This past weekend the NFL held its annual draft and four Clemson Tigers were picked up. Andre Branch, Dwayne Allen, Brandon Thompson, and Coty Sensabaugh will all be stepping out on Nation Football League gridirons this fall after being chosen in the second, third, and fourth rounds of the draft. Branch, Allen, and Sensabaugh will all be playing in the AFC South but Thompson won’t be too far away from his former teammates playing in the AFC North for Cincinnati. All of these guys are amazing athletes and I feel they can be the assets their teams need to be successful.
Mr. Sack-tastic Andre Branch will begin his NFL career in Jacksonville. Branch was chosen by the Jaguars in the 2nd round Friday evening. After ending the 2011 season 5-11, grabbing a defensive end was a very smart decision by the Jaguars. Branch’s talents will surely be needed to slow down opposing offenses and getting quarterbacks on the ground. I believe he even has what it takes to become a franchise player and the face of this Jacksonville team.
Dwayne Allen was the second Tiger to be picked up this year in the 3rd round of the NFL draft. Maybe this powerful tight end can help to breathe life back into the Colts after the season they struggled through last year. The Colts only won two games, so it was necessary that they draft a big playmaker and someone who can put up points! The Cincinnati Bengals drafted DT Brandon Thompson in the 3rd round also. Thompson is a big guy who can stop the offense from gaining yards and keep them from scoring. He and Allen will have a chance to reunite as the Bengals take on the Colts during the fourth week of the preseason.
Cornerback Coty Sensabaugh was drafted in the 4th round by the Tennessee Titans. Sensabaugh is a Tennessee native, so he was happy with the decision. Moments after being drafted he tweeted “I’m from TN it’s only right!!! All praise to the man above!” (tweet posted below) The Titans finished last season with a 9-7 record. So they’re a good team that could usea little hint of something special to make them great. Sensabaugh is definitely that missing ingredient! He’s great at putting pressure on receivers and making huge tackles, traits that could help widen the gap between the numbers in the wins and losses columns.
It’s great to see all of the hard work from this past season pay off for these guys, and I can't wait to see the success they have in their NFL careers. Go Tigers! (...and Jaguars, Colts, Bengals, and Titans too.)
Photos are from orangeandwhite.com and should be credited to Dave Martin
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