornerback."
-John Devaney, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition
"Using the Minnesota Vikings' 2nd round choice obtained though the trade for Fran Tarkenton, the Giants selected Michigan State's unanimous All-America star safety. Van Pelt has superior ratings from the pro scouts who feel that his potential is at outside linebacker, the position the Giants envision for him as well. Michigan State Coach Duffy Daugherty says of Van Pelt, 'he could play all 22 positions in football- plus he can kick off and kick field goals. He's the best all-around football player I've ever coached, including George Webster.'
This past season, Van Pelt had four pass interceptions for 39 yards returned, as well as 10 punts returned for 48 yards. His defensive totals showed 42 defensive tackles and 42 assists. His three-year totals show 14 interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.
Brad was team co-captain in his senior season and played in the East-West Shrine Game. He also lettered in baseball and basketball and will have won 10 varsity letters when he graduates in June. Van Pelt was also named to All-America teams as a junior and to All-Big Ten teams three years running. He has been drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in baseball where he is pitcher for the Spartans.
He has fine speed and power and is rated an intense competitor by scouts. An outstanding all-around high school star at Owosso High School in Owosso, Michigan, Brad is married to the former Mary Scott and is majoring in physical education."
-Football Digest, August 1973
WHY BRAD VAN PELT CHOSE THE N.Y. GIANTS
"When it came to the crunch, Brad Van Pelt took the easy way out and signed with the football Giants instead of the baseball Cardinals.
Who wants to play a rough game like baseball, where a guy can get beaned or spiked or lose his wife in a swapout, when football has so much more going for it?
There even is more money (but not too much), which explains in part why the Michigan State All-America safety has accepted a reported three-year, no-cut contract with the Giants.
But the much deeper reasoning behind Van Pelt's decision was based on the assurance football offered him in terms of becoming a first-line player immediately.
'I felt I have a better chance as a linebacker with the Giants than with the Cardinals as a pitcher,' Van Pelt said.
'It's a great opportunity here. The Giants say they're optimistic about me making it as a regular, but in baseball I might have to be in the minors for I don't know many years.'
Van Pelt is a rangy, good-looking young man with lank, blond hair, cut with a moderate mod style, a pug nose, grey eyes and the square chin that goes with Middle America football heroes.
'My fastball is good,' he says, 'but my curve leaves a lot to be desired. I'd have to learn a lot more pitches to play in the major leagues.'
It was a tough decision in a way for Van Pelt, a strapping 6-5, 230-pounder with what baseball scouts describe as a blazing fastball.
'I love both sports,' he says. 'In baseball it's the personal challenge as a pitcher. It football, it's the joy of a good team effort.' In fact, Van Pelt is also an outstanding basketball player. He graduated from Michigan State with eight varsity letters- three in football, three in baseball and two in basketball.
'I was hoping the money offer would be so much more in one sport over the other that I'd really have no choice.
'But they were so close,'- slight pause as a prelude to a bad joke- 'I even thought they (Giants and Cardinals) got together.'
Considering that the Giants had no No. 1 draft pick this year and pulled off a steal of sorts in obtaining him in the second round (when other NFL clubs passed him by because he was sewed up for baseball), Van Pelt is a bargain.
Van Pelt will be worth every nickel if he just makes it at the strong-side linebacker spot Jim Files is vacating this year to move into he middle this year.
He'll be worth even more if he also fulfills the promise he displayed as a kicker for Michigan State late last season when Duffy Daugherty decided he needed a backup booter and Van Pelt revealed a hidden talent.
'I kicked a 50-yard field goal in practice and I can put kickoffs in the end zone,' he says. But Pete Gogolak doesn't have to start worrying yet. Van Pelt will be busy enough learning to be a pro linebacker after playing safety all through college.
'They had me at linebacker in the East-West and Hula games and I liked it,' he says. 'There's more action there. At safety sometimes you get to feel you're not in the game, but at linebacker there's always the contact and you also get to play the pass.'
Van Pelt had only one collegiate injury, a shoulder separation in his junior year, and none in high school football.
'You can get banged up and still play football,' he says, 'but in baseball all you have to do, especially if you're a pitcher, is pull one tiny muscle and you could be through.' "
-Gene Roswell, The New York Post, Football Digest, August 1973
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