• NFL Draft Website
Two former Ohio Valley Conference football players were selected in the NFL Draft on Saturday. Jacksonville State safety
Siran Neal was taken in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills while Southeast Missouri linebacker
Kendall Donnerson was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round.
Even though no OVC players were selected a year ago, it marks the eighth time in the last 11 years that at least one player has been selected; in seven of those years multiple players have been drafted.
Neal became the 10th Jacksonville State player ever taken in the NFL Draft, going at No. 154 overall. He becomes the first Gamecock taken since Alan Bonner's sixth-round selection by the Texans in 2013. Neal is the highest drafted JSU player since Eric Davis went to the 49ers in the second round in 1990. Neal was a first-team All-American by the AFCA as a senior in 2017, his first career All-America honor after another dominant performance on the JSU defense. He grabbed his second-straight first-team All-OVC mention in 2017 despite changing positions before his senior campaign. An All-OVC linebacker at the nickel position in 2016, his move to corner in 2017 saw the same success. He notched a team-best 11 pass break-ups to go along with 33 tackles and interception, despite seeing a limited number of passes thrown to his side of the field in 2017. Neal has gained the attention of many professional scouts and parlayed that into an invitation to the prestigious Reese's Senior Bowl. He will become just the fourth JSU player to ever play in the nation's top college all-star showcase on Jan. 27 in Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Donnerson was drafted by the Green Bay Packers at No. 248 overall, becoming the first SEMO player to be drafted in 14 years. The last was Eugene Amano who was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2004 (7th round, 239th pick). Donnerson was a first-team All-OVC selection in 2017, as he finished third on the team with 53 tackles, including 36 solo stops. Donnerson notched 13.5 tackles for a loss of 69 yards and added six sacks. He forced three fumbles, posted one interception and tallied three pass breakups, as well. Donnerson is fourth in the OVC in tackles for loss, seventh in sacks and second in forced fumbles.