Posted on 04/30/2006 9:50:27 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Long after they expected and hoped, a house full of family and friends was able to let out the screams of joy that nine hours of anxiously watching the NFL Draft had bottled up. When former Palmdale High School star Derek Hagan finally saw his name on the television screen Saturday afternoon, the champagne and tears flowed freely because Hagan's lifelong dream of being an NFL player came true.
With the 82nd-overall pick in the draft, the Miami Dolphins ended the extended wait for Hagan and his supporters, who all believed the Arizona State wide receiver would be selected in the first or second round. Falling into the third round, per se, isn't what had the Pac-10's all-time leading receiver upset.
It was watching five other receivers selected before him that did the trick.
"I really feel like when I got out there, I'm going out there with the extra edge, knowing that 31 other teams had the opportunity to pick me and didn't pick me," said Hagan. "They picked different wide receivers in front of me. That's what's bothering me right now, the other receivers being picked in front of me.
A crowd of newly minted Dolphins hugged Hagan, cried and posed for photos as plastic cups of champagne were passed around. While the TiVo recording of his selection was rewound and viewed a couple more times, Hagan's father needed a few moments to himself out on the front porch.
The whole excruciatingly exciting day was caught on film as part of a documentary being shot for release by Netflix. Jack Tiernan, the documentary's executive producer and one of Hagan's agents from Creative Artists Agency, said the film crew has followed Hagan, New Mexico's Dontrell Moore and Oklahoma's Travis Wilson for the past four months.
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
"GOING TO MIAMI Former Palmdale High School star Derek Hagan receives a call to let him know he has been drafted Saturday by the Miami Dolphins, while family and friends react. Hagan was taken in the third round with the 82nd selection of the NFL Draft." KELLY LACEFIELD Valley Press
The PacTen's all time leading receiver.
Big guy, good speed, knows how to get open, catches balls.
He dropped 2 passes in Mobile for Senior Bowl practice(we're talkin' practice!), and his stock drops mightily.
Real good get for the Dolphins, the Pouting QB will like him.
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