Indiana offensive lineman James Brewer and wide receiver Tandon Doss were selected in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL?Draft on Saturday. The New York Giants took Brewer with the 117th overall selection and the Baltimore Ravens picked Doss with the 123rd choice.
You think of Indiana in college basketball first, and not in college football. But there have been a few Hoosiers taken in the NFL Draft in recent years.
Doss is the second Hoosier ever selected by the Ravens, and Brewer is the 10th taken by the Giants and the first since 1994. Baltimore took fullback Steve Lee in the 1997 sixth round and New York chose wide receiver Thomas Lewis with the 24th pick in the 1994 first round.
A 2010 honorable mention All-Big Ten pick by the league’s coaches and media, Brewer started nine games at right tackle and allowed just two sacks. The Indianapolis native also received the 2010 Don Howell “Outstanding Offensive Lineman” Award, which is given annually to the team’s top offensive lineman. Brewer started his last 21 consecutive games and played in 29 games overall during his IU career.
Doss led the Big Ten and finished fifth nationally with 175.8 all-purpose yards per game en route to 2010 first team All-Big Ten accolades from the conference’s coaches. He closed out the year with 63 receptions, 706 receiving yards, seven touchdowns, 1,016 kick return yards, 163 rushing yards and 49 punt return yards. The Indianapolis native ended his career in the top 10 on IU’s all-time lists in receptions (fourth; 154), kick return yards (fourth; 1,549), receiving yards (seventh; 1,854) and all-purpose yards (seventh; 3,786) in 31 games (22 starts).