| |
Osemwegie had an equally successful college career, playing
linebacker for Vanderbilt. Martin's high school teammate was a
major contributor for the Commodores in each of his four years,
registering 53 tackles as a freshman, 126 stops as a sophomore,
94 hits as a junior, and another 118 as a senior, giving him
almost 400 tackles over his career. The All-SEC performer
also contributed four interceptions over his college career and
continued a tradition of fine linebacker play by MBA alums
playing for the Commodores, most recently accomplished by Hunter
Hillenemeyer, who currently is a third-year linebacker for the
Chicago Bears.
Where Martin
and Osemwegie end up in the 2006 NFL Draft remains to be seen.
Martin was in the top 10 of quarterback prospects going into the
2005 season, and while his stock may have dropped somewhat with
the emergence of some other fine quarterbacks, most notably
Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler, Martin's tremendous will-to-win and
gritty scrambling ability likely will earn him consideration
from some NFL clubs. Osemwegie, at roughly 6' 0", 230
pounds, will have to convince scouts that size isn't everything,
but given Vanderbilt's solid tradition of producing
hard-nosed linebackers (Hillenmeyer, Shelton Quarles, Jamie
Winborn), Osemwegie should be able to garner interest from a
variety of clubs seeking defensive help.
The 2006 NFL
Draft should, once again, find its way into the homes of a few
Tennesseans. Martin and Osemwegie aren't the only former
Tennessee high school stars who will get looks from the pro
ranks - Hollow Rock-Bruceton's
Patrick Willis from Ole Miss is one of a handful of others who
should rank favorably on NFL Draft boards - but these two former
stars give MBA fans a shot at doubling the excitement of
watching NFL dreams potentially come true later this April.
|
|