Four Vols taken on draft’s second day
A day after just one player from the state was taken in the NFL Draft, five players were selected Sunday — including four from the University of Tennessee.
Safety Gibril Wilson led the way, taken by the New York Giants with the fourth pick of the fifth round. His teammate in Knoxville, running back Troy Fleming, was taken by the home state Tennessee Titans in the sixth round.
Other former Vols selected Sunday were wide receiver Mark Jones, taken in the seventh round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and center Scott Wells, who barely made the cut when he was selected by the Green Bay Packers. Wells was the 251st overall selection of 255 picks in the draft.
Defensive lineman Eric Taylor of Memphis was picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the seventh round.
Fleming, who starred in high school at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, said it’s exciting to be able to begin his NFL career in Tennessee.
“I didn’t go when I wanted to (in the draft), but I went to the team I wanted to,” Fleming said. “Plus I’m coming home to Franklin, the Nashville area and getting to play in front of my family and friends.”
On Saturday, Ricardo Colclough made history as the first player from Division II Tusculum ever taken in the NFL Draft. He said that might make him the most famous person ever to come out of the Presbyterian-affiliated college.
“I would say so at this moment, but I am not too sure of their history,” Colclough said.
The cornerback was the only player from a Tennessee-based college taken in the NFL Draft on Saturday when the Steelers made him the 38th pick overall in the second round.
Thirteen players from the state were drafted in 2003, including eight Volunteers. Only six players were picked this year.
Wilson, a 6-foot, 199-pound safety, was the most dynamic member of the secondary last year and got better as the season progressed. He finished second on the team with 114 tackles and recorded more than 10 tackles in seven of the last nine games.
He was assigned to defend Kellen Winslow at Miami and got his first career interception against the Hurricanes.
Fleming moved to fullback at UT and performed well before NFL scouts in workouts as a tailback. The 6-foot, 230-pounder had 17 carries for 43 yards last season and was tied for second on the team with 36 catches for 262 yards and two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers traded up 10 places Sunday to draft Jones, a 5-foot-9, 183-pound receiver that also played defensive back and punt returner last season for the Vols. Tampa Bay traded third-year fullback Darian Barnes to Dallas to nab Jones, who enticed the Bucs with his speed and versatility.
Jones had 36 catches for 556 yards and five touchdowns, including a school-record 90-yarder he completed by grabbing the ball from behind the defender.
Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden said Jones will be featured as a punt returner.
“It was an opportunity … to move up and get a guy that we feel like we need here, a punt returner,” Gruden said. “We feel like we must try to create playmaking from that aspect of our football team.”
Taylor, a 6-2, 302-pound defensive end, was an All-Conference USA selection as a senior. He started 39 games in his career with the Tigers, recording 150 tackles with six sacks.
Kevin Colbert, director of football operations for Pittsburgh, said Taylor could play inside at tackle or at end.
“We brought this kid in late. Everybody was in agreement this kid has the talent to be drafted,” Colbert said. “Hopefully he can come in and fight for a spot.”
Steelers coach Bill Cowher said he thinks Taylor has good potential.
“We think he’s a guy that’s on the up. He can play a couple positions,” Cowher said. “He’s a good, young player, bright, smart. We feel like he can play defensive end in our system.”
Wells, 6-1 and 300 pounds, started a school-record 50 consecutive games for the Vols and was a team captain.
Fleming said he doesn’t believe the state, and particularly UT, had a dearth of talent available for the draft this year.
“I wouldn’t say Tennessee is taking a lot of hits … They have to find the right team, the right situation to be in,” he said. “The Lord blessed me with the opportunity to be in Nashville and he also blessed my teammate Gabril Wilson to be in New York and hopefully more good things will come for the rest of us.”