Big 12 getting few calls

WVU cornerback Douglas goes 99th to Philadelphia

By The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — Let’s just say the phone isn’t ringing off the hook for Big 12 Conference players so far in the NFL draft.

Only five players from the conference were selected through the third round Friday night, and it appeared the Big 12 was headed toward having the fewest picks among the power five leagues again.

The Big 12 started off with Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes going 10th Thursday to the Kansas City Chiefs. The next player to go was Friday night — troubled Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, 48th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals.

This was the first year since 2008 that the Big 12 had only one first-round choice. The league’s two picks through two rounds were the fewest since the old Southwest Conference and Big Eight merged to form the Big 12 in 1996.

In the third round, Kansas State outside linebacker Jordan Willis went to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 73 overall, Texas running back D’Onta Foreman went to the Houston Texans at No. 89 and West Virginia cornerback Rasul Douglas to the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 99.

Douglas was the second cornerback to be drafted by the Eagles this year after the team selected Sidney Jones in the second round.

Unlike Jones who is injured, Douglas is healthy and will be ready to play this year.

Douglas is a big cornerback measuring in at 6-2, 209 pounds. In two years at West Virginia, he had 77 tackles for nine interceptions, nine passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.

Among the top Big 12 players still on the board for the final four rounds Saturday were Oklahoma wide receiver Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma State defensive lineman Vincent Taylor and running back Samaje Perine of Oklahoma.

The Southeastern Conference led the power five conferences with 30 players taken through three rounds, followed by the Big Ten (19), Pac-12 (16), ACC (11) and Big 12 (five).

Last year the Big 12 had 26 players taken in the seven rounds, tied with the ACC for fewest among power five leagues and about half the 51 taken from the SEC.

The Big 12 Conference had 25 draftees in 2015, also the fewest among the power fives.

Mahomes was the second quarterback taken, with the Chiefs trading up from No. 27 to get him at No 10.

“It makes you feel great,” Mahomes said.

“It makes you feel like they really believe in you.”

For those who think the combine and pro day workouts are overrated, wide receiver Corey Davis of Western Michigan to Tennessee at No. 5 is proof that film comes first.