The NFL invited Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford of Highland Park, Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith of W.T. White and Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree of Carter to New York for the draft. Neither Stafford nor Smith had a long wait in the green room at Radio City Music Hall.

Stafford was the first overall selection by the Detroit Lions, and Smith went second overall to the St. Louis Rams, the first time two players from the same city were drafted one-two.

But Crabtree had to wait and wait and wait before the San Francisco 49ers selected him with the 10th overall pick.

A two-time All-America and two-time Biletnikoff Award winner, Crabtree went 23 selections higher than the first wide receiver taken in last year's draft, but he was the second receiver taken Saturday. Darius Heyward-Bey of Maryland skipped past Crabtree, going to the Oakland Raiders with the seventh overall selection.

quot;I still feel I'm the best receiver in this draft,quot; Crabtree said. quot;I'll always feel I'm the best. I work to be the best. I have some big shoes to fill when I go to the 49ers with Jerry Rice. I can't wait to put the red, black and gold on.quot;

Heyward-Bey caught 52 passes for 609 yards and five touchdowns last season. Crabtree caught 97 passes for 1,165 yards and 19 touchdowns.

In his three-year college career, Heyward-Bey caught 138 passes for 2,089 yards and 13 touchdowns. In two years, Crabtree caught 231 passes for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Heyward-Bey had four career 100-yard games. Crabtree had 15. Crabtree led the NCAA in receiving in 2007 and set an NCAA record with touchdown receptions in 13 consecutive games over the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

Crabtree had all the statistics over Heyward-Bey. But Heyward-Bey had a 40-yard dash time in his draft profile. Crabtree did not. In fact, Heyward-Bey had the fastest 40 time of any player - much less any receiver - in the draft at 4.25 seconds.

X-rays at the NFL scouting combine in early March turned up a stress fracture in Crabtree's left foot. After initially saying he would still run a 40 at his pro day later in the month, Crabtree instead opted to have surgery.

I went through my draft records back to 1990 and couldn't find a top-10 pick, much less a player at a skill position where speed is a premium, that did not give the NFL a 40-yard dash time.

quot;There's a first time for everything,quot; Crabtree said afterward, smiling.

Crabtree had to make a tough and, as it turns out, costly decision in March.

quot;I couldn't run,quot; he said. quot;If I had run the 40 and then had the surgery, I may have missed training camp. So I did what I had to do to get ready for training camp and season. I had the surgery right away.

quot;If I had run the 40, I think a lot of people would have viewed me differently. I'm actually faster than what they thought. But I can't do anything about that now. I was put in a situation where I needed to do what was best for my Football career.quot;

Crabtree said he is fine now.

quot;I'm 110 percent - no, 150 percent,quot; Crabtree said. quot;My doctor told me I could start running ... but he told me to wait until one of these teams picked me.quot;

Crabtree, who has been compared to Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, said he was just thankful to be selected. But he also says he has a long memory - and he'll remember the teams that passed him on his way down the top 10.

quot;I'll keep all that in mind,quot; Crabtree said. quot;But I feel like I'm in a situation where someone wants me and needs me. Everything turned out fine.quot;

How Rick Gosselin fared

SportsDay's Rick Gosselin's mock draft ranked ninth in the nation among the 86 graded by The Huddle Report (one point for each player correctly placed in each round, two points for players matched to teams). Gosselin finished with 43 points.

No., Team Actual pick Gosselin's pick

1. Detroit QB Matthew Stafford QB Matthew Stafford

2. St. Louis OT Jason Smith OT Jason Smith

3. Kansas City DE Tyson Jackson DE Tyson Jackson

4. Seattle OLB Aaron Curry OLB Aaron Curry

5. NY Jets* QB Mark Sanchez WR Michael Crabtree

6. Cincinnati OT Andre Smith OT Andre Smith

7. Oakland WR D. Heyward-Bey WR Jeremy Maclin

8. Jacksonville OT Eugene Monroe OT Eugene Monroe

9. Green Bay DT B.J. Raji CB Malcolm Jenkins

10. San Francisco WR Michael Crabtree OT Michael Oher

11. Buffalo DE Aaron Maybin DE Aaron Maybin

12. Denver RB Knowshon Moreno DT B.J. Raji

13. Washington DE Brian Orakpo QB Mark Sanchez

14. New Orleans CB Malcolm Jenkins CB Vontae Davis

15. Houston OLB Brian Cushing OLB Clay Matthews

16. San Diego DE Larry English OLB Brian Cushing

17. Tampa Bay* QB Josh Freeman WR D. Heyward-Bey

18. Denver DE Robert Ayers DE Brian Orakpo

19. Philadelphia* WR Jeremy Maclin DE Robert Ayers

20. Detroit TE Brandon Pettigrew TE Brandon Pettigrew

21. Cleveland* C Alex Mack RB Knowshon Moreno

22. Minnesota WR Percy Harvin QB Josh Freeman

23. Baltimore* OT Michael Oher DT Peria Jerry

24. Atlanta DT Peria Jerry CB Darius Butler

25. Miami CB Vontae Davis DE Paul Kruger

26. Green Bay* OLB Clay Matthews MLB Rey Maualuga

27. Indianapolis RB Donald Brown RB Beanie Wells

28. Buffalo C Eric Wood C Max Unger

29. NY Giants WR Hakeem Nicks DT Ziggy Hood

30. Tennessee WR Kenny Britt CB Alphonso Smith

31. Arizona RB Beanie Wells RB Donald Brown

32. Pittsburgh DT Evander Hood C Eric Wood

*Draft-day trade

NFL DRAFT THE TOP 10

Rounds 1-2: Selections, 8CRounds 3-7: 9 a.m. today (ESPN, NFL)

Matthew Stafford

QB/Georgia Jason Smith

OT/Baylor Tyson Jackson

DE/LSU Aaron Curry

OLB/W.Forest Mark Sanchez

QB/USC

Andre Smith

OT/Alabama Darrius

Heyward-Bey

WR/Maryland Eugene Monroe

OT/Virginia B.J. Raji

DT/Boston Col. Michael Crabtree

WR/Texas Tech Cowboys/NFL coverage Pages 6-8C

-The Cowboys have yet to pick, trading their second- round choice to Buffalo. 6C

-Three top-10 picks make it a historic day for city of Dallas. 7C