Seven locals get the late call
Overall, eight Bruins and four Trojans are drafted. Seymour is surprised by Bills.
Three days of waiting ended for six UCLA players and one player from USC on Saturday, the final day of the NFL draft.
Bruins offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch, running back Paul Perkins and receiver Jordan Payton were selected in the fifth round. Linebacker Aaron Wallace, tight end Thomas Duarte and receiver Devin Fuller were picked in the seventh round.
Cornerback Kevon Seymour, a sixth-round pick, was the lone Trojan selected on the third day.
In total, eight Bruins, the most since 1988, and four Trojans were chosen.
The day began on an ominous tone for the locals when the fourth round concluded without a selection from either school, but Benenoch and Perkins were picked back-to-back in the fifth round, 148th and 149th overall, by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants. The Cleveland Browns selected Payton 154th.
“Me and my family have been waiting a long time for this, not just today but in my lifetime with how hard I have worked,” Payton told reporters during a teleconference. “I am excited. It is definitely the greatest day in my life and I can’t wait to get it going.”
Payton led the Bruins with 78 catches for 1,105 yards and five touchdowns last season.
Benenoch and Perkins left UCLA with eligibility remaining. Benenoch started three seasons at guard and tackle. Perkins led the Pac-12 Conference with 1,575 rushing yards his sophomore season and was fourth with 1,343 yards in 2015.
Seymour climbed into the sixth round, the 218th overall pick by the Bills, after strong performances at USC’s pro day and the scouting combine, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds.
Seymour told reporters during a teleconference that he met briefly with the Bills during the draft process, but that he did not expect the organization to select him. “It kind of surprised me,” he said.
After starting as a sophomore and junior, the 5-11, 186pound Seymour moved to a reserve role his senior season because of injuries. He made two interceptions and deflected 19 passes in four seasons.
Seymour joins former Trojans teammates Robert Woods and Nickell Robey in Buffalo.
A second flurry of picks came for the Bruins in the final round when the Titans selected linebacker Wallace 222nd overall, the Dolphins picked tight end Duarte 231st and the Falcons chose receiver Fuller 238th.
Wallace, 6-3 and 240 pounds, led the Bruins last season with 12 1/2 tackles for a loss, including seven sacks. He will reunite in Tennessee with former Bruins defensive coordinator Lou Spanos, the Titans linebackers coach.
Duarte ranked second on UCLA last season with 53 receptions, 10 for touchdowns.
Fuller caught 24 passes for 259 yards as a senior. “I am feeling great, I am just happy to be a part of a great organization,” Fuller told reporters on a teleconference.
The Packers selected UCLA defensive lineman Kenny Clark in the first round, 27th overall, and the Jaguars snagged linebacker Myles Jack in the second round, 36th overall.
Linebacker Su’a Cravens, a second-round pick by the Washington Redskins, 53rd overall, was the first USC player selected. In the third round, the San Diego Chargers chose offensive lineman Max Tuerk with the 66th pick and the Browns selected quarterback Cody Kessler with the 93rd pick.