By The Associated Press
For the second straight year, at least one Baylor football player heard his name called in the first round of the NFL draft.
Taylor to Browns
After making two trades, the Cleveland Browns selected defensive tackle Phil Taylor with the No. 21 pick, a run stopper for their new 4-3 defensive alignment.
Taylor finished last season with 62 total tackles, good for fifth on the team and seven tackles for loss.
The Browns first swapped the No. 6 overall pick with Atlanta, acquired four others from the Falcons, including the No. 27 pick and then swapped that pick and a third-rounder (No. 70) with the Kansas City Chiefs to get Taylor, a 6-foot-3, 330-pounder.
Cleveland’s defensive front is changing next season under new coach Pat Shurmur.
Watkins to Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Baylor offensive lineman Danny Watkins with the 23rd pick of the NFL draft Thursday night.
The 26-year-old Watkins is a former firefighter who took an unconventional route to the NFL. The Canadian has more experience as a firefighter (five years) than a football player (four) and played hockey and rugby in high school.
Watkins, listed at 6-foot-4 and 312 pounds, played left tackle for Baylor but projects as a guard in the pros.
He could help an offensive line that allowed 49 sacks last season, despite the presence of Michael Vick.
