CHARLESTON, Ill. – The National Football League Draft has become an event all by itself as this season it stretches into three days with the first three rounds being shown in prime time on ESPN. The opening round of this year's draft will take place Thursday night with rounds 2 and 3 taking place on Friday night from historic Radio City Music Hall in downtown New York.
Despite all the hoopla it will most likely be on day three that a player from Eastern Illinois has a chance to hear his name called and begin his dream of playing in the NFL. The final four rounds will take place on Saturday morning when rounds four through seven start at 9 a.m. on ESPN.
This year three former Panthers have a shot of making an NFL club but more than likely only one player has a true chance of being selected in the NFL Draft. Chris Campbell, Otis Hudson and Austin Signor are listed among the players from EIU garnering some NFL interest heading into the draft.
Campbell a 6-5, 328 lb., offensive tackle has generated the most buzz during the recent weeks. Selected as a late edition to play in the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star game, Campbell has opened the eyes of several NFL teams. In the latest CBS Scout Draft Tracker, Campbell is listed as the No. 18 rated prospect at offensive tackle and is projected to be taken in the sixth round. A report in Sporting News has him as a sleeper in the draft and rated as high as the No. 10 offensive tackle available. Campbell was a second team All-OVC selection as a senior starting for the first time in his EIU career. He played at Chicago's Marshall High School. The Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks are the two teams who are reported to be interested in Campbell.
Should Campbell be selected in the NFL Draft he would become the first Panther to hear his name called since Chris Watson was selected in the 3rd round of the 1999 draft by the Denver Broncos. To this day Watson is also the highest NFL selection in the draft from EIU.
Hudson is rated as the No. 43 best available offensive tackle as the 6-5, 331 lb., player is projected to sign as a free agent following the draft. Hudson was a two-year starter at right tackle helping protect “the blindside” of a left-handed quarterback during his senior season. Hudson played the first three years of his collegiate career at Minnesota before transferring to EIU in 2008. He attended Barrington High School.
Signor has been rated as the No. 15 best available kicker as he only has one year of place kicking duties under his belt at EIU. Signor was a kick off specialist for the Panthers leading the nation in kick offs for touchback in 2009. He is projected as a free agent sign following draft. Signor played two seasons at EIU after starting his career at Iowa. He attended Urbandale (Iowa) High School.
