D1 College Football News

April 25, 2006

Source: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc.

Smart Guys in the NFL and NFL Draft

10 Draddy Trophy Finalists look to join 38 NFF National Scholar-Athletes in the NFL

MORRISTOWN, N.J., April 25, 2006 – Selected as the best and the brightest from the college gridiron by the National Football Foundation (NFF), ten finalists for the 2005 Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, hope to be selected during the NFL Draft this weekend.

DeMeco Ryans (Alabama, LB), Greg Eslinger (Minnesota, OL), Garrett Mills (Tulsa, TE) and Bradley Smith (Missouri, QB) highlight the list as projected first- and second-day picks. Josh Betts (Miami-Ohio, QB), David Castillo (Florida State, OL), Reed Doughty (Northern Colorado, DB), Nick Hartigan (Brown, RB), Grayling Love (Arizona State, OL), and 2005 Draddy Trophy Winner Rudy Niswanger (Louisiana State, OL) round out the list of Draddy finalists with 2006 NFL Draft aspirations.

“This an exciting time for our scholar-athletes as they look to continue their passion for the game at the next level,” said NFF President Steven J. Hatchell. “All of our scholar-athletes possess a unique set of skills, and we are anxious to see them play on Sundays and later in life as leaders in their chosen fields.”

Ryans, projected as a first-round pick, earned Academic All-Conference honors three times while also establishing himself as a team leader at linebacker for the Crimson Tide. Having carried a 3.7 GPA in college, he could be one of the first linebackers taken off the board behind Ohio State’ s A.J. Hawk. Ryans’ many accolades include 2005 unanimous All-America and All-SEC selection, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, winner of the Lott Trophy and finalist for the Butkus and Nagurski awards.

Eslinger, regarded as the nation’s top center while at Minnesota, is projected as a third- or fourth-round pick. A two-time Academic All-Conference selection and two-year team captain, Eslinger won the Outland and Rimington Trophies in 2005 as college football’s top lineman. With a 3.4 GPA, Eslinger earned First Team All-Big Ten honors for three consecutive years and started all 49 games, the nation’s longest such streak.

Mills, a three-time First Team All-Conference selection, carved out a reputation as one of the nation’s top tight ends at Tulsa, but Mills, undersized for an NFL tight end at 6-foot-2, 232 pounds, is projected as a fullback at the next level. Maintaining a near perfect 3.91 GPA in college, Mills set the NCAA single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end with 87 receptions for 1,235 yards.

Smith, the first player in NCAA Division I-A history to throw for more than 8,000 yards and rush for 4,000 in a career, is looking to use his size and athletic ability to move from quarterback to wide receiver during the NFL draft. While at the University of Missouri, Smith tallied a 3.0 GPA while earning a double major in business administration and marketing.

Nominees for National Scholar-Athlete Awards and the Draddy Trophy must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. Established to honor former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who developed the Izod and Lacoste brands, the Draddy Trophy recognizes a senior football scholar-athlete as the absolute best. Launched in 1959, the NFF scholar-athlete program became the first initiative in history to credit a player for both academic and athletic accomplishments, awarding more than $8 million to 660 top scholars and community leaders.

More than 20 NFL teams currently boast NFF Scholar-Athletes on their rosters, including the Indianapolis Colts’ Peyton Manning (Tennessee-1997); the New York Giants’ Tiki Barber (Virginia – 1996) and Eli Manning (Ole Miss-2003); the New York Jets’ Chad Pennington (Marshall –1999) and Jonathan Vilma (Miami/Fla.-2003); the New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees (Purdue-2000); and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Derrick Brooks (Florida State-1994).

The 119 NFF chapters also annually honor 3,000 high scholar-athletes for their achievements on and off the field. Current NFF high school scholar-athletes in the NFL include the Seattle Seahawks' Matt Hasselbeck (1993 Eastern Massachusetts honoree from Xaverian Brothers HS); Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Mike Holmgren (1965 Northern California Chapter honoree from Lincoln HS); New York Jets Head Coach Eric Mangini (1988 Northern Connecticut Chapter honoree from Bulkeley High); the Cleveland Browns' Trent Dilfer (1989 Northern California Chapter from Aptos HS); and the San Francisco 49ers Alex Smith (2001 Walter J. Zable (San Diego) Chapter honoree from Helix HS). Reggie Bush, USC running back who is a projected first overall pick this year, will join this list as a 2003 Walter J. Zable (San Diego) Chapter honoree from Helix HS.

NFF Scholar-Athletes in the NFL and 2006 NFL Draft Prospects

Name; NFL Team; Positon; College; Scholar-Athlete Year

DeMeco Ryans; 2006 Draft Prospect; LB; Alabama; 2005
Greg Eslinger; 2006 Draft Prospect; OL; Minnesota; 2005
Garrett Mills; 2006 Draft Prospect; TE; Tulsa; 2005
Bradley Smith; 2006 Draft Prospect; QB; Missouri; 2005
Josh Betts; 2006 Draft Prospect; QB; Miami (Ohio); 2005
David Castillo; 2006 Draft Prospect; OL; Florida State; 2005
Reed Doughty; 2006 Draft Prospect; DB; Northern Colorado; 2005
Nick Hartigan; 2006 Draft Prospect; RB; Brown; 2005
Grayling Love; 2006 Draft Prospect; OL; Arizona State; 2005
Rudy Niswanger; 2006 Draft Prospect; OL; Louisiana State; 2005
Bryan Randall; Atlanta Falcons; QB; Virginia Tech; 2004
Michael Quarshie; Oakland Raiders; DT; Columbia; 2004
James Leonhard; Buffalo Bills; DB; Wisconsin; 2004
Josh Haldi; Cincinnati Bengals; QB; Northern Illinois; 2004
David Greene; Seattle Seahawks; QB; Georgia; 2004
Billy Bajema; San Francisco 49ers; TE; Oklahoma State; 2004
Jonathan Vilma; New York Jets; LB; Miami (FL); 2003
Dontarrious Thomas; Minnesota Vikings; LB; Auburn; 2003
Eli Manning; New York Giants; QB; Mississippi; 2003
Craig Krenzel; Cincinnati Bengals; QB; Ohio State; 2003
Bob Droege; Baltimore Ravens; DT; Missouri; 2003
Jonathan Stinchcomb; New Orleans Saints; TE; Georgia; 2002
Kliff Kingsbury; New York Jets; QB; Texas Tech; 2002
Chris Kelsay; Buffalo Bills; DE; Nebraska; 2002
Bradie James; Dallas Cowboys; LB; Louisiana State; 2002
Hunter Hillenmeyer; Chicago Bears; LB; Vanderbilt; 2002
Patrick Ramsey; New York Jets; QB; Tulane; 2001
Chris Hope; Tennessee Titans; DB; Florida State; 2001
Joaquin Gonzalez; Indianapolis Colts; T; Miami (FL); 2001
Vernon Fox; Detroit Lions; DB; Fresno State; 2001
Eddie Eviston; Kansas City Chiefs; QB; Georgetown; 2001
Andre Davis; Buffalo Bills; WR; Virginia Tech; 2001
Chris Weinke; Carolina Panthers; QB; Florida State; 2000
Kyle Vanden Bosch; Tennessee Titans; DE; Nebraska; 2000
Drew Brees; New Orleans Saints; QB; Purdue; 2000
Ahmed Plummer; San Francisco 49ers; DB; Ohio State; 1999
Chad Pennington; New York Jets; QB; Marshall; 1999
Chad Morton; New York Giants; RB; Southern California; 1999
Matt Stinchcomb; Tampa Bay Buccaneers; T; Georgia; 1998
Barry Gardner; New York Jets; LB; Northwestern; 1998
Grant Wistrom; Seattle Seahawks; DE; Nebraska; 1997
Peyton Manning; Indianapolis Colts; QB; Tennessee; 1997
Brian Griese; Chicago Bears; QB; Michigan; 1997
Tiki Barber; New York Giants; RB; Virginia; 1996
Jeff Hartings; Pittsuburgh Steelers; G; Penn State; 1995
Joey Galloway; Tampa Bay Buccaneers; WR; Ohio State; 1994
Derrick Brooks; Tampa Bay Buccaneers; LB; Florida State; 1994
Jason Hanson; Detroit Lions; K; Washington State; 1991

Founded in 1947 under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and renowned journalist Grantland Rice, the NFF serves as a leading voice in the promotion of amateur football and its ability to develop the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and the drive for academic achievement in America’s young people. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.