Spiller, Clemons round out Aggies picks
Running back Isaiah Spiller promised the Los Angeles Chargers they’d made the right call Saturday, literally and long term.
“Best pick you’re going to make today,” a thrilled Spiller told his new team when Chargers brass phoned him with good news.
The Chargers picked Spiller (6-0, 217), a former Klein Collins star ranked seventh on Texas A&M’s all-time rushing list, in the fourth round of the NFL draft and 123rd overall.
A&M defensive end Micheal Clemons also was picked in the fourth round, six selections prior to Spiller by the New York Jets. Clemons (6-5, 270), who transferred to A&M from
Cisco College in 2017, led the Aggies with 13 quarterback hurries last season in his sixth year of college.
“He’s long and strong and he was productive (last) year,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said of Clemons. “He actually got better every year in the program. Go back and look at (Clemons) against Arkansas, Alabama and LSU — he got the job done. He has incredibly long arms and good upper-body strength.
“When he brings it on a consistent basis, he can get after the quarterback.”
The duo joined teammates Kenyon Green (offensive lineman in first round to Texans) and DeMarvin Leal (defensive lineman in third round to Steelers) in the draft.
A&M’s undrafted freeagent signings include: safety Leon O’Neal to San Francisco, tight end Jalen Wydermyer to Buffalo, linebacker Aaron Hansford to Dallas, defensive lineman Jayden Peevy to Tennessee and defensive lineman Tyree Johnson to Pittsburgh.
A&M also had four players drafted in 2021. Green was the program’s first first-rounder since defensive end Myles Garrett was the No. 1 overall selection in the 2017 draft, the only player in program history to achieve that status.
Brent Zwerneman
UH cornerback heads to Ravens
Houston cornerback Damarion Williams, a two-time captain for the Cougars was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round.
Williams was the third Cougar to be drafted, following Logan Hall (Tampa Bay) and Marcus Jones (New England).
“He’s a feisty player,” Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta said. “I think he’s a smart player, scheme-versatile, as well.”
Reid Laymance
Patriots pick up former HBU QB
Former Houston Baptist quarterback Bailey Zappe went to the Patriots in the fourth round, 107th overall.
After transferring to Western Kentucky, Zappe set the single-season all-time record with 5,967
passing yards and 62 passing touchdowns. He could emerge as the Patriots’ No. 2 quarterback behind Mac Jones.
“This is something that I’ve been dreaming for since I first started playing at 5,” Zappe said.
Zappe, who grew up in Victoria, had just one scholarship offer out of high school, but it ended up working out just fine.
He made nine starts as a freshman at Houston Baptist, started all 11 games as a sophomore, and earned All-Southland Conference honorable mention.
Then, he led the nation with 35 regular-season TD passes as a junior in 2019.
In only four games during a shortened 2020 season, he racked up 15 touchdown passes and threw just one interception while throwing 458 passing yards per game.
Reid Laymance
Ex-Ball standout on to Buccaneers
Zyon McCollum, the former Galveston Ball star who helped Sam Houston win its first national title during the 2021 spring season, is going to another winner.
The 2021 Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers took McCollum in the fifth round with the 157th overall pick.
“I’m going to bring selflessness and character and integrity, not even talking about football things,” McCollum said during a conference call with reporters. “I see myself as a sponge, and I’m looking to absorb any and all information from everybody.”
McCollum (6-2, 199) will join fellow Ball alum Mike Evans on the Tampa Bay roster. Evans, a four-time Pro Bowl receiver and eight-year league veteran, graduated from the school in 2011.
“Mike Evans is the type of player who paved the way for me coming out Ball High,” McCollum said. “Ball High has a tremendous tradition of putting players in the league, and Mike Evans was just the most recent one. … The fact the me, a proud Ball High alum, gets to reconnect with a seasoned veteran who also went to Ball High, it’s pretty surreal.”
Jon Poorman
Chargers choose Katy Taylor alum
Otito Ogbonnia won’t have to go far for the next chapter of his career.
The former Katy Taylor and UCLA standout will remain in Los Angeles after being selected by the Chargers in the fifth round. Ogbonnia (6-4, 320), a defensive lineman, was the 160th overall pick.
Ogbonnia is coming off a senior season in which he started all 12 games and was a second-team All-Pac 12 selection. Ogbonnia was a two-time all-district selection for the Katy Taylor football program and won both the shot put and discus at the UIL state track and field championships as a senior.
Jon Poorman
Ex-Magnolia star taken by Browns
Michael Woods II is headed to Cleveland. The former Magnolia star receiver was selected by the Browns with the 202nd overall pick in the sixth round.
Woods, who began his career at Arkansas before transferring to Oklahoma, earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors in 2021 after starting nine games and posting 35 catches for 400 yards and two touchdowns. He finished his college career with 118 catches for 1,648 yards and 12 touchdowns over four seasons.
Woods (6-1, 204) had a monster high school career at Magnolia under now-Stephenville coach Sterling Doty.
He totaled 2,988 yards and 41 touchdowns in 31 career varsity games for the Bulldogs.
Woods will join a Cleveland roster with receivers Amari Cooper, Ja’Marcus Bradley, Jakeem Grant Sr., Donovan Peoples-Jones, Anthony Schwartz and Javon Wims.
Jon Poorman
La Porte graduate joins title hopeful
Terrel Bernard has experienced a lot over the past couple of years.
The former La Porte star went from the low of suffering a season-ending injury to the high of winning a Big 12 championship.
Now he’s ready for his next endeavor.
Bernard, a standout linebacker from Baylor, was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the third round.
He was taken No. 89 overall by a team hoping to contend for its first Super Bowl appearance since 1993.
“The phone call was awesome, man,” Bernard said during a conference call with reporters. “Just a dream come true, celebrating with my family and things like that. I think I can bring just another hardworking piece that’s willing to help anywhere I can — special teams, fight for a roster spot, do whatever I need to do.”
Jon Poorman
No UT picks for just second time
No surprise the Georgia Bulldogs dominated these proceedings overall. They set a record through six rounds by having 15 selected: eight on defense, six on offense and punter Jake Camarda, which is the number they finished with.
At the other end, Texas didn’t have a player drafted for just the second time since the 1970 merger. The other was in 2014, the last class for coach Mack Brown, who led the Longhorns to the 2005 national championship.
The Longhorns weren’t completely shut out. Kicker Cameron Dicker signed as a free agent with the Rams.
TCU also went without a pick for the first time since 2008 after the Horned Frogs and 20year coach Gary Patterson agreed to part ways midseason last year.