North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Threesome Drafted in First Round
4/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 30, 2006
If anyone wondered why NC State has had such a good defense the last two years, they need to look no further than what happened in the first round of Saturday's NFL Draft. Three Wolfpack defensive linemen - Mario Williams, Manny Lawson and John McCargo - were all selected in the first round of the draft.
There was very little drama at the beginning when Williams was selected No. 1 by the Houston Texans. Twelve hours before they made their selection official, Williams had already come to contact terms with the Texans, thus becoming the first NC State player ever to be taken No. 1 in the NFL draft (Roman Gabriel was taken No. 1 in the old AFL Draft).
Williams' running mate at defensive end had to wait a little longer. Lawson, a Goldsboro native, had his name called when the San Francisco 49rs made him the 22nd pick of the first round.
Four picks later, McCargo joined the first round party when he went 26th to the Buffalo Bills.
On day two of the draft, three more NC State players were selected, including two more from the defensive side of the ball.
Linebacker Stephen Tulloch was a fourth round choice and the 116th pick overall when he got the call from Tennessee.
In the sixth round, cornerback Marcus Hudson got the call from the 49rs, joining Lawson in San Francisco.
Also in round No. 6, tight end T.J. Williams was taken by Tampa Bay.
