Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens set himself apart the day he was drafted. The wide receiver was taken No. 89 by the 49ers in the 1996 draft, and became the highest-drafted player ever from his alma mater, UT-Chattanooga. He was surpassed Thursday night.
The New England Patriots, somewhat ironically with the No. 29 overall pick which once belonged to the 49ers, selected center UT-Chattanooga center Cole Strange. That pushed Strange well beyond Owens as the earliest pick to play their college ball for the Mocs.
Strange would love to have the center equivalent to Owens’ career as a receiver. Owens played for 15 seasons and racked up 15,934 receiving yards and 153 receiving touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler six times and a First-Team All-Pro five times.
If Strange can make that many Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams, he’ll find himself alongside Owens in the Hall of Fame as one of the steals of the 2022 draft.
