2007 NFL DRAFT: It's all tears, cheers for Jamaal

Anderson goes eighth to Falcons

By Bob Holt (Contact)

Arkansas' Jamaal Anderson (center) reacts after he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons as the eight pick in the first round of the NFL draft on Saturday. By Anderson is his sister Danielle Adeeb (at left in orange) and his mother Karen (at right, back to camera.) Karen E. Segrave 2007-04-28 20:36:00

Before Saturday, Jamaal Anderson said the last time he could remember crying was his freshman season at Arkansas in 2004 when the Razorbacks lost to Texas 22-20.

The tears Anderson shed Saturday, surrounded by family members and friends in the Pinnacle Room at the Peabody Little Rock hotel, were far different than the disappointment of losing to the Longhorns.

These were tears of joy after the Atlanta Falcons made Anderson, a defensive end from Little Rock, the No. 8 pick of the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

Anderson, 21, became only the third former Razorback in the past 40 years to be a top 10 NFL Draft choice, joining two other defensive linemen, Loyd Phillips (10th in 1967) and Billy Smith Jr. (fifth in 1983).

It was the first time in his life, Anderson said, he could remember crying because of happiness, not sadness.

“I didn’t see myself doing it. I remember watching Vernon Davis last year and I was like, ‘Look at him, he’s crying on TV,’” said Anderson, referring to the reaction of the former Maryland tight end after he was picked No. 6 by San Francisco. “Now I turn around and do the same thing.

“But I understand what [Davis] was feeling. There’s so much hard work that you put into [preparing for the draft], and it finally pays off.

For more information see today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

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