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Although Collins and Rucker were among 29 Big 12 Conference players selected Saturday and Sunday in the NFL draft, exactly when each of them went during the seven-round affair didn’t quite meet their expectations.
When Rucker went, Collins wasn’t far behind. And both are headed for the same state: Ohio.
Rucker was the Cleveland Browns’ choice in the fourth round, No. 111 overall, on Sunday. Just minutes later, it was Collins’ turn. The Cincinnati Bengals chose Collins as the No. 112 overall selection.
Rucker finally gave up on the ESPN telecast as other names kept coming up.
“I didn’t want to keep watching all the stuff go by,” Rucker said, “so I went back to my room and was watching ‘Sanford and Son’ when I got the phone call. It was a sigh of relief.”
Since Rucker wasn’t selected sooner, he plans to use it as motivation and prove he’s more than a pass-catcher.
“I definitely want to help my team and do everything I can for this great organization,” he said, “but the fuel to my fire is to show everybody what they missed out on, and that I can block.”
Collins’ family assembled a huge gathering Saturday at their home in Port Arthur, Texas, to watch the draft. When Collins wasn’t selected then, Sunday’s draft party was down to mostly family.
“Maybe we just hyped him too much, man,” Harold Collins, Anthony’s father, said. “I felt like he was going in the first or second round. It was pretty tough for everybody (when he didn’t go until the fourth round). I feel a little guilty because maybe I played part of that role in pumping him up. Maybe I was too excited.”
But Collins doesn’t regret the decision to leave school early after his junior year.
“He’s not looking back,” Harold Collins said. “I haven’t heard him say (that he wishes he stayed at KU) one time.”
KU had four players drafted, most at the school since four were drafted in 1996. Besides Collins, cornerback Aqib Talib (first round by Tampa Bay), tight end Derek Fine (fourth round, Buffalo) and wide receiver Maurice Henry (sixth round, New York Jets) went.
MU and K-State each had two players chosen. Besides Rucker, Tigers wide receiver Will Franklin went in the fourth round to the Chiefs.
K-State wide receiver Jordy Nelson was picked in the second round by Green Bay, and defensive end Rob Jackson in the seventh round by Washington.
Nebraska had three players selected. But for the first time since 1962, the Huskers did not have a player picked in the first four rounds. Their first pick in the draft was cornerback Zack Bowman in the fifth round by Chicago.
Oklahoma had four players taken, but the Sooners failed to place anybody in the first round for the first time in seven years.
Texas and Texas A&M led Big 12 schools in the number of players chosen. Each had five selected, including Longhorns running back Jamaal Charles in the third round by the Chiefs.
Three Big 12 teams — Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech — didn’t have any players chosen.
Some familiar names from the Big 12 who weren’t picked included Missouri running back Tony Temple, Oklahoma State wide receiver Adarius Bowman and Iowa State wide receiver Todd Blythe.
•FREE-AGENT DEALS FOR TIGERS: Five MU players have agreed to free-agent contracts, including Temple and cornerback Darnell Terrell, set to join Rucker with the Browns.
“It’s going to be the University of Missouri-Cleveland,” joked Shane Mecham, Temple’s agent.
Others who, according to their agents, have agreed to free-agent invitations:
Offensive lineman Tyler Luellen with San Diego, center Adam Spieker with Oakland and defensive lineman Lorenzo Williams with Baltimore.
Tim Rogers, who represents Luellen, said he was working on free-agent interest in safety Pig Brown.
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