 "Photo: Jordan Gomez")
A childhood dream came true for five former Longhorns this weekend.
Wide receiver Limas Sweed, running back Jamaal Charles, tight end Jermichael Finley, offensive lineman Tony Hills and defensive lineman Frank Okam will all play professional football next season after being taken in the 2008 NFL draft in New York City.
Though Texas failed to have a former player drafted in the first round for the first time since 2003, there have now been at least five former Longhorns taken in each of the last three NFL drafts.
Wide receiver Limas Sweed led the Texas exes after being taken 22nd in the second round (53rd overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday.
"It's something you wait for, and I'm happy not that it's come," Sweed said in a statement. "I'm just ready to get in and go to work. The Steelers are a great team, and when I got the call, the coaches were telling me how much tradition they have up there. You always know 'Mean' Joe Greene, and they're always in the playoffs, plus [former Longhorn] Casey Hampton is there. To be drafted by such a traditional football team is something really similar to Texas. I know the fans will be behind them, so it'll be a good thing. They have a great quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, so I'm excited."
Sweed, who missed most of the 2007 season with an injured wrist, was the third Texas receiver to be drafted in the last five years. The most notable of that group was Roy Williams (2004, seventh overall), who also wore No. 4 at Texas.
"You look at what Roy Williams did here with the
No. 4 jersey and a lot of people worried when Limas tried to wear the same one," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "But, [Sweed] represented that number well. We think he can be a true star in the NFL."
Sweed's new coach agrees.
"This guy has a heck of a resume," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "He's a big guy who plays big. We're excited about having him."
Tomlin also said that, if Sweed hadn't have gotten injured last season, he might have been selected earlier in the draft.
Charles said he was also hoping to be drafted on Friday and was waiting for his name to be called in the second round.
But Charles, who skipped his final year of eligibility at Texas, fell into the third round and was drafted by Kansas City Chiefs with the 10th pick on Saturday (73rd overall).
"It was a long day [Saturday], waiting for my name to hopefully be called," Charles said. "I didn't get much sleep last night when it didn't and was up early today, so I was pretty tired when I got picked. I'm glad it happened early [on Sunday]. It's a dream come true to hear my name called in the NFL draft."
Finley, who declared for the draft after his sophomore year, was taken soon after Charles by the Green Bay Packers with the 28th pick in the third round (91st overall).
"I felt like for a long time that it was going to be Green Bay, so I was excited when I heard they wanted me," Finley said. "Green Bay is a really nice atmosphere, and I like the way they play, so I think I'm going to love to play in Green Bay."
Hills found out after being chosen with the 31st pick in Saturday's fourth round (130th overall) that he would join Sweed as a rookie with the Steelers next season. The two are the first pair of Longhorns to be drafted by the same team in the same year since 1992.
"Every good feeling you could feel right now, that's what I'm feeling," Hills said. "It's like icing on the cake that I get to go play with Sweed. We came in together and we were roommates at one point. It's a great feeling."
Okam rounded out Texas' draft after being picked by the Houston Texans with the 16th pick of the fifth round (151st overall).
"It's a life's dream becoming a reality," Okam said. "It's something I thought about since I was a little kid, and it's finally come to pass. I'm almost speechless."
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