As I continue to put together a full list of recruiting archives that will be easily accessed on the site moving forward, I present to you a look back at my second set of rankings while working as a producer/reporter for KEYE-TV.
For those that missed it, here's a link to the look back at the 1997 rankings.
*****
1. WR - Montrell Flowers
Dallas Skyline
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Caught a pair of touchdowns in the season opener, before suffering a career-ending kidney injury in the second game of the season.
Overall - Many followers of recruiting, including myself, expected Flowers to develop into a big-time player at Texas, but that never really happened. A solid player throughout most of his career, but the emergence of younger receivers from the 2000 recruiting class kept Flowers from ever earning a starting position.
2. RB - Ben Gay
Spring
Signed with Baylor
2000 - Whereabouts unknown…
2001 - Made the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent and saw limited action as a reserve.
Overall - There have not been many players that have come out of this state in the last two decades that have come close to having the sheer physical ability that Gay possessed. Although he did make it into Baylor academically, Gay never made it on the field for the Bears and ended up transferring to a junior college and saw some action in the CFL. Made the Cleveland Browns roster in 2001 as an undrafted free agent, but didn't last long.
3. QB - Chip Ambres
Beaumont Westbrook
Signed with Texas A&M
Overall - Ambres never made it to A&M due to a multi-million dollar deal that he signed with the Florida Marlins. Although he's had a couple of cups of coffee in major league baseball, he was never able to carve out a lasting big league career, playing in a total of 80 career MLB games over the course of three seasons.
4. OL - Antwan Kirk-Hughes
Waxahachie
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Earned honorable mention All Big 12 honors despite the fact that he battled injuries for most of his senior season.
Overall - Kirk-Hughes was a three-year starter at Texas and earned All Big 12 honors during his junior and senior seasons.
5. DE - Kevin Emanuel
Waco
Signed with Florida State
Senior season - Started most of his senior season and recorded 34 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Overall - Although he ended up being a very solid player for the Seminoles, he never did develop into the great player that many projected him to become. Went undrafted, but had a cup of coffee with the Seattle Seahawks.
6. LB - Mike Clay
Aldine Nimitz
Signed with Missouri
Senior season - Earned Lone Star Defensive Lineman of the Year honors and led Texas A&M Kingsville with 18 tackles for loss
and nine sacks.
Overall - Clay never made an impact at Missouri and ended up finishing his career at Texas A&M Kingsville, where he earned Division II All-American honors as a senior.
7. LB - Everick Rawls
Texas City
Signed with Texas
Junior season- Rawls started every game at weak-side linebacker for the Longhorns and finished with 69 tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks.
Senior season - Rawls finished his third year as a starter with 69 tackles and five tackles for loss.
Overall - Rawls was a three-year starter for the Longhorns and enjoyed a solid, but unspectacular career.
8. RB - Leo Mills
Humble
Signed with Arizona
Junior season - Rushed for 590 yards and four touchdowns on 115 carries during his junior season with the Wildcats.
Senior season - Rushed for 155 yards and a touchdown as a reserve.
Overall - Mills looked to be one of the real up and coming players in the Pac-10, but academic problems and the emergence of Clarence Farmer limited Mills to reserve during his final years at Arizona..
9. LB - Marcus Mosley
Dallas South Oak Cliff
Signed with SMU
Overall - This hometown boy stayed close to home, but he ended up leaving the program because of the tough academics. Mosley had a lot of raw talent, but has never surfaced anywhere since leaving SMU.
10. DE - Sean Phillips
Sugar Land Dulles
Signed with UCLA
Senior season - Was a reserve lineman for the Bruins.
Overall - Like a lot of players in this class, Phillips never lived up to his advanced billing, although Phillips did finish his career as a solid contributor.
11. WR - David Givens
Humble
Signed with Notre Dame
Senior season - Caught 33 passes for 317 yards during his senior season.
Overall - Givens enjoyed a nice career in South Bend, but never developed into the playmaker many expected him to become. While his college career wasn't special, Givens carved out a niche for himself in the NFL with the New England Patriots and in 2006 he signed a big contract with the Tennessee Titans, but injuries ended his career before it could truly take off.
12. OL - Montrae Holland
Jefferson
Signed with Florida State
Senior season - Named third team All-America by The Sporting News and was a first-team All-ACC selection.
Overall - Holland emerged as one of the top players in this class and was a three-time All-ACC selection. Was a three-year starter for New Orleans in the NFL and has played a total of nine seasons in the league.
13. CB - Clifford Jefferson
Dallas Carter
Signed with Notre Dame
Senior season - Played in eight games and recorded 22 tackles and a pair of interceptions during his senior
season.
Overall - Jefferson finished his career as a reserve, but did start 15 games during his Irish career. Never developed into the big-time cornerback that many expected.
14. DE - Jermaine Anderson
Texas City
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Finished his career as a reserve and recorded 20 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a three sacks.
Overall - Anderson never filled out physically which limited his ability to become a great player in the Big 12. Although he was a solid reserve, Anderson did not live up to his billing as a impact college defender.
15. RB - Victor Ike
Austin Bowie
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Transferred to Southern and was a reserve running back.
Overall - Although he has displayed a few flashing moments of brilliance, Ike never did become the all-around big play weapon that they first envisioned him becoming. Ended up being a solid player, especially on special teams, but he never reached his true potential.
16. WR - Bethel Johnson
Corsicana
Signed with Texas A&M
Senior season - Caught 40 passes for 778 yards and eight touchdowns during his senior season with the Aggies.
Overall - Johnson might have been the best skill position player in this class. After a very good career with A&M, Johnson was selected in the second round by the New England Patriots and has been a solid contributor for the two Super Bowl champions in his three seasons with the team. He played for 5 NFL teams from 2003-07.
17. OL - Jordan Black
Dallas Christian
Signed with Notre Dame
Senior season - Started for the third straight season at tackle.
Overall - Black was a three-year starter and started in every game he played during his career with the
Irish. Was one of the few bright spots during some lean years in South Bend. A three-year starter with Kansas City from 2004-06, Black played a total of nine seasons in the NFL.
18. OL - Mike Williams
The Colony
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Earned All-America and All Big 12 honors as a senior and was selected as a finalist for the Outland
Trophy.
Overall - Williams might have been the best player in this class after emerging as one of college football's
top linemen during his junior and senior seasons. A high first round selection by Buffalo in the 2002 NFL Draft, Williams was a bust in the NFL, as he was cut by the Bills following the 2005 season, but he did end up playing a total of seven seasons in the NFL.
19. DB - Lee Jackson
Longview
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Emerged as a starter at OLB for the Longhorns during his senior season and 70 tackles, six tackles for loss and five sacks.
Overall - Jackson battled injuriesthroughout his career, but when he was healthy, he was a very solidplayer for the Longhorns as a starting outside linebacker.
20. TE - Patrick Hughes
Nacogdoches
Signed with Florida State
Senior season - Was a starter for the Seminoles at tight end during his senior season.
Overall - Hughes was never a big receiving threat with Florida State, but he was a key blocker and a solid contributor during his career. Tried out with a couple of NFL teams, but was released during training camp.
21. LB - Chris Campbell
Mount Pleasant
Signed with Miami
Senior season - Started all 11 games during his senior season for the national champions and was third on the team with 63 tackles
Overall - Became one of the Hurricanes most effective big-play defenders over the course of his career. Was killed in a car accident a couple of months before he was expected to be a first day pick in the NFL Draft.
22. CB - DeMario Wesley
Fort Worth Wyatt
Signed with TCU
2000/01 - No longer playing football.
Overall - Wesley never made it to TCU because of his test score and didn't play college football as far as I can tell, although he did emerge as one of the top JUCO sprinters in the nation while enrolled at Garden City CC in Kansas.
23. QB - Adam Dunn
New Caney
Signed with Texas
Overall - Spent a season with the Longhorns as a back-up quarterback before signing a baseball contract with the Cincinnati Reds and eventually emerged as one of the top home run hitters in baseball during a 14-year career.
24. WR - Choo Freeman
Dallas Christian
Signed with Texas A&M
Overall - Never played for A&M after signing a contract with the Colorado Rockies out of high school.
25. OL - Chris Redding
North Shore
Signed with Arizona
Senior - Earned second-team All Conference USA honors as a senior.
Overall - Transferred to Houston after one season and Arizona and eventually developed into a solid player for the Cougars.
26. QB - Vance Smith
Fort Worth Christian
Signed with Texas A&M
Senior season - Spent the season as a reserve.
Overall - Smith never emerged as a real threat to become the starting quarterback at A&M and received very little playing time during his career.
27. Ath - Randy Davis
Dallas Skyline
Signed with Baylor
Senior season - Was the team's top kick returner and a key reserve on defense during his senior season.
Overall - Davis was never more than a role-player for the Bears throughout his career, although he did en up being one of the top kick return guys in school history.
28. Ath - Robert Ferguson
Houston Spring Woods
Signed with Texas A&M
Junior season - In his only season at A&M, he was a first-team All Big 12 selection that posted team-leading totals in catches with 58, receiving yards with 885, receiving touchdowns with 6, and all-purpose yards with 885.
Overall - Ferguson only spent one season at A&M after an All-America career in junior college, but he made it count. Was selected by Green Bay in the 2nd round of the 2001 NFL Draft and developed into a solid NFL receiver.
29. RB - Ja'Mar Toombs
Kilgore
Signed with Texas A&M
Junior season - As a junior, Toombs rushed for355 yards and 14 touchdowns while earning 2nd team All-Big 12 honors.
Overall - Toombs was a workhorse runner for the Aggies during his three-year career and made a lot of big plays during that time. Declared for the NFL after his junior season and was not drafted.
30. CB - Ervis Hill
Texas City
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Recorded 14 tackles during his senior season as a reserve.
Overall - Hill started 13 games during his career as a Longhorn, but spent the latter part of his career as a reserve.
31. DB - Jamal Joyner
Dallas Carter
Signed with Texas
Overall - Joyner was suspended from the Longhorns during his red-shirt freshman season and ended up leaving the program.
32. RB - Montrell Lowe
La Porte
Signed with Purdue
Senior season - Only played in six games as a senior and rushed for 169 yards in reserve duty
Overall - During his career at Purdue, Lowe often performed at a high level and was expected to be one of the Big 10's top runners as a senior, but he never actually became that kind of player. However, he enjoyed a very solid career and went to
training camp with the Indianapolis Colts in 2003, but didn't make their roster.
33. RB - Chris Robertson
Denison
Signed with Texas
Senior season - A knee injury forced Robertson to miss a sizable piece of the 2002 season.
Overall - Made his mark at Texas as a top goal line back in 1999, but transferred to UH because of playing time issues. Ended up being a solid reserve for the Cougars.
34. DE - Justin Smith
Sherman
Signed with Nebraska
Senior season - Played in 14 games and recorded 46 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks as a senior.
Overall - Was never a major player for the Huskers, but he was a solid reserve during the final seasons of his career.
35. OL - Eric Heitman
Katy
Signed with Stanford
Senior season - Earned All-America and 1st team Pac-10 honors during his senior season.
Overall - Heitman was one of the top linemen in the Pac 10 and in the nation during the final two seasons of his career. Heitman played nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and started 114 of the 119 games he played in.
36. Ath - Ahmad Brooks
Abilene
Signed with Texas
Senior season- Brooks emerged as a starter at safety for the Longhorns as a senior and led the team in tackles with 84.
Overall - Brooks enjoyed a very nice career with the Longhorns, earning starting spots at both cornerback and safety during his career. Spent the entire 2002 season with the Buffalo Bills, but was cut during training camp in 2003.
37. DB - Keyou Craver
Harleton
Signed with Nebraska
Senior season - Recorded 60 passes and three interceptions during his senior season, earning All Big 12 honors.
Overall - Craver was one of the top cornerbacks in the Big 12 over his final two seasons at Nebraska and was eventually drafted by the New Orleans Saints, where he was a solid player. Eventually, Craver was forced to play in the Canadian Football League because of several violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy.
38. LB - Kevin Aldridge
Jacksonville
Signed with SMU
Senior season - Earned first-team All WAC honors after recording 68 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
Overall - Aldridge was an impact player for the Mustangs throughout his entire career. Started at linebacker and defensive end during his career and was one of the top defenders in the WAC for several seasons.
39. CB - Michael Lewis
Lamar Consolidated
Signed with Colorado
Senior season - Was the Buffs top defender in 2001 with 112 tackles and 5 interceptions.
Overall - One of the top defensive players in the Big 12 during his final two seasons in Boulder. In his fourth season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Lewis emerged as a Pro Bowl player and one of the best defensive backs in the NFL. Lewis played a total of nine seasons in the NFL with three different teams.
40. OL - Tim Hodges
East Chambers
Signed with Tennessee
Senior season - Started every game for theSFA Lumberjacks at left tackle.
Overall - Red-shirted at Tennessee in 1998 and was sick for most of the 1999 season before transferring back home to SFA. Was a solid lineman for the Lumberjacks onece he arrived from the Vols.
41. QB - Kliff Kingsbury
New Braunfels
Signed with Texas Tech
Senior season - Threw for 4,642 yards and 42 touchdowns as a senior, while emerging as one of the nation's top quarterbacks.
Overall - A strong case can be made that Kingsbury is one of the best players in Texas Tech history. Finished his career with more than 12,000 passing yards and holds numerous Big 12 passing records. Drafted by New England in 2003, Kingsbury spent the entire season on injured reserve. Played in one game in 2005 with the New York Jets. Is currently the head coach at his alma mater.
42. CB - Willie Miles
Fort Worth Dunbar
Signed with Tennessee
Senior season - Started 10 games for the Vols at cornerback and recorded 25 tackles and two interceptions.
Overall - Miles was a two-years starter for the Vols and was one of the SEC's top cornerbacks when he was at the top of his game. Signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2003, but was cut in training camp.
For those that missed it, here's a link to the look back at the 1997 rankings.
*****
1. WR - Montrell Flowers
Dallas Skyline
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Caught a pair of touchdowns in the season opener, before suffering a career-ending kidney injury in the second game of the season.
Overall - Many followers of recruiting, including myself, expected Flowers to develop into a big-time player at Texas, but that never really happened. A solid player throughout most of his career, but the emergence of younger receivers from the 2000 recruiting class kept Flowers from ever earning a starting position.
2. RB - Ben Gay
Spring
Signed with Baylor
2000 - Whereabouts unknown…
2001 - Made the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent and saw limited action as a reserve.
Overall - There have not been many players that have come out of this state in the last two decades that have come close to having the sheer physical ability that Gay possessed. Although he did make it into Baylor academically, Gay never made it on the field for the Bears and ended up transferring to a junior college and saw some action in the CFL. Made the Cleveland Browns roster in 2001 as an undrafted free agent, but didn't last long.
3. QB - Chip Ambres
Beaumont Westbrook
Signed with Texas A&M
Overall - Ambres never made it to A&M due to a multi-million dollar deal that he signed with the Florida Marlins. Although he's had a couple of cups of coffee in major league baseball, he was never able to carve out a lasting big league career, playing in a total of 80 career MLB games over the course of three seasons.
4. OL - Antwan Kirk-Hughes
Waxahachie
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Earned honorable mention All Big 12 honors despite the fact that he battled injuries for most of his senior season.
Overall - Kirk-Hughes was a three-year starter at Texas and earned All Big 12 honors during his junior and senior seasons.
5. DE - Kevin Emanuel
Waco
Signed with Florida State
Senior season - Started most of his senior season and recorded 34 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Overall - Although he ended up being a very solid player for the Seminoles, he never did develop into the great player that many projected him to become. Went undrafted, but had a cup of coffee with the Seattle Seahawks.
6. LB - Mike Clay
Aldine Nimitz
Signed with Missouri
Senior season - Earned Lone Star Defensive Lineman of the Year honors and led Texas A&M Kingsville with 18 tackles for loss
and nine sacks.
Overall - Clay never made an impact at Missouri and ended up finishing his career at Texas A&M Kingsville, where he earned Division II All-American honors as a senior.
7. LB - Everick Rawls
Texas City
Signed with Texas
Junior season- Rawls started every game at weak-side linebacker for the Longhorns and finished with 69 tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks.
Senior season - Rawls finished his third year as a starter with 69 tackles and five tackles for loss.
Overall - Rawls was a three-year starter for the Longhorns and enjoyed a solid, but unspectacular career.
8. RB - Leo Mills
Humble
Signed with Arizona
Junior season - Rushed for 590 yards and four touchdowns on 115 carries during his junior season with the Wildcats.
Senior season - Rushed for 155 yards and a touchdown as a reserve.
Overall - Mills looked to be one of the real up and coming players in the Pac-10, but academic problems and the emergence of Clarence Farmer limited Mills to reserve during his final years at Arizona..
9. LB - Marcus Mosley
Dallas South Oak Cliff
Signed with SMU
Overall - This hometown boy stayed close to home, but he ended up leaving the program because of the tough academics. Mosley had a lot of raw talent, but has never surfaced anywhere since leaving SMU.
10. DE - Sean Phillips
Sugar Land Dulles
Signed with UCLA
Senior season - Was a reserve lineman for the Bruins.
Overall - Like a lot of players in this class, Phillips never lived up to his advanced billing, although Phillips did finish his career as a solid contributor.
11. WR - David Givens
Humble
Signed with Notre Dame
Senior season - Caught 33 passes for 317 yards during his senior season.
Overall - Givens enjoyed a nice career in South Bend, but never developed into the playmaker many expected him to become. While his college career wasn't special, Givens carved out a niche for himself in the NFL with the New England Patriots and in 2006 he signed a big contract with the Tennessee Titans, but injuries ended his career before it could truly take off.
12. OL - Montrae Holland
Jefferson
Signed with Florida State
Senior season - Named third team All-America by The Sporting News and was a first-team All-ACC selection.
Overall - Holland emerged as one of the top players in this class and was a three-time All-ACC selection. Was a three-year starter for New Orleans in the NFL and has played a total of nine seasons in the league.
13. CB - Clifford Jefferson
Dallas Carter
Signed with Notre Dame
Senior season - Played in eight games and recorded 22 tackles and a pair of interceptions during his senior
season.
Overall - Jefferson finished his career as a reserve, but did start 15 games during his Irish career. Never developed into the big-time cornerback that many expected.
14. DE - Jermaine Anderson
Texas City
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Finished his career as a reserve and recorded 20 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a three sacks.
Overall - Anderson never filled out physically which limited his ability to become a great player in the Big 12. Although he was a solid reserve, Anderson did not live up to his billing as a impact college defender.
15. RB - Victor Ike
Austin Bowie
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Transferred to Southern and was a reserve running back.
Overall - Although he has displayed a few flashing moments of brilliance, Ike never did become the all-around big play weapon that they first envisioned him becoming. Ended up being a solid player, especially on special teams, but he never reached his true potential.
16. WR - Bethel Johnson
Corsicana
Signed with Texas A&M
Senior season - Caught 40 passes for 778 yards and eight touchdowns during his senior season with the Aggies.
Overall - Johnson might have been the best skill position player in this class. After a very good career with A&M, Johnson was selected in the second round by the New England Patriots and has been a solid contributor for the two Super Bowl champions in his three seasons with the team. He played for 5 NFL teams from 2003-07.
17. OL - Jordan Black
Dallas Christian
Signed with Notre Dame
Senior season - Started for the third straight season at tackle.
Overall - Black was a three-year starter and started in every game he played during his career with the
Irish. Was one of the few bright spots during some lean years in South Bend. A three-year starter with Kansas City from 2004-06, Black played a total of nine seasons in the NFL.
18. OL - Mike Williams
The Colony
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Earned All-America and All Big 12 honors as a senior and was selected as a finalist for the Outland
Trophy.
Overall - Williams might have been the best player in this class after emerging as one of college football's
top linemen during his junior and senior seasons. A high first round selection by Buffalo in the 2002 NFL Draft, Williams was a bust in the NFL, as he was cut by the Bills following the 2005 season, but he did end up playing a total of seven seasons in the NFL.
19. DB - Lee Jackson
Longview
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Emerged as a starter at OLB for the Longhorns during his senior season and 70 tackles, six tackles for loss and five sacks.
Overall - Jackson battled injuriesthroughout his career, but when he was healthy, he was a very solidplayer for the Longhorns as a starting outside linebacker.
20. TE - Patrick Hughes
Nacogdoches
Signed with Florida State
Senior season - Was a starter for the Seminoles at tight end during his senior season.
Overall - Hughes was never a big receiving threat with Florida State, but he was a key blocker and a solid contributor during his career. Tried out with a couple of NFL teams, but was released during training camp.
21. LB - Chris Campbell
Mount Pleasant
Signed with Miami
Senior season - Started all 11 games during his senior season for the national champions and was third on the team with 63 tackles
Overall - Became one of the Hurricanes most effective big-play defenders over the course of his career. Was killed in a car accident a couple of months before he was expected to be a first day pick in the NFL Draft.
22. CB - DeMario Wesley
Fort Worth Wyatt
Signed with TCU
2000/01 - No longer playing football.
Overall - Wesley never made it to TCU because of his test score and didn't play college football as far as I can tell, although he did emerge as one of the top JUCO sprinters in the nation while enrolled at Garden City CC in Kansas.
23. QB - Adam Dunn
New Caney
Signed with Texas
Overall - Spent a season with the Longhorns as a back-up quarterback before signing a baseball contract with the Cincinnati Reds and eventually emerged as one of the top home run hitters in baseball during a 14-year career.
24. WR - Choo Freeman
Dallas Christian
Signed with Texas A&M
Overall - Never played for A&M after signing a contract with the Colorado Rockies out of high school.
25. OL - Chris Redding
North Shore
Signed with Arizona
Senior - Earned second-team All Conference USA honors as a senior.
Overall - Transferred to Houston after one season and Arizona and eventually developed into a solid player for the Cougars.
26. QB - Vance Smith
Fort Worth Christian
Signed with Texas A&M
Senior season - Spent the season as a reserve.
Overall - Smith never emerged as a real threat to become the starting quarterback at A&M and received very little playing time during his career.
27. Ath - Randy Davis
Dallas Skyline
Signed with Baylor
Senior season - Was the team's top kick returner and a key reserve on defense during his senior season.
Overall - Davis was never more than a role-player for the Bears throughout his career, although he did en up being one of the top kick return guys in school history.
28. Ath - Robert Ferguson
Houston Spring Woods
Signed with Texas A&M
Junior season - In his only season at A&M, he was a first-team All Big 12 selection that posted team-leading totals in catches with 58, receiving yards with 885, receiving touchdowns with 6, and all-purpose yards with 885.
Overall - Ferguson only spent one season at A&M after an All-America career in junior college, but he made it count. Was selected by Green Bay in the 2nd round of the 2001 NFL Draft and developed into a solid NFL receiver.
29. RB - Ja'Mar Toombs
Kilgore
Signed with Texas A&M
Junior season - As a junior, Toombs rushed for355 yards and 14 touchdowns while earning 2nd team All-Big 12 honors.
Overall - Toombs was a workhorse runner for the Aggies during his three-year career and made a lot of big plays during that time. Declared for the NFL after his junior season and was not drafted.
30. CB - Ervis Hill
Texas City
Signed with Texas
Senior season - Recorded 14 tackles during his senior season as a reserve.
Overall - Hill started 13 games during his career as a Longhorn, but spent the latter part of his career as a reserve.
31. DB - Jamal Joyner
Dallas Carter
Signed with Texas
Overall - Joyner was suspended from the Longhorns during his red-shirt freshman season and ended up leaving the program.
32. RB - Montrell Lowe
La Porte
Signed with Purdue
Senior season - Only played in six games as a senior and rushed for 169 yards in reserve duty
Overall - During his career at Purdue, Lowe often performed at a high level and was expected to be one of the Big 10's top runners as a senior, but he never actually became that kind of player. However, he enjoyed a very solid career and went to
training camp with the Indianapolis Colts in 2003, but didn't make their roster.
33. RB - Chris Robertson
Denison
Signed with Texas
Senior season - A knee injury forced Robertson to miss a sizable piece of the 2002 season.
Overall - Made his mark at Texas as a top goal line back in 1999, but transferred to UH because of playing time issues. Ended up being a solid reserve for the Cougars.
34. DE - Justin Smith
Sherman
Signed with Nebraska
Senior season - Played in 14 games and recorded 46 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks as a senior.
Overall - Was never a major player for the Huskers, but he was a solid reserve during the final seasons of his career.
35. OL - Eric Heitman
Katy
Signed with Stanford
Senior season - Earned All-America and 1st team Pac-10 honors during his senior season.
Overall - Heitman was one of the top linemen in the Pac 10 and in the nation during the final two seasons of his career. Heitman played nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and started 114 of the 119 games he played in.
36. Ath - Ahmad Brooks
Abilene
Signed with Texas
Senior season- Brooks emerged as a starter at safety for the Longhorns as a senior and led the team in tackles with 84.
Overall - Brooks enjoyed a very nice career with the Longhorns, earning starting spots at both cornerback and safety during his career. Spent the entire 2002 season with the Buffalo Bills, but was cut during training camp in 2003.
37. DB - Keyou Craver
Harleton
Signed with Nebraska
Senior season - Recorded 60 passes and three interceptions during his senior season, earning All Big 12 honors.
Overall - Craver was one of the top cornerbacks in the Big 12 over his final two seasons at Nebraska and was eventually drafted by the New Orleans Saints, where he was a solid player. Eventually, Craver was forced to play in the Canadian Football League because of several violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy.
38. LB - Kevin Aldridge
Jacksonville
Signed with SMU
Senior season - Earned first-team All WAC honors after recording 68 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
Overall - Aldridge was an impact player for the Mustangs throughout his entire career. Started at linebacker and defensive end during his career and was one of the top defenders in the WAC for several seasons.
39. CB - Michael Lewis
Lamar Consolidated
Signed with Colorado
Senior season - Was the Buffs top defender in 2001 with 112 tackles and 5 interceptions.
Overall - One of the top defensive players in the Big 12 during his final two seasons in Boulder. In his fourth season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Lewis emerged as a Pro Bowl player and one of the best defensive backs in the NFL. Lewis played a total of nine seasons in the NFL with three different teams.
40. OL - Tim Hodges
East Chambers
Signed with Tennessee
Senior season - Started every game for theSFA Lumberjacks at left tackle.
Overall - Red-shirted at Tennessee in 1998 and was sick for most of the 1999 season before transferring back home to SFA. Was a solid lineman for the Lumberjacks onece he arrived from the Vols.
41. QB - Kliff Kingsbury
New Braunfels
Signed with Texas Tech
Senior season - Threw for 4,642 yards and 42 touchdowns as a senior, while emerging as one of the nation's top quarterbacks.
Overall - A strong case can be made that Kingsbury is one of the best players in Texas Tech history. Finished his career with more than 12,000 passing yards and holds numerous Big 12 passing records. Drafted by New England in 2003, Kingsbury spent the entire season on injured reserve. Played in one game in 2005 with the New York Jets. Is currently the head coach at his alma mater.
42. CB - Willie Miles
Fort Worth Dunbar
Signed with Tennessee
Senior season - Started 10 games for the Vols at cornerback and recorded 25 tackles and two interceptions.
Overall - Miles was a two-years starter for the Vols and was one of the SEC's top cornerbacks when he was at the top of his game. Signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2003, but was cut in training camp.
