April 30, 2006

Terrance Pennington became the second New Mexico offensive lineman in as many days to be selected in the 2006 NFL Draft when he was taken by the Buffalo Bills with the eighth pick of round seven (216th overall) this afternoon. The 6-7, 325-pound tackle was a two-year starter for the Lobos and averaged a career-high 6.5 knockdown blocks per game as senior.

Pennington is the third member of New Mexico's vaunted offensive line unit, known as "The Hitmen", to be drafted in the past two years, joining guard Claude Terrell (St. Louis Rams, sixth round) in 2004 and center Ryan Cook, who went to the Minnesota Vikings in round two yesterday. This is the first time two UNM offensive linemen have been selected in the NFL Draft in the same year.

UNM had two players chosen in the NFL Draft for the second straight season. It's the third time under ninth-year head coach Rocky Long that a pair of Lobos have been drafted. Eight UNM players have been selected since Long took over the program during the 1998-99 season.

Pennington is the second Lobo to be drafted by the Buffalo Bills, joining kicker Bob Berg who went in the 17th round of the 1976 Draft. The Compton, Calif. native was the second of three offensive linemen selected by the Bills in the 2006 Draft. Buffalo took five defensive players before selecting its first offensive player, Virginia tackle Brad Butler, with its second pick of the fifth round.

New Mexico wide receiver Hank Baskett III and running back DonTrell Moore are among the undrafted Lobos who are likely to sign NFL free agent contracts this week.

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT PENNINGTON:

Bills scout Terry Wooden on Pennington
"I like his size, his length, he has very long arms," said Wooden. "He looks the part. You see him in uniform and he looks like the prototypical offensive tackle and he has a lot of upside. He's been a two-year starter so he has room to grow. He has more room to grow physically especially in his lower body."

Left tackle or right tackle "He's played both, but he has the agility with his long arms and his feet to possibly play left tackle," Wooden said.

Tested well "He tested well in Indy at the combine and if I'm not mistaken he did 28 reps on the bench press," said Wooden. "And with 36-inch arms that's pretty impressive to be able to lift 225 pounds 28 times. He's everything you look for when you picture an offensive tackle."

Test better than he played? "One thing he does have is all the physical tools," said Wooden. "I think a guy like him just needs more coaching and reps in practice, but he does have all the tools and that's the most important thing."

Can mentally absorb the responsibilities of his position? "On tape he doesn't have any busted plays," Wooden said. "Talking to the coaches at New Mexico they speak highly of him. They say he puts in his time on the field and in the classroom and he wants to get better and is always trying to get better. So when you have that combination I think they're good things to have."

WHAT PENNINGTON SAID:

On keeping his weight in check the past two years.
"Basically I've been making sure I eat right and keep up with my conditioning," said Pennington. "It plays a big part in the game. Being an offensive lineman guys are depending on me to make the block every time so I have to be conditioned to do that consistently. Coming up I didn't fully understand it and it took me a while, but I want to be the best player I can so that's why I worked my butt off and did some extra running and got the weight down."

Time at both tackle spots at New Mexico. Are you a flip tackle or prefer one side?
"Being at New Mexico a lot of us have played both sides so all five years I was used to playing on the left and the right. I could put both hands down and move either my left or right foot back. I'm going to go out there and play wherever they put me and bust my (butt) and go for it."