Three Missouri football players drafted
Associated Press
Missouri's disappointing 5-6 season last year had a happy ending for three players taken in the NFL draft, defensive tackle Atiyyah Ellison, running back Damien Nash and defensive lineman C.J. Mosley.
The Carolina Panthers traded up with the Green Bay Packers to select the 6-foot-4, 303-pound Ellison in the third round with the 89th selection overall Saturday. The Tennessee Titans selected Nash, a 5-9, 220-pound halfback,in the fifth round with the 142nd pick Sunday and the Minnesota Vikings chose the 6-2, 315-pound Mosley with the 191st overall pick in the sixth round.
Ellison was a first-team all-Big 12 pick as a senior with 60 tackles, 12 1/2 tackles for loss and 2 1/2 sacks.
Nash, who left Missouri after his junior year, had 792 yards rushing and caught 25 passes for 176 yards. Going to the NFL was the correct move, Nash said.
"I had a very good career at Missouri," Nash said. "It was just time for me to move on. I feel very good about my decision."
The Titans' running game sputtered last year with the departure of Eddie George.
"Yeah, I'm happy going to Tennessee," Nash said. "I knew it was either Tennessee or Kansas City. That's who I was getting calls from. So when it was Tennessee, that was great."
Nash was suspended for the Nebraska game for questioning the offensive coordinator's play-calling from the previous week's game against Oklahoma State in a newspaper article. Now, that bit of unpleasantness is behind him.
"I still talk to the coaching staff," Nash said. "There's no bad blood."
Going in the fifth round did not disappoint Nash.
"You know, who doesn't want to go on the first day?" Nash asked. "Everybody's got their own destiny. I can go to Tennessee and have a great career. They wanted me."
Nash will attend the rookie minicamp that begins Thursday in Nashville, Tenn. He said he is ready to go.
"I've got to go and work hard every day, I know that," Nash said. "I'm ready to get my spot. This most definitely has been a goal, making the NFL.
"As soon as I played football, I wanted to go to every level and this is the highest level."
Mosley, who redshirted in 2001, earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2004 as a junior. He started all 11 games and had 61 tackles, including 14 tackles for losses. Mosley had 6 1/2 sacks and blocked a kick.
"I'm enthusiastic. I'm very happy," Mosley said.
Mosley worked out before the draft with the Vikings and the Cleveland Browns. So he figured that is where he would land, he said.
"I haven't really spoken a lot with them," Mosley said. "I've just got my flight information. I'll know more when I get there."
Mosley will attend a rookie minicamp on Thursday. He said he will be a nose tackle with the Vikings.
"I'm cool with that," Mosley said. "I'm in a good situation. I think I can come in and contribute early.
"Me being a rookie, everything is competition. It's a big opportunity and I'm glad to have it."