AKRON – For the fourth consecutive year, a member of the University of Akron football team was drafted within the first four rounds as corner back Reggie Corner was picked in the fourth round by the Buffalo Bills.
Corner was the 114th pick overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, the fifth-highest Akron student-athlete to be selected, following Charlie Frye (67th pick in 2005), Jason Taylor (73rd pick in 1997), Dwight Smith (84th pick in 2001) and Andy Alleman (88th pick in 2007).
Since 2001, Akron has had six players picked. In addition to the names above, Jake Schifino was taken in the fifth round (151st pick overall) in the 2002 draft and Domenik Hixon was taken in the fourth round (130th pick overall) in the 2006 draft.
Corner, who started every game over his career and graduated from Akron in December of 2007, ended his career at Akron with 197 tackles (52 in 2007), 15 interceptions and 35 pass breakups. His 15 career picks ties current NFL defensive back Smith for second on the Akron all-time list. Also, Corner ranks eighth on the Mid-American Conference all-time list with his 15 career picks and ranks seventh on the MAC all-time list with his 225 career return yards off interceptions.
Corner earned first team All-MAC honors in 2007, as named by the league’s coaches, as well as first team All-MAC by Rivals.com and Phil Steele Magazine. He led the league and ranked fourth in the NCAA in interceptions (0.58 per game). He added 12 pass breakups to go along with his seven interceptions to tie teammate Davanzo Tate as the MAC leader in passes defended (1.58), which ranked sixth in the NCAA. His seven picks was the second-best total in the nation to date this season and is fourth on the Akron single-season list. Corner opened the season being named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week after returning an interception 74 yards for a TD in the win over Army. The following week at Ohio State, he had another pick and two pass breakups, one of which led to a John Mackey interception. His solid play continued at Indiana, where he had a career-high eight tackles. In Akron’s win over rival Kent State, Corner intercepted a pass and returned it 43 yards to the KSU two, setting up what proved to be Akron’s game-winning TD. He added two picks in the Temple contest and one each versus Miami and Central Michigan. Corner closed the season with six PBU over the final three games, including a career-high four versus the Chippewas of CMU. In addition to being All-MAC, Corner was named the Zips’ “Most Valuable Defensive Back” by the UA staff.
AKRON ZIPS IN THE NFL DRAFT
YEAR Rd. Pick Name, Position Team
1941 22 203 Mike Fernella, T Philadelphia
1967 13 338 Al Kerkian, DE Dallas
16 411 Don Williams, WR Cleveland
1968 12 307 Paul Paxton, T Miami
1969 11 285 Ken Delaney, T Baltimore
1987 7 178 Chris Kelley, TE Pittsburgh
1989 10 274 John Buddenberg, T Cleveland
1993 8 224 Daron Alcorn, K Tampa Bay
1997 3 73 Jason Taylor, DE Miami
2001 3 84 Dwight Smith, FS Tampa Bay
2002 5 151 Jake Schifino, WR Tennessee
2005 3 67 Charlie Frye, QB Cleveland
2006 4 130 Domenik Hixon, WR Denver
2007 3 88 Andy Alleman, G New Orleans
2008 4 114 Reggie Corner, CB Buffalo
Courtesy: Akron Media Relations
