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The Daily OrangeFB | No SU players picked in draft for 1st time since '75
McClain, Smith sign free agent deals
By Zach Schonbrun
Posted: 4/27/08, 10:40 PM EST Section: Sports
Smith watched the draft at home with his family in Newark, N.J. He said he had a feeling things might not go his way when no receiver was selected until the second round.
"For what the draft was looking like, it was anybody's guess," Smith said by phone. "When they didn't pick any receivers in the first (round), it was going to be a little harder for me to get in there. But I just watched a little bit of it and waited to see if I was going to get called. I didn't get called - can't do anything about that."
Smith said the Packers fit as the best scenario for him to make an NFL roster this fall. The 6-foot-2 junior wideout also fielded calls from the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles.
Smith said he will head out to minicamp Thursday.
"(I'm) just sitting and being patient and persevering through the whole situation," Smith said. "Just trying to get my foot in the door."
SU was one of just 11 Bowl Championship Series teams without a single player drafted. Each other Big East school had at least two picked.
Syracuse had two players drafted last season - safety Tanard Jackson (fourth round, Tampa Bay) and linebacker Kelvin Smith (seventh round, Miami Dolphins) - and five signed free agent contracts with teams. Since 2000, Syracuse has had 20 players drafted, third-most among Big East teams over that span.
McClain was the highest rated of any Syracuse prospect heading into the weekend, and the 6-foot-2, 255-pound defensive lineman was expected to be a late-round pick.
Forty-one defensive linemen were chosen by NFL teams this weekend, McClain not being one of them.
Said McClain: "(The Ravens) said they were going to give me an opportunity to compete, which is the most important thing you can ask for."
zsschonb@syr.edu
"For what the draft was looking like, it was anybody's guess," Smith said by phone. "When they didn't pick any receivers in the first (round), it was going to be a little harder for me to get in there. But I just watched a little bit of it and waited to see if I was going to get called. I didn't get called - can't do anything about that."
Smith said the Packers fit as the best scenario for him to make an NFL roster this fall. The 6-foot-2 junior wideout also fielded calls from the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles.
Smith said he will head out to minicamp Thursday.
"(I'm) just sitting and being patient and persevering through the whole situation," Smith said. "Just trying to get my foot in the door."
SU was one of just 11 Bowl Championship Series teams without a single player drafted. Each other Big East school had at least two picked.
Syracuse had two players drafted last season - safety Tanard Jackson (fourth round, Tampa Bay) and linebacker Kelvin Smith (seventh round, Miami Dolphins) - and five signed free agent contracts with teams. Since 2000, Syracuse has had 20 players drafted, third-most among Big East teams over that span.
McClain was the highest rated of any Syracuse prospect heading into the weekend, and the 6-foot-2, 255-pound defensive lineman was expected to be a late-round pick.
Forty-one defensive linemen were chosen by NFL teams this weekend, McClain not being one of them.
Said McClain: "(The Ravens) said they were going to give me an opportunity to compete, which is the most important thing you can ask for."
zsschonb@syr.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 7
Doug
posted 4/28/08 @ 3:31 AM EST
What a sad state the Syracuse football program is in. Didn't we have a streak that started in the 90s and went until Freeney was drafted in 2002 of at least one SU player going in the first round? Now we cannot even get one of our players picked in any round! In the last 33 years we've had some bad seasons, but we've at least had one player good enough to be one of 200+ picks in the NFL Draft. (Continued…)
Brian Boitano
posted 4/28/08 @ 5:19 AM EST
I hope Donte Greene also goes undrafted. $100 says Taj Smith will have a better NBA career than Greene. Seriously, what is Taj thinking. Maybe he should star in Van Wilder: The Return of Taj 2. (Continued…)
Marc LeVine
posted 4/28/08 @ 10:49 AM EST
I know that some equate Smith's decision to turn pro with Greene's. I do not and wish Taj, well as a signed free agent with Green Bay.
If he decided to return to SU in the fall, he'd be a fifth year senior in his mid twenties with a degree already in hand and nothing to do between games but watch Regis and Kelly on TV and work out. (Continued…)
Jon
posted 4/28/08 @ 3:38 PM EST
Pasqualoni and DeLeone are to blame. Garbage play calling, garbage player development and garbage recruiting. Where's coach Mac??????
M
posted 4/29/08 @ 4:16 PM EST
Call me uninformed, but I was kinda shocked to know a few days back that Syracuse football was the 14th best program in the country if you look at win%. (Continued…)
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