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Lions pick Amani Oruwariye in the fifth round

The former Gaither standout, projected as a second-round pick, goes on the final day of the NFL draft.
 
Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye (21) before the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye (21) before the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Published April 27, 2019

Amani Oruwariye had a draft party Friday night at Panini’s Bar and Grill in Tampa. The former Gaither High and Penn State standout picked that date because he was projected to go anywhere between the second and third rounds.

For four hours, Oruwariye waited for a phone call from an NFL team that never came.

On Saturday, the wait was over. Oruwariye went in the fifth round, 146th overall, to the Detroit Lions.

RELATED: Hard work, and hardship, mold Amani Oruwariye into an NFL prospect

As a junior, Oruwariye had a breakthrough, intercepting four passes to earn second-team all-Big Ten honors, the first Penn State cornerback in eight years to hold that distinction. Better still, he did it despite spending the 2017 season as a reserve.

Last season, Oruwariye became a full-time starter and was a first-team all-Big Ten selection.

He tied for the team lead with three interceptions to go along with 51 tackles.

Oruwariye is the second Hillsborough County product drafted this year. Lennard’s Diontae Johnson was drafted by the Steelers on Friday night.