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 The Browns traded next years (2009) 3rd round pick to move up in the draft (pick 111 overall) to select Tight End Martin Rucker out of Missouri.
Here is some info on Martin... Martin Rucker (TE) Height: 6'5" Weight: 248 College: Missouri Conference: Big 12 Hometown: St. Joseph, MO High School: Benton Pick Analysis: Rucker is a highly productive player and the younger brother of former Carolina Panther DE Mike Rucker. He is a terrific athlete and has great hands and ball skills. He really came on his senior season with eight touchdown catches. Overview For more than two decades, tight ends at Missouri and in what is know the Big Twelve have been measured against former Mizzou great and NFL Hall of Famer Kellen B. Winslow. With a stellar career in which he started all 50 games and set school records -- including the overall reception record -- and new marks for Big Twelve tight ends, Martin Rucker became the standard-bearer at this position. Nebraska's loss was Missouri's gain, as the little brother of former Huskers and present Carolina Panthers defensive end Mike Rucker, decided that he would enroll at the rival school rather than reside in Lincoln, Nebraska. Very close to his oldest brother, Martin Rucker was often found at the Panthers' training facility or their games when not involved with the Missouri football program. That bond helped soothe the youngster after he withdrew his name from consideration for the 2007 NFL Draft as an underclassman. The NFL advisory board had informed Martin Rucker last year that he was regarded as only a fifth-round prospect. With that information, Martin Rucker wisely chose the course of returning to school for his final season. "I'm glad that I looked into this, it was a good experience to go through, and the feedback I got was really positive," said Rucker. "I'm very excited about the chance to eventually play in the NFL, but I believe that playing one more year at Mizzou will be the best for me. We have some business to take care of next year, and I want to be a part of what I believe can be a special season." Missouri has been blessed with a wealth of talent at the tight end position the last three years. Even though Rucker was the starter, Chase Coffman was often utilized in two-tight end formations, giving the Tigers the best tandem in football at that position. Andy Hill, the Missouri assistant who was the lead recruiter of both tight ends, contends the common perception of the two stars isn't totally correct. Rucker is looked at, generally, as the more powerful of the two players, Coffman more as a speedy wide receiver-type. But Rucker's 40 time is 4.63 seconds compared with Coffman's 4.8. "Chase, he's a quicker person in separation than he is fast running," said Hill, Missouri's wide receivers coach. "He catches the ball away from his body, too, so he can catch even if he's covered pretty well. Rucker is more of a smoother, athletic guy. Rucker, the first time I saw him in high school he was running track; a triple-jumper, a sprinter. At Benton High School, Rucker was a standout tight end and defensive end. He earned first-team All-State honors as a tight end and first-team All-District and All-Conference accolades at both tight end and defensive end. He was ranked 28th among the nation's tight end prospects by Rivals.com, and as the 12th-best prospect of any position in the state of Missouri by the same outlet. A Super Prep All-Midlands and 51st-rated player, Rucker had 23 catches for 207 yards and two touchdowns while recording 64 tackles and seven quarterback sacks on the defensive side of the ball in his final campaign. As a junior, he caught 25 passes for 340 yards and three scores, adding 54 tackles on the defensive side of the ball. He also had eight catches for 99 yards as a sophomore in 2000. An excellent all-around athlete, Rucker added All-District and All-Conference honors in basketball. He also excelled in track, placing 12th in the state in the triple-jump. He won conference and district titles in the triple-jump, as well as a conference championship in the long jump. Choosing Missouri over Nebraska as his college was an easy decision. It kept him close to his family in Jefferson City, where his father, Martin, is a member of the House of Representatives in the state of Missouri. He spent the 2003 season on the Tigers scout team and was limited in 2004 preseason practices due to a right labrum tear that eventually required surgery in March of his redshirt campaign. He would start all 11 games for Missouri in 2004, ranking sixth on the team with 19 receptions for 263 yards (13.8-yard average) and four touchdowns. He also recorded four tackles (two solo) and recovered a fumble on special teams. For that performance, he earned Freshman All-American second-team and Freshman All-Big Twelve Conference first-team recognition. In 2005, Rucker was named first-team All-Big Twelve and selected the team's Receiver of the Year. He led the team and all conference tight ends with 47 receptions for 567 yards (12.1-yard average) and a touchdown, the second-best season total ever by a Tigers tight end. He also continued to play on special teams, coming up with four tackles (three solo). As a junior, Rucker was named the Metro Kansas City Player of the Year, adding first-team All-Big Twelve Conference honors. He ranked second on the team and finished ninth among the nation's tight ends with 53 catches for 511 yards (9.6-yard average) and scored five times. His total yardage after his first three seasons at Missouri totaled 1,341 yards, becoming only the fourth tight end in school history to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a career. A consensus first-team All-American and unanimous All-Big Twelve Conference choice, Rucker was also a finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation's top tight end. He set a school record and shattered the conference tight end record with 84 receptions for 834 yards (9.9-yard average) and eight touchdowns. He led the nation's tight ends with an average of six receptions per game and gained 50 yards on 14 carries (3.6 avg). He also recovered two fumbles and made an assisted tackle. In 50 games at Missouri, all starts, Rucker set the school record and finished eighth in Big Twelve Conference history with 203 receptions. He ranks second in Missouri annals with 2,175 yards receiving (10.7-yard average) and is 11th on the school's all-time list with 11 touchdown grabs. He gained 56 yards on 16 carries (3.5-yard average), recorded nine tackles (seven solo) and recovered three fumbles. Career Notes Holds the school record with 203 career receptions, topping the previous mark of 200 by Justin Gage (1999-2002)...Also broke a tie with Gage for sole possession for eighth on the Big Twelve list...His 203 receptions are the most ever by a Big Twelve tight end...Ranks second in Missouri history with 2,175 yards receiving, surpassed only by Justin Gage (2,704 yards)...Joined Gage and Victor Bailey (2,144 yards, 1990-92) as the only Missouri Tigers to gain over 2,000 yards receiving in a career...Broke the previous all-time tight end records at the school which were set by Andy Gibler (101 catches for 1,290 yards, 1979-82)...Joined Justin Gage (82 in 2002) as the only players in school history to catch over 80 passes (school-record 84 grabs) in a season...His 84 catches shattered the record for tight ends, topping the previous mark of 55 receptions by A.J. Ofodile in 1993...Those 84 receptions placed Rucker ninth on the Big Twelve single-season chart...His 834 yards receiving in 2007 rank tied with Joe Stewart (1976) for sixth on the school's overall season-record list, while that total broke the old record for tight end, topping Ofodile's 1993 mark of 589 yards...Rucker's 11 receptions vs. Western Michigan in 2007 are the most catches by a Missouri tight end in a game and rank sixth on the school's single-game list behind Justin Gage (16 vs. Bowling Green in 2002, 13 vs. Baylor in 2001 and 12 vs. Oklahoma State in 2001), Kenny Holly (15 vs. Oklahoma State in 1992) and Victor Bailey (12 vs. Kansas in 1992)...Holds the school record with 50 consecutive starts, topping the old mark of 48 by Brad Smith (2002-05).
High School Attended Benton (St. Joseph, Mo.) High School, playing football for head coach Pat Byrne...Standout at both tight end and defensive end...Earned first-team All-State honors as a tight end and first-team All-district and All-Conference accolades at both tight end and defensive end...Ranked 28th among the nation's tight end prospects by Rivals.com, and as the 12th-best prospect of any position in the state of Missouri by the same outlet...A Super Prep All-Midlands and 51st-rated player...Had 23 catches for 207 yards and two touchdowns while recording 64 tackles and seven quarterback sacks on the defensive side of the ball in his final campaign...As a junior, he caught 25 passes for 340 yards and three scores, adding 54 tackles on the defensive side of the ball...Also had eight catches for 99 yards as a sophomore in 2000...Added All-District and All-Conference honors in basketball...Excelled in track, placing 12th in the state in the triple jump...Won conference and district titles in the triple jump, as well as a conference championship in the long jump. Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange. |
