saint0917
April 25th, 2006, 09:11 AM
By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY
In preparing for Saturday's NFL draft, club officials have looked beyond the campuses with palm trees and golden domes in tapping talent from schools unfamiliar to many fans.
Organizations willing to leave the beaten path used to be rewarded with hidden gems, says former Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt.
No longer.
"Everybody does too good a job (scouting) now," says Brandt, remembering the Cowboys' pride in announcing the first-round selection of Tennessee State defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones in 1974.
"The bottom line is a player is a player. It doesn't matter whether he's from Division II or III," says Sam McElroy, head coach at Division II Tarleton State in Stephenville, Texas.
"And scouts do a great job of projecting."
Here's a look at six intriguing prospects who live to prove that anyone can reach the NFL from anywhere:
Mining small schools for draft gems (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/draft/2006-04-24-gems-focus_x.htm)
In preparing for Saturday's NFL draft, club officials have looked beyond the campuses with palm trees and golden domes in tapping talent from schools unfamiliar to many fans.
Organizations willing to leave the beaten path used to be rewarded with hidden gems, says former Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt.
No longer.
"Everybody does too good a job (scouting) now," says Brandt, remembering the Cowboys' pride in announcing the first-round selection of Tennessee State defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones in 1974.
"The bottom line is a player is a player. It doesn't matter whether he's from Division II or III," says Sam McElroy, head coach at Division II Tarleton State in Stephenville, Texas.
"And scouts do a great job of projecting."
Here's a look at six intriguing prospects who live to prove that anyone can reach the NFL from anywhere:
Mining small schools for draft gems (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/draft/2006-04-24-gems-focus_x.htm)