Fiammetta, Durand selected on 2nd day of NFL Draft
Syracuse’s Tony Fiammetta was the first fullback taken in the NFL Draft this past weekend, going 128th overall in the fourth round to the Carolina Panthers.
Fiammetta was one of two Syracuse players chosen in the draft. Offensive guard Ryan Durand was picked by the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round (239th overall). Last year, Syracuse was the only team in the Big East to have no players drafted.
The Post-Standard reported Sunday night that running back Curtis Brinkley accepted a free agent deal with the San Diego Chargers. Brinkley, Syracuse’s leading rusher last season, would become the second player in three year to sign with the Chargers, after SU corner Steve Gregory signed in 2006.
Fiammetta joins a powerful Panthers rushing attack that finished third in the league last season. Behind the mash-and-dash duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, Carolina averaged 152 yards per game on the ground. The Panthers were upset by the Arizona Cardinals, 33-13, in the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Fiammetta climbed up draft boards everywhere after a standout performance at the NFL Combine in February. He bench-pressed 225 pounds 30 times – more than any other running back. The 6-foot-1, 245-pound fullback also ran a time of 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash, prompting most draft experts to project Fiammetta as the best fullback in the draft.
For the Orange last season, Fiammetta helped tailback Curtis Brinkley rush for 1,164 yards and seven touchdowns. He also developed into a security blanket out of the backfield with 16 receptions for 127 yards and a score. He was Fiammetta becomes the 10th Syracuse player to play for the Panthers.
Durand was a second-team all-Big East selection last season. At 6-foot-5, 307 pounds, Durand has the size to match up at guard against larger defensive tackles. The Titans also drafted an offensive tackle Troy Kropog from Tulane in the fourth round.
Currently, Brad Hoover is Carolina’s starting fullback, but he’ll turn 33 later this year. The Panthers ran the ball 55 percent of the time last season. As more and more NFL teams introduce H-backs or eliminate the fullback position from their offense completely, the Panthers still employ a traditional lead blocker.
LSU’s Quinn Johnson was the only other fullback that was drafted. He went in the fifth round to the Green Bay Packers.
Published on April 26, 2009 at 12:00 pm
