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Nelson Agholor joins state of Florida NFL draft dominance

 
USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor (15) stiff arms Arizona cornerback Jonathan McKnight in the second quarter at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Thursday, October 10, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. (Michael Goulding/Orange County Register/MCT) 1144286
USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor (15) stiff arms Arizona cornerback Jonathan McKnight in the second quarter at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Thursday, October 10, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. (Michael Goulding/Orange County Register/MCT) 1144286
Published May 1, 2015

Times Staff Writer

While Roosevelt University's Auditorium Theatre in Chicago served as Thursday night's NFL draft setting, the Sunshine State might have prevailed as the star.

And 2 1/2 hours in, Town 'n' Country took center stage.

Former Soutern Cal and Berkeley Prep standout Nelson Agholor went to the Eagles with the 20th overall pick, becoming his alma mater's first NFL draftee, and the first opening-round pick from a Tampa high school since Brodrick Bunkley (Chamberlain) in 2006.

With ESPN's cameras panning live to his west Tampa apartment, Agholor — born in Nigeria — hugged parents Caroline and Felix. From a time zone away, ESPN's talking heads also seemed to embrace the 6-foot, 198-pound projected slot guy who returned a school-record four punts for TDs for the Trojans.

The Eagles "just lost (Pro Bowl receiver) Jeremy Maclin," former Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "And if you put Jeremy Maclin's traits and measurables on paper, this kid is almost exactly the same. And if you can return punts, I know you can run with the ball after you catch it, and I know you're tough.

"He fits the profile of a Chip Kelly Philadelphia Eagle."

Kelly's selection of Agholor followed a thinly-veiled attempt to trade up for Marcus Mariota, his former quarterback at Oregon. Late Thursday evening, Kelly told reporters the price of trading up for a crack at Mariota was "really steep."

Instead, the Eagles stayed put at No. 20 and addressed an area of need. Maclin's departure to Kansas City via free agency followed Philadelphia's release of Pro Bowl receiver Desean Jackson after the 2013 season.

"(Agholor) is a great fit for what we're doing," Kelly said. "He has excellent speed, outstanding hands, he's an outstanding route runner and he's a student of the game."

Agholor's selection continued a Florida-based draft-night bonanza. The eight first-round draftees from Florida colleges were the most since 2002. In all, nearly one-third of the first-round picks (10 of 32) played at a Florida university and/or high school.

Six picks into the evening, a swath of Florida coastline — from South Beach to St. Petersburg Beach to Daytona Beach — already had been represented. Shortly after former Lakewood star Dante Fowler went third to the Jaguars, Alabama wideout Amari Cooper — a Miami Northwestern alumnus — went fourth to the Raiders.

Two picks later, Southern Cal defensive end Leonard Williams — who played at Daytona Beach Mainland — went to the Jets.

By the ninth pick, when Miami left tackle Ereck Flowers went to the Giants, all three of the state's Power Five schools boasted a draftee. Flowers, a Miami Norland alumnus, snapped a Hurricanes first-round drought dating to 2008. He ultimately was joined by 'Canes wideout Phillip Dorsett (29th, Colts).

FSU, by contrast, had at least one first-rounder (first overall pick Jameis Winston, 19th pick Cam Erving) for the third consecutive year and fifth time in the last six years. Florida had first-round representation (Fowler, 24th pick D.J. Humphries) for the eighth time in the last nine years.

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UCF produced a first-rounder for the second consecutive year — and its third first-rounder ever — when rangy receiver Breshad Perriman was picked 26th overall by the Ravens. The son of former Miami wideout (and Saints second-round pick) Brett Perriman, Breshad Perriman was the first player drafted from a non-Power Five program Thursday night.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls.