Tech Topics - Summer 2008 - (Page 42) YellowJackets NFL Drafts Wheeler, Choice, Brooks T hree Georgia Tech standout football players — linebacker Philip Wheeler, running back Tashard Choice and punter Durant Brooks — were selected on the second day of the NFL draft. Wheeler was the 30th pick in the third round and the 93rd selection overall by the Indianapolis Colts. Choice was the 23rd pick of the fourth round and the 122nd selection overall by the Dallas Cowboys. Brooks was the first punter selected in this year’s draft, the second pick of the sixth round and the 168th selection overall by the Washington Redskins. Wheeler was the second player taken in the draft by the Colts and he was the first defensive player taken by Indianapolis. Choice was the fourth player selected by Dallas and the second running back picked up by the Cowboys. Five other former Yellow Jackets signed free agent contracts with NFL clubs. Center Kevin Tuminello and guard Nathan McManus each signed with the New Orleans Saints, while fullback Mike Cox signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Defensive end Darrell Robertson will join Choice on the Dallas Cowboys. Gary Guyton signed with the New England Patriots. Wheeler is the first Yellow Jacket ever to be drafted by the Colts since that franchise moved to Indianapolis. Choice is the first Tech player taken by the Cowboys since linebacker Willis Crockett in 1989. Brooks is the first Tech punter to go in the draft since Rodney Williams in 1999 and he is the first Jacket taken by the Redskins since 1999. Eight Yellow Jackets have been drafted over the last three years. Wheeler is the third Tech player over the last three years to go in the third round or higher. At least two Tech players have gone in the draft in each of the last three years and for the sixth time in the last seven years. With Wheeler’s selection, five Georgia Tech linebackers have gone in the draft since 2002. The most recent was Gerris Wilkinson, who was taken in the third round of the 2006 draft by the New York Giants. Choice is the third Tech running back to be drafted since 2002, joining P.J. Daniels in 2006 and Tony Hollings in 2002. Last year two Yellow Jackets were drafted — Calvin Johnson in the first round by the Detroit Lions and Mansfield Wrotto in the fourth round by Seattle. Three players — Wilkinson and Dawan Landry — were drafted in 2006. No Yellow Jackets were taken in 2005. There were 19 former Georgia Tech players on NFL rosters at the close of the 2007 season, including three on the roster of the world champion New York Giants. The 2008 draft has been a banner one for the ACC. Two ACC players — Virginia’s Chris Long and Boston College’s Matt Ryan — were taken in the top three selections. Two ACC players have gone in the top four picks in each of the last three years. The ACC led all conferences with seven first-round selections. Over the last three years combined, 25 ACC players have been selected in the first round. Pitcher’s Death Stuns Campus N ews that a Georgia Tech baseball player had been found dead in his off-campus apartment April 11 stunned the team and its coaches. A home game scheduled against Miami that evening was postponed as the Tech community grappled with the death of pitcher Michael Hutts. The next day, Hutts’ jersey number, 40, was painted on the field near the third base line. His number also was put on the Tech players’ caps. Yellow ribbons were distributed to fans entering Russ Chandler Stadium. A toxicology report said the death was caused by morphine toxicity, which can result from opium-derived narcotics such as heroin or morphine. Hutts, 21, was a junior management major. The left-handed relief pitcher had played in nine games this season. In 10-plus innings, he struck out 11 batters. Hutts, of Dunwoody, Ga., was a product of Wesleyan High School, where he set records that included most victories, strikeouts and innings pitched. A game against Georgia Southern was canceled April 15 so that Hutts’ teammates could attend his memorial service. GT 42 TECHTOPICS | SUMMER 2008 http://gtalumni.org/merchandise
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.