Guice doesn’t stay to hear his name called
ARLINGTON, Texas – LSU running back Derrius Guice no longer was around when his name was called 59th overall by Washington in the NFL draft Friday night.
Guice was among the 22 players on hand for the opening round, but he cleared out after not being chosen. The Redskins grabbed him well after the hard-running power back had departed.
Three other players not taken in the first round, Texas tackle Connor Williams, Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson, and Central Florida linebacker Shaquem Griffin, did stick it out. Williams, who didn’t have far to go to be at home – he’s from the Dallas area – will be staying in Big D because the Cowboys chose him 50th. He could wind up at guard.
His selection drew the loudest cheers of the night at AT&T Stadium, in contrast to how the locals greeted Dallas’ first-rounder, Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, whose reception was cool at best.
“I was watching my phone and it got down to two minutes and I thought it had passed,” Williams said. “My phone starts with 972 so I knew it was a Dallas area code, and I thought this can’t be. I got on the phone and it was Cloud 9.”
Jackson had gone 45th to Green Bay, a place he could immediately be a starter. He led FBS last year with eight interceptions.
Griffin, who had his left hand amputated when he was a child, has had a spectacular off-season since helping Central Florida to an undefeated year. He’s been a star at the combine and personal workouts, but having only one hand is clearly giving NFL teams pause.
Among the schools that had no one chosen in the first two rounds were Clemson, Michigan, Michigan State, Miami and Tennessee. Yet, South Carolina State, Sam Houston State and South Dakota State each had a secondrounder.
The most fun came when the Super Bowl champion Eagles got back at the host Cowboys verbally.
When Philadelphia selected a South Dakota State tight end named Dallas Goedert – no kidding, Dallas – the choice was announced by six-time Pro Bowl kicker David Akers. He needled Cowboys fans.
“Hey Dallas, the last time you were in the Super Bowl, these draft picks weren’t born,” Akers shouted.
Last year at the draft in Philly, former Cowboys star Drew Pearson gave a rousing and hilarious speech about his team before announcing a pick.
The third round began with the Raiders taking a second FCS player on the day.
Oakland selected offensive tackle Brandon Parker from North Carolina A&T. The Raiders also selected Sam Houston State defensive lineman P.J. Hall in the second round.
The Giants had two of the first five picks in the third round and worked on restocking the defensive line.
First New York went outside, taking Lorenzo Carter from Georgia with the second pick of the third round. Three picks later, the Giants went inside, grabbing 300-pounder B.J. Hill from North Carolina State.
The Houston Texans made their first pick of the draft in the third round, taking Stanford safety Justin Reid with pick No. 68 overall.
After five quarterbacks went in the first round, the sixth didn’t come off the board until the third round at pick No. 76 when the Pittsburgh Steelers traded up to take Mason Rudolph.
Rudolph rejoins Oklahoma State teammate James Washington, his favorite receiver who was taken in the second round by the Steelers.
Rudolph loved to throw deep and it was often to Washington, who was an All-American last season. Rudolph was a third-team All-America pick by The AP.
The first non-Division I player drafted came a few picks before Rudolph went. The New York Jets took Nathan Shepherd, a 315-pound defensive lineman from Canada who played at Fort Hayes State, with pick 72.