RAMS IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL

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1 Emmanuel Akah (G) Anthony Blaylock (DB) Jack Cameron (WR) WSSU alum Emmanuel Akah played professional football in the now-defunct NFL Europa. Akah split the 2006 NFL Europe League season, having started with Rhein before joining Frankfurt. Overall, he played in seven games, including starts in the final three regular season games and the Galaxy s World Bowl win over Amsterdam. The 28 year-old Akah is a native of London, England, who finished high school at Tottenville High in Staten Island, New York. During his time at WSSU, Akah was instrumental in helping to anchor the Rams offensive line as he led an offensive front that saw Martin Hicks (twice) and Jerrick Jed Bines (once) each break the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season. During Akah s two-year tenure at WSSU, the Rams led the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in rushing both seasons. A 2004 All- CIAA First-Team selection, Akah participated, and started in the 2004 East Coast Bowl following a season in which the Rams averaged yards per game rushing (second in NCAA Division II). The Cleveland Browns drafted Anthony Blaylock in A fourth-round selection, he spent four and a half years with the Browns before moving on to San Diego and ending his career in 1993 with the Chicago Bears. Blaylock played in 71 career games registering six interceptions, one fumble recovery for a touchdown and five sacks. Cameron spent the entire 1984 season with the Chicago Bears primarily as a return specialist. He returned 26 kickoffs for 485 yards (18.7) in addition to catching one pass Denver Broncos 2006 Miami Dolphins Cleveland Browns 1991 Cleveland Browns/San Diego Chargers 1992 San Diego Chargers 1993 Chicago Bears Chicago Bears 175

2 Donald Evans (DE/DT) Donald Frank (DB) Oronde Gadsden (WR) Evans has the distinction of being the highest player ever drafted from Winston-Salem State University after being selected in the second round of the 1987 draft by the Los Angeles Rams. His playing career included stints with the Rams, Eagles, Steelers and the New York Jets. Evans ended his eight years in the National Football League having played in 90 games and totaling 17 sacks, with his best season coming during the 1993 campaign when he registered 6.5 sacks with the Steelers. Donald Frank began his professional career in 1990 with the San Diego Chargers with whom he would play until He then moved on to the Los Angeles Raiders (1994) and concluded his playing days in Minnesota (1995). His career totals include 14 interceptions, which he returned for 315 yards, and two touchdowns. As a senior at Winston-Salem State, Gadsden caught 56 passes for 1,111 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading the CIAA with 19.8 yards per catch and finishing second in receiving yards, touchdowns and yards per game (101.0). Gadsden joinined the Dolphins in 1998 and was one of the team s top pass-catching targets, recording 48 or more receptions in each of his four seasons and leading the Miami Dolphins in receiving during the 2000 and 2001 campaigns with 56 and 55 catches respectively. He finished his career among the top five in Dolphin history for total receptions, yards and touchdowns Los Angeles Rams 1988 Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers New York Jets San Diego Chargers 1994 Los Angeles Raiders 1995 Minnesota Vikings Miami Dolphins 176

3 William Hayes (DE) Anthony Hines (WR) Richard Huntley (RB) Hayes, a defensive end who closed out a stellar career for the Rams of Winston-Salem State University in 2007, became the first WSSU player to get drafted since Richard Huntley was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft (117th overall). A 6 2, 260-pound defensive end from High Point, North Carolina, Hayes played in 29 games for the Rams in his career with 24 starts. He closed out his senior season at WSSU with 78 total tackles (46 solo tackles), 19 for loss, with a team-high 8.5 sacks. Hayes, a terror for opposing offenses, forced seven fumbles and returned two of his team-high four fumble recoveries for touchdowns, the only touchdowns of his career. Hayes was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the 103rd overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft as he was the fourth selection in the fourth round of the 2008 draft. Hayes has spent two years in the National Football League and has developed into a consistent starter. He appeared in all 16 games last season for the Titans while making 11 starts. The High Point, N.C. native has developed into a mainstay of the Tennessee Titans defense Present Tennessee Titans Following a great career as at Winston-Salem State University that included a pair of CIAA championships, Anthony Hines has gone to become one of the most electrifying players in the Arena Football League. During his five-year career, he has led four teams in receiving. Hines joined the Kansas City Brigade as a free agent this season and helped take the Brigade to the Arena Football League playoffs. His best season came in 2006 when he pulled in a careerhigh 124 receptions for 1,329 yards and 25 touchdowns for the Grand Rapids Rampage. He also added 11 tackles and a pair of interceptions that season Roanoke Storm (AF2) Cape Fear Wildcats (AF2) 2004 Indiana Firebirds (AFL) Grand Rapids Rampage (AFL) 2007 Present Kansas City Brigade Huntley was the 117th overall pick in the 1996 draft, selected in the fourth round by the Atlanta Falcons. In addition to the Falcons, this five-year NFL veteran also spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Carolina Panthers. Richard ended his college career at Winston-Salem State University ranked second all-time in NCAA history with 6,286 yards rushing, and as the CIAA s career scoring leader with 372 points on 62 touchdowns. He joined a list of nine players, including NFL Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett, as the only players to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of their first four seasons in the NFL. His record-breaking final collegiate season in 1995 included setting a Division II mark with an average of yards per game en route to a record 1,889 total rushing yards, earning him Sheridan Broadcasting Systems All-America Offensive Player of the Year honors. Huntley is the only player in NCAA history to have two 1,800-plus yard rushing seasons. During his one season with the Panthers he led Carolina in rushing with 665 yards on 165 carries with a pair of touchdowns as well as pulling in 21 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. Huntley appeared in 14 games with nine starts with the Panthers Atlanta Falcons Pittsburgh Steelers 2001 Carolina Panthers 177

4 RAMS IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL Arrington Jones (RB) Bill Murrell (TE) Timmy Newsome (RB) Jones was a fifth round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1981 in a pick that was obtained in a trade from the Chicago Bears. He played in one game while in San Francisco returning three kickoffs for 43 yards (14.3). Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 1979 draft, Murrell eventually spent the 79 season with the St. Louis Cardinals, playing in 12 games and catching two passes for a total of 20 yards. The second leading rusher in WSSU history (sixth in CIAA history), Timmy Newsome was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 1980 draft for not only his skills as a runner, but also for his pass catching abilities. The Cowboys took advantage of his multiple talents while utilizing Newsome at tailback, fullback and tight end. He ended his career with Dallas as the ninth leading receiver in club history and in 1990 was selected to the Cowboys All-Decade Team as selected by the Dallas Cowboys Weekly Newspaper San Francisco 49ers 1979 St. Louis Cardinals Dallas Cowboys 178

5 RAMS IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL Allen Powell (DB) Powell spent the entire 1987 and 1998 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks primarily as special teams player. He returned 21 kickoffs for 416 yards (17.7) Seattle Seahawks Yancey Thigpen (WR) Tory Woodbury (QB) Drafted in the fourth round by the San Diego Chargers in 1991,Yancey Thigpen spent six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the Tennessee Titans in Known throughout the league as a big-play receiver, Thigpen was a two-time Pro Bowl selection who holds the record for the longest touchdown in the game s history, a 93-yard grab in During his tenure in Pittsburgh Thigpen set season records for receptions and receiving yards while also posting two 1,000-yard receiving seasons. When he signed with the Titans in 1998 he became the highest paid receiver in the NFL at the time. Thigpen also appeared in two Super Bowls, one with the Titans and one with the Steelers. Woodbury, the Rams all-time leading passer with 4,493 yards, guided Winston-Salem State University to back-to-back CIAA championships in 1999 and In addition, he is second in the school s record books in touchdown passes (38) and total offense (5,527), behind only Richard Huntley (6,288). Taking notice of his great athletic ability and potential, the New York Jets signed him to a free-agent contract on April 26, After being released by the Jets, Woodbury was promptly signed by the Denver Broncos. Following a one-year stint with the Broncos, Woddbury was signed by the Buffalo Bills Pittsburgh Steelers Tennessee Titans New York Jets Denver Broncos 2005 Buffalo Bills 179