Follett, Morrah Selected In Seventh Round, Join Mack as 2009 Cal Draftees

After a long wait, LB Zack Follett and TE Cameron Morrah were taken the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft, over two hundred picks after Cal teammate and 21st-overall pick C Alex Mack.

Follett was taken with the 26th pick in round seven (235th overall) by Detroit, and was described as being a great competitor, a hard worker, and a potential contributor on special teams.

Morrah was praised by Mel Kiper as deserving better than a seventh-round selection when Seattle took him in the compensatory portion of the round (248th overall).

However, Kiper also stated what Jeff Tedford and Cal Bears fans already know, that Morrah left one season too early. However, Morrah was also praised for being a goal-line threat.

Mr. Irrelavent 2009 (256th overall) was K Ryan Succop from South Carolina.

Unfortunately, Cal fan favorites such as Rulon Davis, Anthony Felder, and Worrell Williams weren't able to hear their name called in New York. But there is always a chance of being signed as an undrafted free-agent.

As for other Pac-10 teams, Arizona and Arizona State each had two players drafted, all in the seventh round. Six Oregon players heard their names called, including three in round two. Max Unger was taken twenty-eight picks after Alex Mack.

Oregon State one-upped its Civil War rival with seven players picked, but only OL Andy Levitre was a second-rounder. Washington State's only draftee was WR Brandon Gibson (sixth round), but this was still one more than Washington. Stanford and UCLA were shut out.

Not surpisingly, USC had the most first-round and overall picks in the Pac-10, led by Mark Sanchez at fifth overall. Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews were also taken in round one, but Rey Maualuga fell to the early second-round.

By the time CB Cary Harris was taken in the sixth round, 11 Trojans had been selected. Only three selections were offensive players: Sanchez, Patrick Turner (third round), and K David Buehler (fifth round).

Among the Pac-10 players not drafted were QB's Willie Tuitama and Rudy Carpenter and RB's Jeremiah Johnson, Anthony Kimble, and Kahlil Bell.

Good luck to Mack, Morrah, and Follett in NFL, and to Davis and the other Cal players trying to break in at the next level the hard way.

As Cal continues to try a cement themselves as a perennial Pac-10 power, the 2009 draft class should be joined in the NFL by many more Bears in the future. Cal fans just hope that Jahvid Best will join the list of first-round picks later rather than sooner.