By Tom Daniels

The Miami Hurricanes have had at least one player drafted in round one of the NFL draft since 1995. Warren Sapp was chosen by the Tampa Bay Bucs in 1995 and last year Kenny Phillips was taken by the New York Giants. This year there will be no number one pick from Miami. That’s OK because the first player picked from Miami will be Suwannee’s Bruce Johnson. A cornerback in the tradition of Kelly Jennings, Johnson should be drafted about round four. I hope it’s higher but I don’t have a pick.

The Suwannee Valley has been fortunate to send Reggie McGrew, Mayo; Alex Brown, Jasper; Andra Davis, Live Oak; and Kelly Jennings, Live Oak, to the NFL. Hopefully Bruce will join the list. The first Suwannee player to play pro ball was Jimmy Nelson, number 19 pick of the Chicago Cardinals. The next NFL stars were Suwannee’s Del Williams (FSU, Round 3, 1967 New Orleans Saints) and Dale McCullers(FSU, Round 12, 1969, Miami Dolphins). All three are in the Suwannee Hall Of Fame.

There are some other familiar names who had pro tryouts. Kyler Hall, Matt Frier, Jay Walls, Skip Wupper (Round 11, KC Chiefs), Jarvis Herring and Frank Yanossy, to name a few. Matt Jackson, Thaddeus Bullard, Ralph Lott,and Joe Ben Roberts are a few who saw some arena action, along with current Suwannee coach Jerry Odom. Perhaps the most intriguing of our current pros is Suwannee’s Devin Allen.

Allen plays for the Tennessee Rattlers Football Club. This is pro football’s version of the minor leagues. Regular 11-man football played by guys who simply love the game. Devin has been scouted by the Falcons and is his team’s defensive MVP. I am sure I missed a name or two along the way and if I did tell me. I for one enjoy the war stories.

The NFL draft is less than eight weeks away, March Madness must be right around the corner.