BOISE, Idaho — THIS DAY IN SPORTS…April 28, 2007, 15 years ago today:
Five years before Boise State’s record-breaking six-player draft class, Gerald Alexander kicks off the largest one yet for the Broncos when he’s selected in the second round (61st overall) by the Detroit Lions, then the school’s fourth-highest pick ever. The Lions even traded up to get the star safety. The following day, wide receiver Legedu Naanee would go to the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round, linebacker Korey Hall to the Green Bay Packers in the sixth, and tight end Derek Schouman to the Buffalo Bills in the seventh. After all that, though, quarterback Jared Zabransky went undrafted.
Alexander played with five teams over five seasons and made four career interceptions. He then went into coaching, starting with Bryan Harsin’s staff at Arkansas State in 2013. He was also a grad assistant for Chris Petersen at Washington in 2014. By 2020, he was ready to dip his toe into NFL coaching with the Miami Dolphins and spent two seasons there. Alexander is still a free agent coach now after the controversial firing of Brian Flores by the Dolphins in February.
Naanee, who had to be talked into giving up his quarterback dream at Boise State, saw the 2005 move to receiver pay off, He parlayed that into a nice six-year NFL career, four of them with the Chargers. Naanee’s best season actually came with the Carolina Panthers in 2011, with 44 catches for 467 yards. Overall, Naanee logged 108 grabs for 1,232 yards and four touchdowns.
Hall and Schouman were both drafted as fullbacks. It worked out for the two Idahoans, especially Hall, the pride of Glenns Ferry. Hall never had a rushing attempt in the NFL but he was a key to Green Bay’s running game during his four seasons there (he played for New Orleans in his final year). Hall had 21 career receptions for 137 yards and a TD and won a Super Bowl with the Packers following the 2010 season (along with fellow former Bronco Daryn Colledge). Schouman, the Eagle High grad, played four NFL seasons and had 27 catches for 275 yards and a touchdown.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
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