Oregon State record setting wide receiver, 2013 Biletnikoff Award recipient and consensus All-American  Brandin Cooks will be one of 30 players in attendance at the 2014 NFL Draft at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The Draft begins May 8 at 5 p.m. PDT with the first round and air live on the NFL Network.

Cooks is one of two players representing the Pac-12 Conference on-site at the Draft and most prognosticators predict he will be selected in the opening round. If the Stockton, Calif., native has his name called May 8 he would be the first OSU player since running back Steven Jackson as the 24thoverall pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2004 to be selected in the first round. Jackson is the highest drafted Beaver since 1962 Heisman Trophy recipient Terry Baker was the No. 1 overall pick by the then Los Angeles Rams in 1963.

A total of five Beavers have been selected in the opening round overall. In addition to Baker and Jackson, linebacker Nick Barnett was the No. 29 overall pick in 2003 by the Green Bay Packers, halfback Ken Carpenter was the No. 13 selection of the Cleveland Browns in 1950 and halfback Joe Gray was the No. 10 pick of the Chicago Bears in 1938.

A total of 165 Beavers have been drafted, with Gray being the first in ‘38. A school record seven players were selected in the 2008 Draft. Twenty-seven Beavers have been picked in the top 100 overall. The Rams (Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis) have selected the most Beavers with 16. Every current NFL team has picked a player from Oregon State, except the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Cooks and defensive end Scott Crichton have both made themselves eligible for the NFL Draft following their junior seasons. The three previous Beavers to forgo their senior years are on current NFL rosters – Jackson and Jacquizz Rodgers with the Atlanta Falcons and Brandon Browner with the New England Patriots. Crichton is also expected to be drafted.

Courtesy: Athletic Communications
Release: 04/23/2014
Image © Courtesy: Courtesy: Ryals Lee

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