There may not have been any Hawkeyes taken in the first two rounds of the 2009 NFL draft, but the second day saw a couple come right off the board.
The New York Jets traded up to the first pick of the third round (65th overall) on Sunday and used it on Iowa running back Shonn Greene. Greene was the second pick the Jets made after taking USC quarterback Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall selection of the draft on April 25.
Greene won’t have to travel far, either. The Jets’ practice facility in Florham Park, N.J., is just fewer than two hours from the Doak Walker Award winner’s hometown of Sicklerville, N.J., which is outside of Philadelphia.
“It’s a good feeling,” Greene said about the Jets trading up to draft him during a press conference with the New York media. “That really told me how they thought about me and my abilities on and off the football field.”
The Jets’ selection of Greene was followed immediately by the St. Louis Rams selecting cornerback Bradley Fletcher with the 66th overall pick.
“I heard Shonn’s name, and I was really happy for him, and then right afterwards, I heard my name,” Fletcher said. “It was a very exciting time. It feels great. I was happy to hear from them, and I’m looking forward to playing. “My dream came true this weekend.”
The Rams were a team he had met with during the NFL scouting combine in February, he said, and the third round was about where he expected to be picked.
One round later, guard Seth Olsen was taken 132nd overall by the Denver Broncos. Olsen, who had a private workout with the Broncos after the Iowa Pro Day, was “thrilled” when he got the call from Denver.
“I get the call, and they said, ‘We’re going to transfer you to Coach [Josh] McDaniels,’ and that’s when I knew they were going to pick me up,” Olsen said. “I’m pumped they were the team. When I found out it was Denver, I was so psyched.”
Seventy selections later, the Oakland Raiders decided to use a sixth-round pick on tight end Brandon Myers at pick No. 202. Myers was selected despite not being invited to the NFL Scouting Combine last February.
But the biggest surprise of the day may have been what didn’t happen. Neither defensive lineman Mitch King nor center Rob Bruggeman were selected in this year’s draft. King was projected to be picked anywhere between the second and fifth rounds as of last week, while Bruggeman was projected to be a late-round pick.
As a result of not being drafted, both players found themselves signing deals as undrafted free agents. King agreed to terms Sunday evening with the Tennessee Titans, and Bruggeman reached a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Also not finding themselves drafted this weekend were defensive tackle Matt Kroul and wide receiver Andy Brodell, who, as did King and Bruggeman, struck deals as undrafted free agents after the draft. Brodell agreed to terms with the Green Bay Packers shortly after the draft, and Kroul will join Greene in New York after agreeing to a deal with the Jets.