Former Jayhawks look to soar in NFL

By Asher Fusco

Monday, April 28, 2008

Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib

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Aqib Talib 6’2”, 202 pounds, cornerback First round, No. 20 overall Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Anthony Collins 6’5”, 317 pounds, offensive tackle Fourth round, No. 112 overall Cincinnati Bengals

Derek Fine 6’3”, 251 pounds, tight end Fourth round, No. 132 overall Buffalo Bills

Marcus Henry 6’4”, 207 pounds, wide receiver Sixth round, No. 171 overall New York Jets

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Former Kansas running back Brandon McAnderson went undrafted but agreed in principle to a free agent contract with the St. Louis Rams. McAnderson said he talked with about 10 teams in the days leading up to the NFL Draft, but didn't decide on St. Louis until Sunday afternoon. "Because of the situation, you could say it's definitely a better situation than if some other team had drafted me, just because of what they have on their roster," McAnderson said. "I definitely wanted to be drafted just to be drafted, but financially this is a better fit." McAnderson rushed for a team-high 1,146 yards and scored 16 rushing touchdowns in 2007. Former Jayhawk defensive tackle James McClinton has not signed with an NFL team yet. McClinton made 39 tackles and 2.5 sacks in his senior season.

The 2008 spring game is in the books, coach Mark Mangino’s coach of the year awards reside safely atop his mantle, and the team’s Orange Bowl victory is a distant memory. But over the weekend, Kansas football continued to reap the rewards of its revitalization when four former Jayhawks were selected in the NFL Draft.

Cornerback Aqib Talib went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers late in the first round as the 20th overall pick. Offensive tackle Anthony Collins, tight end Derek Fine and wide receiver Marcus Henry followed on day two of the draft. Talib, the gem of the Jayhawks’ draft class, was the second cornerback taken in the draft.

“He wants to be in the yard playing ball, it’s just what he does,” Tampa Bay coach John Gruden said in a release. “Sometimes when he plays, there’s a little arrogance, honestly. I like this guy a lot — he’s a great kid. Football means the world to him, and I think he’ll represent us well.”

Talib left Kansas after a junior season in which he earned unanimous All-American recognition, won the FedEx Orange Bowl MVP Award and intercepted five passes. With 13 career interceptions, Talib is tied for the Kansas record, and he holds the school record with 322 interception return yards. Talib is the first Jayhawk selected in the first round since Dana Stubblefield in 1993.

Tampa Bay has two experienced cornerbacks on its roster, but one starter, Ronde Barber, is 33 years old. The Buccaneers usually use a Cover Two scheme, which Talib said was similar to the system Kansas ran during his junior season.

Collins had to wait until the second day of the draft to be selected, going to Cincinnati as the 13th pick in the fourth round. Collins, the 112th overall selection, departed Kansas after his junior year. Collins, an AP first-team All-American, projects as a right tackle in the NFL, but Bengals coaches said he could also play guard, depending on the situation.

Analysts predicted that Collins would be drafted in either the second or third rounds, but teams loaded up on offensive tackles early in the draft, leaving the former Jayhawk unclaimed until Sunday afternoon. Collins was the ninth offensive tackle taken in the 2008 draft, and the first plucked from the Big 12 Conference.

Fine didn’t stay on the draft board as long as expected. Fine, a three-year Kansas starter, was selected by the Buffalo Bills as the 33rd pick of the fourth round and 132nd overall selection. Fine was projected to fall to the seventh round, but the Bills made him the 10th tight end taken.

“He’s a better athlete than people give him credit for,” Buffalo scout Brad Forsyth said in a release. “I like his toughness, his versatility – extremely smart guy and a special teams guy. A high end character guy that you want on your team.”

The New York Jets selected Henry with the fifth pick of the sixth round. Henry emerged as a star in his senior season, gaining a team-high 1,014 receiving yards and grabbing 10 touchdown receptions. Henry, a Lawton, Okla., native, was the 171st overall pick and the 23rd wide receiver selected.

— Edited by Daniel Reyes

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