Former University of Nebraska strong safety Daniel Bullocks, who played at Hixson High School, was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 40th pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Also, San Diego took Virginia place-kicker Kurt Smith from Baylor School in the sixth round.
Former Tennessee standouts Gerald Riggs from Red Bank and Jason Hall from McCallie were not drafted, but both signed free-agent deals over the weekend.
Bullocks completed his Nebraska career in 2005, serving as one of two Husker co-captains last season, and was a second-team All-Big 12 selection each of the past two seasons. The 6-2, 210-pound Bullocks finished with 226 career tackles, the second-most ever by a Nebraska defensive back, while his 22 career pass breakups were the most ever by a Nebraska safety.
Bullocks also finished with eight career interceptions to finish just outside of the Nebraska top 10. He played in 48 career games, with 33 starts, and started each of the final 32 games of his Nebraska career.
Bullocks finished third on the team in 2005 with 83 total tackles, including four tackles for loss and added 10 pass breakups. Bullocks also scored a touchdown on a 30-yard fumble return against Wake Forest, while adding an interception. In 2004, Bullocks led Nebraska and ranked second in the Big 12 with five interceptions. He added 58 tackles, including four tackles for loss, and added nine pass breakups.
Ironically, Bullocks was taken with the 40th overall pick in the draft, the exact same selection as his twin brother, Josh, was taken in the 2005 NFL Draft. Josh Bullocks was selected by the New Orleans Saints in last year's draft and broke into the starting lineup during his rookie season. Daniel and Josh Bullocks teamed up as Nebraska's starting safeties in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
SMITH: After taking the first of two offensive linemen he would select yesterday, San Diego general manager A.J.Smith used his second sixth-round pick (acquired in last October's trade for quarterback Cleo Lemon) to take kicker Kurt Smith.
His thinking was that Smith, out of Virginia, might well be taken by someone in the seventh round and not be available post-draft as a free agent. And, with Nate Kaeding a fine field goal kicker but lacking boom in his kickoffs, Smith took a flier on a kid who had 58 percent of his kickoffs downed in the end zone his senior season.
“If he's special enough he will cost us a roster spot,” Smith said. “I think he's a special guy. Coach (Marty) Schottenheimer will make that call.”
RIGGS: Tennessee's Gerald Riggs signed a free-agent deal with the Miami Dolphis after not being drafted.
Riggs said the ankle injury he suffered last year against Alabama probably kept him from being drafted. He will play at Miami for coach Nick Saban, who recruited Riggs while he was the head coach at LSU.
HALL: Jason Hall signed a free-agent deal with the Buffalo Bills after not being drafted.
An All-SEC defensive end at Tennessee last year, Hall had his best season with the Vols as a senior.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)