By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation
CHICAGO ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢' ¬" While All-American defensive tackle Andrew Billings is still waiting, Baylor cornerback Xavien Howard didn't have to wait long, taken by the Miami Dolphins with the seventh pick in Friday's second round and the 38th overall.
"Man, I was very excited, it was a blessing," said the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Howard, a first-team All-Big 12 pick who led the Bears with nine interceptions and 23 pass breakups over the last two seasons. "I couldn't even sleep last night. I was just so anxious to watch the draft. Early this morning, I went and worked out just so I could clear my mind. I saw some picks where I thought I would go, and I was just waiting. Then they called, and I was just excited."
Howard becomes the ninth Baylor player drafted by the Dolphins and first in 20 years, since Miami took defensive end Daryl Gardener in the first round and linebacker LaCurtis Jones in the fourth. He was the first cornerback off the board Friday and the sixth out of 14 taken in the first three rounds.
The Dolphins gave up their third- and fourth-round picks in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens to move up four spots to grab Howard with the 38th pick.
Miami general manager Chris Grier called Howard a "prototype player."
"This guy checks all the boxes in terms of height, weight, speed, competitiveness, toughness," Grier said. "This was a player that was a target player for us, and when the opportunity arrived for us to make a play to get him, we jumped at it. We're ecstatic to have him on our roster."
Even after signing free agent Byron Maxwell, a starter the last two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles, cornerback was considered a pressing need for the Dolphins.
Howard opted to leave school a year early after a junior season that saw him pick off five passes and return a fumble 30 yards for his first career touchdown. The Houston, Texas, native was an all-state defensive back at Wheatley High School who redshirted in 2012 and saw limited playing time the next year before starting all 26 games the last two seasons.
"I think I made the right decision to come out early," Howard said. "If I would have stayed one more year, I probably could have went higher than I did, but it's still a blessing. . . Coming in, I'm really just going to work and learn the defense and try to get the starting job."
Billings, a first-team AP All-American and the Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year, was projected to go late in the first or early in the second round. But he is still waiting to hear his name called after seeing 12 defensive tackles taken in the first three rounds.
In Thursday's opening round, the Cleveland Browns selected All-American receiver Corey Coleman with the 15th overall pick.
This is the third time in the last six years that Baylor has had at least two players taken in the first two rounds. In both 2011 and 2012, the Bears had two first-round picks.
Other draft hopefuls include All-American offensive tackle Spencer Drango, wide receiver Jay Lee and basketball power forward Rico Gathers, a tight end prospect who had 24 NFL teams scouting a personal workout Monday in New Orleans.
