Draft has local flavor
The waiting was the hardest part for ex-Washington State University safety Eric Frampton. So imagine how former Whitworth Pirates tight end Michael Allan felt as the NFL Draft meandered into the seventh round Sunday afternoon.
Both local products finally got called by the NFL – Frampton was selected by Oakland with the 28th pick of the fifth round and Allan became the first Pirate drafted in 35 years when Kansas City chose him in the seventh round with the 231st pick overall.
“It was nerve-wracking,” said Frampton, who was at his parents’ home in San Jose, less than an hour drive from Oakland. “It got to a point where it was like, ‘man, I’m ready to get picked up.’ It was just me and my family. They thought it was too nerve-wracking and tough to watch so they all went to church and it was just me and a friend watching on the couch.”
Allan, rated as high as a third-round prospect, put in countless hours pacing around the family home in Sammamish, Wash., and stationed in front of the TV waiting to see his name.
“It’s been a long weekend, because I even heard the third round so I was paying attention all the first day, too,” said Allan, who reports to Chiefs minicamp in two weeks. “I kind of felt like I got erased from somebody’s charts. I wasn’t too worried because I knew I would be able to get something as a free agent, but I wanted so badly to be a draft pick.”
Allan is the seventh Pirate drafted and the first since Eric Kelly went to Detroit in the 14th round in 1972. None of the previous six Whitworth players drafted played a game in the NFL. Two Pirates have made NFL rosters as free agents, the most recent being Doug Long, who was with the Seattle Seahawks in 1977-78.
For a few fleeting moments, Allan thought he might be taken by Seattle, which has a need at tight end. The Seahawks were next up after Kansas City.
“My agent had talked to them, New Orleans and Cincinnati and they were kind of the front-runners toward the end,” he said. “Kansas City was a team I had talked to a few weeks ago, but I didn’t really think they had me up there on their charts so it was a surprise to hear from them.”
The Chiefs have three veteran tight ends: Pro Bowl regular Tony Gonzalez, 10-year pro Jason Dunn and 2004 draft pick Kris Wilson.
“I can’t wait,” Allan said. “I know it’s probably perfect for my game, not having the expectations of being a starter and being around two of the best, and maybe one of the best ever.”
Allan, a two-time Division III All-American, caught 53 passes for 1,100 yards as a senior. He said he didn’t hear anything specific about why he lasted until the seventh round, but “my only guess is people had reservations about a Division III player.”
Frampton’s first Raiders’ minicamp will be this weekend. Much like WSU receiver Jason Hill, a San Francisco native who was picked by the 49ers on Saturday, Frampton will be close to home.
Frampton said it was like “a breath of fresh air” when his named popped up on the TV screen. His mom quickly put on her Raiders’ sweatshirt and hat and his dad donned an Oakland hat.
“I went to both (49ers and Raiders games) growing up,” said Frampton, who was the 165th pick overall. “My dad was more of a hard-core Raiders’ fan than I was. He’s liked them for a long time.”
Frampton, a two-year starter, led the Cougars with 100 tackles and five interceptions in 2006. He earned first-team All-Pac-10 Conference honors as a senior.
Oakland finished 2-14 last season, but was third in total defense.
“They said they brought me in to help out the team,” Frampton said, “and that’s what I’m going to do.”
“WSU defensive end Mkristo Bruce and Idaho tight end Luke Smith-Anderson have agreed to free agent contracts, Bruce with the Miami Dolphins and Smith-Anderson with the Houston Texans.