Football: Former Bruins await NFL Draft weekend

Jessica Bach
Published: Friday, April 22, 2005

After a grueling three-month process of being timed, measured, poked and prodded, it all comes down to this weekend.

For at least six former Bruins, the results of this weekend’s National Football League Draft has the potential to permanently alter the rest of their lives.

But until this weekend, all they can do is wait and see.

For six Bruins – wide receiver Tab Perry, fullback Manuel White, receiver Craig Bragg, safety Ben Emanuel, punter Chris Kluwe and cornerback Matt Clark – though they have a chance of being drafted, they may have to wait longer than some as there are no true first-round contenders in the bunch.

Most are projected to be picked anywhere from the third round on Saturday, to the draft’s final round on Sunday, while the possibility exists that some may not be drafted this weekend.

But for some players, round selections aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

“A lot of people get wrapped up in all that, but there are a lot of guys who were selected in the first round that aren’t even in the league anymore,” Perry said.

“You can’t judge success by where you get drafted; it’s about how you finish once you’re in the league. And right now, I’m just happy to have an opportunity.”

For Perry, much of the auditioning process has come during the postseason after seeing only limited playing time for the Bruins during the 2004 season.

Perry, who took a year off due to academic problems, has regained his previous form and as a result has seen his stock rise dramatically, especially with his impressive 40-yard dash times at the NFL Combine and UCLA’s Pro Day.

His size, strength and kick-return ability have helped propel him on the draft list.

“I knew going into the season, that since I was going to be a starter things were going to be more difficult,” Perry said. “So that going into the offseason I knew I had to prepare well.”

As for White, whose greatest strengths are his versatility and size, he is pegged as one of the first Bruins to be selected.

For Bragg, analysts are quick to point out his playmaking ability along with good hands, but say he may lack the size, speed and athletic ability for the NFL, and mark him only as a solid No. 2 starter.

Emanuel, on the other hand, has both the size and athletic ability, but constantly heard the criticism at UCLA that he never quite lived up to his potential.

For those who aren’t selected during the seven rounds of the draft, there exists the possibility that they will be picked up as free agents after the draft and will get a chance during training camps to prove their worth.

But for the time being, until the draft is over on Sunday, all they can do is sit back, wait and see.

“There are 32 teams and only one has to pick me. For the 31 that don’t, I’ll wait until I’m on the field to make them pay,” Perry said.