Baylor again leads Texas with 5 NFL draftees

For the second time in three years, Baylor football produced the most NFL draftees of any school in Texas. Five Bears were tapped in last week’s NFL Draft, bringing Baylor’s total since 2011 to 16 — easily the most in the state over that time, outdistancing the nearest competitors in Texas A&M (13), Texas and TCU (10 each).

Two-time All-American Cyril Richardson was the first Bear off the board, going in the fifth round to the Buffalo Bills to become the sixth Baylor offensive lineman drafted in the last six years. “We don’t draft guys to be backups,” said the Bills’ director of player personnel afterwards.

Running back Lache Seastrunk followed; he’ll team with Robert Griffin III in Washington after being drafted by the Redskins in the sixth round. Redskins coach Jay Gruden described Seastrunk as a player who can “hit the home run” and admitted RG3 was pushing his team to draft the Baylor back.

Demetri Goodson, a former Gonzaga point guard who transferred to Baylor to play football, went later in the sixth round to the Green Bay Packers. He joins Donovan McNabb as the only NFL draftees ever to play in both a Sweet 16 and a BCS bowl. The Houston Chronicle has been following Goodson’s journey since January.

The San Diego Chargers caught the speedy Tevin Reese in the seventh round — the fifth Baylor wide receiver selected in the last five drafts. Reviews of the pick again and again noted Reese’s explosive speed and predict he can find a role with San Diego as a deep threat, much like he was at Baylor.

Ahmad Dixon’s grandmother taught him to be a Cowboys fan as a boy, and he’ll get the chance to play for Dallas after getting picked by the Cowboys in the seventh round. Dixon was noticeably emotional when he got the phone call from the Cowboys, and the emotion resurfaced later when he spoke to media for the first time (see video here and here.)

Reports indicate that at least five more Bears will get a chance in NFL training camps as undrafted free agents: Chris McAllister and Terrance Lloyd (Houston Texans), Glasco Martin and Jordan Najvar (Dallas Cowboys), and Kelvin Palmer (Arizona Cardinals).

Sic ’em, Bears in the NFL!