Although the football team had none of its members chosen at the NFL draft this past weekend at New York's Madison Square Garden, five former Blue Devils will still get the chance to test their skills at the next level.
All-ACC tight end Mike Hart, offensive linemen John Miller and Shawn Lynch, defensive back Ronnie Hamilton and defensive lineman Nate Krill all signed free-agent contracts Sunday and Monday with NFL teams.
Krill, who inked a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, said he was thrilled at the opportunity to enter the professional ranks.
"I'm real excited to go in there," Krill said. "The Bengals were ranked real high on my list, and I'm real excited to get in there and go to work. They called me right after the draft, which means I was a pretty high priority for a free agent."
Hart, Duke's team MVP the past two seasons and a 2001 honorable mention All-American, signed with the San Francisco 49ers. Mentioned as a possible draft pick on many website projections, Hart will compete for playing time with fellow rookie Mark Anelli, a Wisconsin tight end who was taken in the sixth round. By adding Hart and Anelli, San Francisco is now four deep at the tight end position, as it starts Eric Johnson and brings Justin Swift off the sideline.
Hamilton, a cornerback and special teams player for Duke, reached a deal with the New York Giants. The 5-foot-8, 181-pounder will likely be used more in his special teams capacity, based on his solid reputation as punt returner, for which he earned honorable mention All-ACC honors in 2001. If Hamilton is used as a cornerback, he may play behind defensive back Jason Sehorn, generally regarded as one of the top corners in the league.
Miller, the Blue Devils' Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in 2000, will play for the expansion Houston Texans. The 6-6, 335-pound Virginia native will block for former Fresno State quarterback David Carr, who was chosen as the first overall pick in the draft by the Texans.
Finally, Miller's running buddy on the Duke offensive line, Lynch, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Krill noted that his former teammate was quite excited to begin his professional football career in the Show Me State.
"Shawn Lynch is going into a situation that he really enjoys," Krill said. "He was real interested in the Chiefs and they were interested in him."
The conclusion of the draft and the signing period that followed marks the end of a hectic schedule for Duke's prospective NFL players. Krill, along with other potential draftees, worked out for nearly two-and-a-half months with specialist Chip Smith in Atlanta to prepare for the NFL combines. He also participated in a number of workouts near home, as he and Duke's other NFL hopefuls hosted eight scouts March 5 in Durham and then performed March 26 for nearly one hundred scouts in Chapel Hill for four hours.
"I actually did really well at the Carolina workout," Krill said. "I weighed in at 280, I ran a 4.71 and 4.74 [in the 40-yard dash]--some people actually had me faster than [second overall pick and former Tar Heel linebacker Julius] Peppers."
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