Four players join Brees
as draftees
By Paul Trembacki
Sports
Editor
The number of Purdue players selected in the NFL
Draft this year was the highest it's been in decades.
Matt Light, Vinny Sutherland, Chukky Okobi and
Brandon Gorin joined Drew Brees as Purdue's draftees.
Brees, who landed with the San Diego Chargers,
was the 32nd selection overall. The New England Patriots chose Light
16 picks later.
"This is unbelievable," said Light, who watched
the draft with family and friends at the Neon Cactus on the Levee. "I'm
hardly ever at a loss for words, but I'm digging deep into my repertoire
to describe how this feels. I'm thrilled. I couldn't be happier."
A few months ago, not many prognosticators picked
Light to go earlier than the third round of the seven-round draft.
But the 6-foot-5, 304-pound left tackle impressed
scouts at the NFL Scouting Combine Feb. 23-25 in Indianapolis, so his
value increased.
Light will be reunited with Purdue grad David Nugent,
a defensive tackle who will begin his third year with the Patriots this
fall. Randy Melvin, who used to coach the defensive line at Purdue,
is an assistant with the Patriots.
"I've known for a long time that New England was
interested in me," Light added. "I'm ready to get started."
Light was part of an offensive line that allowed
just 40 sacks in 1,674 passing attempts — one for every 41.9 attempts
— the last three seasons. Last season, the line allowed only nine
sacks in 512 pass attempts — one every 56.9 attempts — with
Brees in the game. Now Light has to protect another Drew — Patriots
quarterback Drew Bledsoe.
Two other members of that offensive line had their
names called Sunday.
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected center Okobi in
the fifth round with the 146th overall pick.
"I'm looking forward to the opportunity to play
in the NFL," said Okobi, a 6-2, 310-pound center from Hamden, Conn.
"When I came here five years ago, I really didn't know what to expect
or what kind of career I would have, so I feel really fortunate."
Okobi started his career as a guard but moved to
center before last season.
"Pittsburgh will be an excellent situation for
me to play in a backup role as either center or guard," Okobi said.
Gorin, a 6-6, 304-pound tackle from Muncie, Ind.,
was the 201st player selected. The Chargers took Gorin with the first
pick of the seventh round.
"I had a lot of anxiety as the draft was going
on," Gorin said. "I felt confident that I would get picked up by someone,
and I was really happy when it turned out to be San Diego. They were
No. 1 on my list coming into the draft. They showed a lot of interest
in me the last few months and I even flew out there for a visit. When
they called to say they were drafting me, Drew was right there with
them and we were able to talk. I'm glad we'll be able to continue playing
together."
Sutherland, a 5-foot-9, 194-pound wide receiver
and kick returner from West Palm Beach, Fla., was the 136th player to
have his name called. The Atlanta Falcons selected him in the fifth
round — 10 picks ahead of Okobi.
Last season Sutherland was a semifinalist for the
Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver and was a first team
All-Big Ten selection.
"I'm excited," said Sutherland, Purdue's career
leader in punt return yardage (684 yards) and average (11.6 yards per
return).
Sutherland had more to be excited about because
Sunday was his 23rd birthday.
"This is a great birthday present for me," he said.
"I figured I had a pretty good chance to get drafted by Atlanta when
they traded away (return specialist) Tim Dwight to San Diego (Friday).
I bring what they need and I'm looking forward to getting started. I'm
also happy for my family because (Atlanta's) closer to home and they'll
be able to see me play."
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