Eight Buckeyes selected in 2007 NFL draft – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 30, 2007
As it is every year, the NFL Draft is full of surprises. This year was no different.
One thing that isn’t foreign to the draft is Ohio State Buckeyes being selected. Eight former OSU players were picked in the seven-round draft Saturday-Sunday at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.
Two of those Buckeyes, wide receiver/returner Ted Ginn Jr., ninth to Miami, and wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, 32nd to Indianapolis, were chosen in the first round. With the selection of Ginn Jr. Gonzalez in the first round, Ohio State now has the most first round picks all-time, 66, in the history of the NFL draft. Southern California, who had no players picked in the first round, is second all-time at 65.
The six other Buckeyes chosen in the draft were defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock (third round, 98th overall, Indianapolis), running back Antonio Pittman (fourth round, 107th overall, New Orleans), defensive end Jay Richardson (fifth round, 138th overall, Oakland), wide receiver Roy Hall (fifth round, 169th overall, Indianapolis), quarterback Troy Smith (fifth round, 174th overall, Baltimore) and center Doug Datish (sixth round, 198th overall, Atlanta).
The selection of Ginn Jr. at nine to the Dolphins was possibly the biggest surprise of the first round. Ginn Jr., a high first round talent, had seen his stock fall because of the foot injury he suffered Jan. 8 during the BCS National Championship game. Regardless, Ginn Jr. was happy where he was selected. “It’s a great situation, something that it’s hard to explain right now,” Ginn Jr. told the Columbus Dispatch. “You won’t be able to understand it unless you go through it, and I’m going through it right now. It’s an emotional time; I’m loving it.”
He is also ready to prove any doubters wrong and to win over the Miami faithful.
“I think the film didn’t lie,” he told the Dispatch. “If you look at film and look at all the things I did, it shows a lot.”
Ginn Jr. is correct. He is one of the most electric and explosive players to enter the draft in years.
Another first round surprise was the pick of Gonzalez to the Super Bowl Champion Colts. It was a surprise to everyone but Indianapolis President Bill Polian.
“This feels like the Dallas (Clark selection),” Polian told the Indianapolis Star Saturday at the team’s practice complex. “A guy who you saw, right from the start, this guy’s a Colt. He’s got the horseshoe stamped all over him from the minute that you saw him.”
One other Colt was happy about the Gonzalez pick. Franchise quarterback Peyton Manning sent head coach Tony Dungy a text message after the pick.
It read: “I like it.”
As it is every year, it was another successful NFL draft for Ohio State.
A number of Buckeyes that weren’t drafted will get free agent looks. Three of those players, offensive lineman T.J. Downing, safety David Mitchell and corner back Antonio Smith, have already signed, Downing with Arizona, Mitchell with Houston and Smith with Indianapolis. Others who may sign are defensive tackle David Patterson, fullback Stan White Jr. and quarterback Justin Zwick.
