Stories: Calm Through the Storm | Day 2 Draft Picks | Rice, Flacco Wrap Day 1 | Flacco Feeling Fine | Ravens Get Their ManTranscripts: Draft Wrap-Up Presser | Flacco Introductory Presser | Ravens Day 2 A.M. Presser | Flacco Conference CallBlogs: The Big Board | The Byrne Identity A Few Media, Flacco and Rice Notes MEDIA BLITZ
Just how much media coverage does the NFL Draft generate? Well, there are 450 MEDIA outlets – not including ESPN and NFL Network – on site at Radio City Music Hall in New York City! Included in this crowd are:
- 13 of the country's top 20 newspapers
- Media from 12 states, plus the District of Columbia
- TV outlets such as ABC News, CBS News and CNN
- International media from England and Japan
- Non-sports media such as Forbes, the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal
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FLACCO FACTS
We snagged QB Joe Flacco with our first-round pick yesterday, making him just the fourth gunslinger drafted from Delaware in the school's history. Now, while some fans may not remember Scott Brunner's (Giants, 1980-83) or Jeff Komlo's (Lions, 1979-1981) pro careers, one particular Blue Hen's NFL tenure should stand out. Does the name Rich Gannon ring a bell?
Gannon, who was selected in the 1987 draft's 4th round by New England, played 16 pro seasons. Most notably, he led the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII, and finished his career with 28,743 passing yards and 180 TDs. Not too shabby.
Here are a few other notes pertaining to Flacco:
- Before Flacco, in the past 10 years*only two Division I-AA players had been picked in the draft's top 30 selections: CB Rashard Anderson (Panthers) *and WR Sylvester Morris (Chiefs) were both first-round picks from Jackson State in 2000.
- Though classified as a I-AA school, Delaware competes in the Colonial Athletic Association and actually has a history of producing big-time NFL talent. Take a look at some NFL stars who hail from the CAA:
Hofstra:WR Wayne Chrebet (Jets), WR Marques Colston (Saints)**
New Hampshire:FB Dan Kreider (Steelers)
Richmond:LB Shawn Barber (Texans)
James Madison:DE Charles Haley (49ers/Cowboys)
Villanova:WR Brian Finneran (Falcons), RB Brian Westbrook (Eagles)
William and Mary:S Darren Sharper (Vikings/Packers)
RED STAR RAVEN
As noted by Ravens director of college scouting Eric DeCosta yesterday, our second-round pick, RB Ray Rice, is a "Red Star" player. What exactly does that mean? Well, when our personnel teams designates a "Red Star" guy, it means every scout in the room agrees – hands down – that this particular player personifies a "true Raven."
"Guys who get this distinction have a temperament and countenance we want: toughness, high character and intelligence, leadership and competitiveness," DeCosta notes. "We literally put a red star sticker on the player's card."
According to our personnel and coaching teams, Rice fit that very mold.
"Ray is one of those guys who puts everything he has into the game of football," Ravens offensive assistant Craig Ver Steeg, who coached Rice at Rutgers the past five seasons, told me last night. "If you talk about a guy who truly loves the game, will do everything he can for his team and never give in, then you're talking about Ray Rice."
Added our RBs coach, Wilbert Montgomery: "Ray's a tough kid and really good player. With he and Willis [McGahee], we could have a pretty solid 1-2 punch. We're really excited about that."
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*Red Star Note: In last year's draft, the Ravens selected three "Red Stars," including first-rounder Ben Grubbs and third-rounders Yamon Figurs and Marshal Yanda. Grubbs and Figurs earned All-Rookie team honors in 2007.*
