First impressions are as important in football as they are on blind dates. So if you’re going to show up in bermudas, you had better have engaging legs – or some other captivating quality.

By rule, the rookies who participated in their teams’ recent minicamps were limited in their wardrobe. They couldn’t wear pads, and contact was prohibited. But that didn’t prevent several from rising to the occasion. Defensive linemen Turk McBride and Tank Tyler, for example, made Coach Herm Edwards’ all-shorts team for what they did during the Chiefs’ minicamp.

Taking that concept across the league, we present our All-Shorts Team: 12 rookies who caught the attention of their teams:

¢ Usama Young, CB, Saints. New Orleans may have landed another small-school gem. Young, a Kent State product, drew praise from coach Sean Payton after showing up in excellent shape and making good breaks on the ball. He intercepted one pass and broke up several others. Not bad for a guy who didn’t get invited to the Scouting Combine.

¢ Trent Edwards, QB, Bills. Edwards exceeded the team’s expectations in the windy conditions at Ralph Wilson Stadium. He showed a quick release and a strong arm – and he was accurate.

¢ Adam Carriker, DT, Rams. He took most of his snaps inside and displayed the same characteristics – stoutness, hand explosiveness, ability to collapse the pocket – that made him the Big 12’s defensive lineman of the year in 2006 as an end at Nebraska. The Rams are hoping Carriker will be able to play both the 3 technique and nose tackle positions. If he can, he will relieve a longtime headache for the team.

¢ Buster Davis, LB, Cardinals. The 5-foot-9 Davis was like a water bug, covering a lot of ground and making a lot of plays – just like he did at Florida State.

¢ James Jones, WR, Packers. The third-round pick from San Jose State was quick and explosive in and out of his cuts, and he plucked every pass thrown his direction.

¢ Kevin Kolb, QB, Eagles. Donovan McNabb won’t like hearing it, but Kolb showed a strong arm and mobility.

¢ Mike Walker, WR, Jaguars. A third-round pick from Central Florida, Walker did enough good things to elicit positive reactions from coach Jack Del Rio and quarterback Byron Leftwich.

¢ Scott Chandler, TE, Chargers. Chandler, a 6-7 target, regularly got open down the seam and on corner routes.

¢ Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings. What popped out most were his receiving skills, which he rarely had a chance to display at Oklahoma. Running a lot of swing routes and checkdowns, Peterson wowed the Vikings with his ability to extend his arms and catch the ball.

¢ Johnny Baldwin, LB, Lions. A fifth-round pick from Alabama A&M – and another player whose invitation to the Combine got lost in the mail – Baldwin worked out at middle linebacker. He displayed what defensive coaches desire most in their players – speed.

¢ Steve Smith, WR, Giants. He looked polished, ran good routes and made a leaping one-handed catch during a 7-on-7 drill. Just about what you’d expect from a prospect out of Southern California.

¢ Kenny Irons, RB, Bengals. He impressed coach Marvin Lewis with his cutting ability on the field and his resolve off it. After missing his flight to Cincinnati, Irons flew to Dayton, arranged his own transportation and arrived at the Bengals’ complex in time for a mandatory team meeting.