[LU'sbestmanager]

http://www.goccusports.com/?news=3376

Football's Thigpen Drafted By NFL's Minnesota Vikings

CONWAY, S.C. -- Quarterback Tyler Thigpen (Winnsboro, S.C./Fairfield Central) became the first Big South Conference player drafted by the top professional league after being picked by the Vikings with the seventh pick in the seventh round (selection 217 overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft, Apr. 29. Thigpen will attend the team's Rookie Camp in Minneapolis this upcoming weekend, May 4-6.
Thigpen, who was also the Big South Conference Offensive Player of the Year and finished seventh in the balloting for the Walter Payton Award, ranked second in the Football Championship Subdivision with 329.3 ypg of total offense, while being fourth nationally with 274.7 passing yards per game after leading Coastal to its third consecutive Big South title and first-ever berth in the NCAA Division I Football Championships. The first-ever Big South player to be nominated for the Payton Award and a 2006 American Football Coaches Association All-American and Associated Press First Team All-American, he set nine Conference season records in 2006 in total offense (3,952), total offense per game (329.3), passing yards (3,296), touchdown passes (29), passing yards per game (274.7), passing efficiency (167.42), 300-yard passing games (5), 300-total yard games (9) and rushing yards by a quarterback (656). He was named Player of the Week four times this season and became the first Big South quarterback to rush for more than 600 yards in a season, with his 656 ranking fourth overall in league rushing, while adding five touchdowns. His 3,296 passing yards also made him the first quarterback ever to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a single season. He also ranks second all-time in the Big South in total offense with 8,236 yards, while also helping CCU to a 34-11 (30-8 as a starter) during his four years with the Chanticleers

[PAmedic]

Quarterback Tyler Thigpen (Winnsboro, S.C./Fairfield Central) became the first Big South Conference player drafted by the top professional league after being picked by the Vikings with the seventh pick in the seventh round (selection 217 overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft, Apr. 29. Thigpen will attend the team's Rookie Camp in Minneapolis this upcoming weekend, May 4-6.

that's a little disengenous (sp?)

we've sent many guys to the pros. Just wasn't a "BIG South" back in those days

despite the homer-ism , congrats to Tyler

[flameshaw]

MY guess is Thiggy will never sniff a NFL field, suprised when I saw his name on the draft board, but he certainly deserves congratulations for being drafted.

[SuperJon]

He'll make a roster. He's too athletic to get cut. If he gets in-season playing time is a different story. The first step is getting drafted. He makes the roster and he gets his Reebok deal.

[Sly Fox]

If the Vikes spent a 7th round pick on a QB he'll get every shot to make their practice squad.

[PAmedic]

I checked- we've sent 37 to the pros.

not going to start a flame war over it on their board, though.

at least not until, say- tomorrow

[4everfsu]

At least he got drafted ahead of Chris Leak, Leakie got signed as a FA with the Bears

[PAmedic]

you mean, da Bearssss

[LUconn]

So Coastal loses a Senior QB that was drafted ahead of national champion Chris Leak. But they'll replace him with the next shmoe off the bench and not miss a beat. Afterall, he'll get all the experience he'll need at spring practice

[SuperJon]

They've had two other players that didn't get drafted this year sign free agent deals.

[BJWilliams]

Over on AGS the SoCon boys are bemoaning the fact that only 1 guy got drafted (Chad Nkang from Elon) and as of right now only one of the guys from the top tier in that conference has signed a FA deal

[SuperJon]

All the SoCon guys know that this year was a down year for them. Next year and the year after will be big for em.

[Libertine]

All the SoCon guys know that this year was a down year for them.

Except for Appy.

[jack_sparrow81]

Its a travesty that Chris Leak's name is even in comparison with anyone from Coastal or in the same breath for that matter