North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Players Await NFL Draft
4/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 22, 2005
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. - For some, it's like a national holiday. And those who passionately follow the peculiar event seem to find it just as interesting as a playoff game. It is the National Football League Draft. But the fans who find enough time spare time in their schedules to sit down and do their own mock drafts don't have nearly as much on the line as the hundreds of college players who will be watching with sweaty palms when the league's annual selection process makes its two day run this weekend. At least four players from NC State - OT Chris Colmer, S Andre Maddox, RB T.A. McLendon and CB Lamont Reid - are considered to be draft-worthy players.
Others, like linebacker Pat Thomas, corner Dovonte Edwards and safety Troy Graham, will be viewed as longshots to have their names called this weekend.
Either way, the next 48 hours or so will prove to be among the most anxious of their lives.
The fact that Colmer is still listed as one of the top tackles in the draft is a story unto itself. Once considered a `can't miss' first or second round pick, Colmer's status was in doubt after he contracted Parsonage Turner Syndrome, a rare nerve disorder in the neck and shoulder that caused him to miss the entire 2003 season. But after bouncing back in 2004, the 6-5, 310 pound native of Port Jefferson, N.Y. is again on the NFL radar screen. NFL.com's Gil Brandt, a former general manager with the Dallas Cowboys, ranks Colmer as the third best tackle in the draft.
Of all the NC State players available for the draft, Maddox may have pushed his stock up the most during pre-draft workouts. A 6-1, 205 pound safety from Miami, Maddox surprised scouts and general managers by running a faster than expected sub 4.5 40-yard dash at the Indianapolis combine. Brandt lists him as the 8th best strong safety in the draft.
McLendon could be one of the biggest mystery men this weekend. No one doubts his running ability, but health and a history of fumbling (21 in 32 games) leave some concerns. Plus, the Albemarle native ran a sluggish 4.72 40 at the combine. He is not listed in Brandt's top 15 at the running back position.
Reid, a three-year starter, could make himself a handy man as a back-up corner and a proven specialist in the return game. When given the opportunity, Reid was quite effective as a kick returner for the Wolfpack, averaging 30.3 yards per kick off return.
