May 9, 2014
Georgia Tech’s all-time sacks leader Jeremiah Attaochu was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft Friday night by the San Diego Chargers. Senior teammate Jemea Thomas was chosen Saturday in the sixth round by New England, while linebacker Brandon Watts was picked by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round.
Tech had multiple players drafted for the first time since 2010 when four Yellow Jackets were selected.
As of Monday (May 12) morning, three Yellow Jackets have signed free-agent contracts: Euclid Cummings (Tampa Bay), Emmanuel Dieke (New York Giants) and Louis Young (Denver).
Attaochu was the 50th selection overall. More on his selection to the Chargers:
— The focus of the draft was defense for the Chargers, who took TCU cornerback Jason Verrett with their first-round selection.
— Attaochu was the first player from a Georgia college/university to be selected in this year’s draft.
— Joe D’Alessandris, the former Georgia Tech assistant coach, is offensive line coach for the Chargers.
— By playing in the AFC West, Attaochu will play twice each season against former teammate Demaryius Thomas of the Broncos.
— Attaochu is the first Yellow Jacket drafted by San Diego since 1986 when defensive back Mike Travis went in the 12th round, the 333rd overall pick.
— Attaochu’s first NFL game will be an exhibition against the Dallas Cowboys on August 7th. His first regular season game will come Sept. 8 against the Arizona Cardinals and former teammate Jonathan Dwyer.
More on Thomas being taken with the 206th overall pick by New England:
— Thomas is the first Yellow Jacket to be drafted by the Patriots since DT Darryl Richard in in 2007.
— Since 1990, the Patriots have drafted four Georgia Tech players, tying Baltimore for the most by one team over the last 24 years.
— He is the first Tech defensive back taken in the draft since Morgan Burnett (by Green Bay) in 2010.
More on Watts’ selection as the 223rd overall pick by Minnesota:
— Watts is the sixth Yellow Jacket drafted by the Vikings and first since OL Nat Dorsey in 2004.
— The last Tech linebacker drafted was Philip Wheeler in 2008 by Indianapolis.
— Watts’ pick marks first time since 2004 that three Jacket defenders were picked. Daryl Smith (Jacksonville), Tony Hargrove (St. Louis) and Keyaron Fox (Kansas City) in that five-member draft class.
