Ten DFW Players Get the Call in NFL Draft

Metroplex well-represented on NFL's big day

By ADAM BOEDEKER

Updated 8:15 AM CST, Fri, May 1, 2009

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After telling you folks about the stories of Dallas-Fort Worth natives Matthew Stafford, Jason Smith, Michael Crabtree and Darcel McBath, who were all taken on the first day of the NFL draft (first two rounds), it's time to examine some other Metroplex natives who got the call from NFL teams on the draft's second day.

I figure we can condense these four guys into one entry, but there are two more whose stories are worthy of their own big sha-bang, and those will come at the beginning of next week.

For these four, we'll go in order of their being drafted.

1. Louis Vasquez, Texas Tech (Corsicana HS) - The Chargers selected the hefty guard with the 14th pick in the third round (78 overall), and expect him to compete for a starting role. One thing that sticks out: Near 10 1/2-inch HAND SPAN. Just look at your own hand and think about that. Vasquez was a key part of a Tech offensive line that kept Graham Harrell's jersey spotless throughout the season, and also helped add a big-time running threat to Tech's already-potent offense.

2. Henry Melton, Texas (Grapevine HS) - Melton was the 105th pick in the draft, taken by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round. He entered the Longhorns' program as a running back, and still runs a 4.6 40-yard dash, pretty impressive for a 6-3, 260-pound defensive end. At that weight, he'll obviously be kind of an OLB/DE hybrid type player, but could still have an impact for the Bears.

3. Brandon Williams, Texas Tech (Fort Worth South Hills HS) - At 6 foot, 5 inches and just over 250 pounds, Williams will certainly be moving from defensive end to an outside linebacker for the Cowboys, who picked him with the 120th pick in the middle of the fourth round. At Tech, Williams led the Big 12 in sacks last season with 13. He probably would've been wise to stay in school another year, but he could still contribute.

4. James Casey, Rice (Azle HS) - A genuinely heart-warming story, Casey has gone through a lot in life, losing his mom in a house fire as a high school sophomore. The Texans drafted Casey in the fifth round with the 152nd overall pick in the draft. With Owen Daniels cemented as the team's starting tight end, Casey won't play too regularly, but he'll fit in nicely with Gary Kubiak's system.

Adam Boedeker is a sports writer/award-winning blogger for the Denton Record-Chronicle. He's sick and tired of swine flu.