Murphy, Ingram Selected on Day 2 of NFL Draft
Monday, April 27, 2009 | Football
The University of Florida saw two former football players selected during Day 2 of the NFL Draft on Sunday as wide receiver Louis Murphy was tabbed in the fourth round by the Oakland Raiders and the Philadelphia Eagles made tight end Cornelius Ingram a fifth-round selection.
Murphy and Ingram join wide receiver Percy Harvin in the NFL ranks after the Minnesota Vikings drafted Harvin with the 22nd-overall pick on Saturday.
“Both Louis and Cornelius were a big part of our success the past several years,” Florida head football coach Urban Meyer said. “They have both been great to coach. I've enjoyed watching them grow academically, socially and physically during their time here. They both overcame adversity during their careers, but persevered. Not only were they selected in the NFL Draft, but they are college graduates. I'm proud to call them Gators and hope they have successful NFL careers.”
This year's NFL Draft marks the first in which the Gators have had two wideouts drafted since 2002 when Jabar Gaffney (2nd round, Houston Texans) and Reche Caldwell (2nd round, San Diego Chargers) were drafted.
Murphy, the 124th-overall selection in the draft, is the first UF football player taken by Oakland since offensive tackle Mo Collins was a first-round pick for the Raiders in 1998. With the selection of Harvin and Murphy this weekend, Florida has had 18 wide receivers drafted in the past 16 years.
Ingram's selection by Philadelphia with the 153rd-overall choice comes on the heels of Ingram missing the entire 2008 season with a knee injury. Ingram, however, showed enough in pre-draft workouts to become the first Gator tight end drafted since Ben Troupe in 2004 (2nd round, Tennessee Titans). Philadelphia last selected a player from UF when they drafted Lito Sheppard in the first round of the 2002 draft.
After joining the Minnesota Vikings yesterday evening, Harvin spoke about his gratitude for his time at the University of Florida.
“[Coach Meyer and I] had probably the best relationship I could have as far as player-coach relationship,” Harvin said. “I owe the University of Florida and the Gator Nation more than I can ever describe. The coaches, I thank them. A lot of my success and a lot things that have come before have helped with moving me and helping me grow as a person.”
