Walker Drafted By Detroit Lions In Third Round Of 2018 NFL Draft
LAFAYETTE – To play in the National Football League is a dream of everyone who picks up a helmet and begins playing football, for Tracy Walker that dream has come true.
With the 82nd pick in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft the Detroit Lions selected Walker and he becomes the first Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football player to be drafted within the first three rounds of the NFL draft since Bill Bentley was taken 85th overall by the Lions in the third round of the 2011 draft.
A native of Brunswick, Ga., Walker finished his career at Louisiana ranked third all-time in Ragin' Cajuns history for tackles by a defensive back (276 tackles) and he was a part of two R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl teams, including the 2014 Cajuns who won the New Orleans Bowl. He was named Third-Team All-Sun Belt Conference in 2017 and he had a great showing at the 2018 East-West Shrine Game.
The drafting of Walker makes it two straight seasons that the Cajuns have had a player drafted, with Elijah McGuire getting drafted by the New York Jets 188th overall in the sixth round of the 2017 draft. Walker becomes the 37th player from Louisiana to get drafted by the NFL and the third in the past four seasons.
Colby Gossett Drafted By Minnesota Vikings
BOONE, N.C. — The Minnesota Vikings made history by picking Appalachian State offensive lineman Colby Gossett in the sixth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
The 6-foot-5, 311-pound Gossett, a native of Cumming, Ga., became the first offensive guard from the Sun Belt Conference to ever be selected. He played right guard for most of his college career, helping the Mountaineers rank in the top 20 nationally in sacks allowed and the top 25 in rushing yards per game in each of his four seasons as a starter.
Gossett capped his App State career with 46 consecutive starts before appearing at both the prestigious Reese's Senior Bowl in January and the NFL Scouting Combine a month later. Taken with the 213th overall pick, Gossett joins Daniel Kilgore (2011) and Derrick Graham (1990) on Appalachian's list of drafted offensive linemen in the last 30 years.
In addition to Gossett and Kilgore (Miami Dolphins), Kendall Lamm (Houston Texans) and Parker Collins (Pittsburgh Steelers) are currently with NFL franchises to give the league four offensive linemen from a program known for its physicality, run production and pass protection.
The Mountaineers went 36-10 with Gossett as a starter, and he made the All-Sun Belt first team in back-to-back years as App State secured a conference title and won its bowl game in both 2016 and 2017. As a senior, he had a team-leading 76 knockdown blocks and gave up no sacks for a balanced offense that ranked No. 2 nationally in fewest sacks allowed and No. 22 nationally with 223.6 rushing yards per game.
The Vikings' coaching staff includes defensive coordinator George Edwards, who served as an App State assistant from 1992-95.
Thomas Drafted By Cleveland Browns In Sixth Round Of 2018 NFL Draft
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football has a new name, Defensive Back University, with Simeon Thomas joining his secondary teammate Tracy Walker in the National Football League.
The Cleveland Browns, with the 188th pick in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft took Thomas, making it two defensive backs from Louisiana drafted in this year's draft. It's the first time since 2011 that the Cajuns have had two players taken in the same draft, when Bill Bentley (Detroit Lions, third round, 85th overall) and Ladarius Green (San Diego Chargers, fourth round, 110th overall) went in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Hailing from Miami, Fla., Thomas finished his career with 90 total tackles and two interceptions. During his senior season of 2017, Thomas had a team-high 12 pass breakups to lead the secondary. Against ULM on Sept. 23, 2017, Thomas had a career-high 11 stops, nine of which were solo tackles.
Thomas is the 10th defensive back drafted out of Louisiana and the seventh taken since the turn of the century. Thomas becomes the 38th player from Louisiana to get drafted by the NFL and the fourth in the past four seasons.