NFL Draft Day 3: Four Sooners, One Cowboy Selected

OU defensive end Frank Alexander
4th round, 8th selection (103rd overall)
Carolina Panthers

Alexander was selected with the first of back-to-back picks in the fourth round by the Panthers on Saturday. The pick came via a trade with the Miami Dolphins.

He put up a big senior season with the Sooners, racking up 54 tackles, three forced fumbles, an interception and eight passes broken up. He also led the Big 12 in tackles for loss and sacks.

Alexander was named the co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by the coaches, Defensive Player of the Year by the AP and a second team All-American.

He was the third overall selection for the Panthers, who had picks in the first and second rounds.

Alexander was the fourth Sooner off the board, with Ryan Broyles, Donald Stephenson and Jamell Fleming taken on the second day of the draft. Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden went in the first round.


OU linebacker Ronnell Lewis
4th round, 30th selection (125th overall)
Detroit Lions

With the 125th overall pick, originally acquired from the San Francisco 49ers, the Lions selected OU linebacker Ronnell Lewis.

Detroit was likely surprised to see Lewis fall to them in the end of the fourth round, as he was project by many to be a possible third-round selection.

In the 2011 season, Lewis had 59 tackles, including 13 for a loss. He racked up 5.5 sacks and also grabbed an interception.

Lewis was named first team All-Big 12 by the coaches but missed his final two games of the season with a knee injury.

He will join fellow Sooner teammate Ryan Broyles, whom the Lions selected with the 54th overall pick in the draft.

Lewis was the fifth Sooner to be taken in the draft and the seventh player from the state of Oklahoma.


OU tight end James Hanna
6th round, 16th selection (186th overall)
Dallas Cowboys

After a long stretch without a state player being selected, the Cowboys picked Sooners tight end James Hanna with their sixth pick in the 2012 draft.

Hanna was an All-Big 12 second team selection by the AP and coaches this past season.

He ended up with 27 receptions for 381 yards and two touchdowns.

Hanna grew up and played football at Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas, about 30 minutes away from the Dallas area.

He is the sixth Sooner to be selected in the 2012 draft.


OSU safety Markelle Martin
6th round, 20th selection (190th overall)
Tennessee Titans

The Cowboys' Martin was expected by many to go as high as the fourth round, so it was a bit of a surprise when he slid down all the way near the end of the sixth to Tennessee.

Martin racked up 55 tackles, 10 pass break-ups and three interceptions during his senior year at OSU.

His measurables in the past, such as a 4.43 40-yard dash and a 37-inch vertical impressed scouts. But after the season, Martin suffered a torn meniscus and had surgery to repair it, causing him to miss a lot of major events leading up to the draft. He eventually held his own pro day six weeks after the surgery and put up solid numbers.

Martin was known for his hard hitting and aggressive pursuit of receivers and helped turn a struggling OSU defense into the top defense in the country in turnover margin.


OU linebacker Travis Lewis
7th round, 17th selection (223rd overall)
Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions seem to be stockpiling Sooner players. Travis Lewis will join fellow teammates Ronnell Lewis and Ryan Broyles as future teammates in Detroit.

Travis Lewis was the unquestioned defensive leader for a couple of years at Oklahoma but eventually ran into some injury problems in his senior season, including a broken foot. The injury hampered him all season and Lewis never was able to show off his full potential during his final season as a Sooner.

Lewis has a knack for pursuing the football and making tackles, but his size and speed aren't prototypical for NFL linebackers.

However, his locker room presence, leadership and intangibles are what have given him a chance and the opportunity to get drafted.


OSU receiver Josh Cooper
Undrafted Free Agent, Cleveland Browns

Yet another Oklahoma State skill player becomes a piece of the rebuilt Cleveland Browns offense, as slot man Josh Cooper joins quarterback Brandon Weeden on the Browns, signing a free agent deal with the team moments after the draft concluded.

The receiver saw significant playing time in his final two seasons in Stillwater, racking up 1,451 yards and nine touchdowns on 139 receptions. 

Not only has the value of the slot player skyrocketed in previous years, with the Giants' Victor Cruz and the Patriots' Wes Welker becoming household names, but it adds a level of comfort to the passing game for quarterback Brandon Weeden.


Tulsa quarterback G.J. Kinne
Undrafted Free Agent, New York Jets

TU quarterback G.J. Kinne tweeted shortly after the conclusion of the NFL Draft on Saturday: "I'm a New York Jet! Thanks for all the support"

Kinne finds himself on a team and in a city that are both stockpiled with big name quarterbacks. With Mark Sanchez at the helm and Tim Tebow now also on the Jets' roster, Kinne certainly won't be in the limelight any time soon, but that will allow him to work hard in the background in hopes of making a roster spot for the upcoming season.

Kinne would be battling with Greg McElroy and potentially one or two others for a third-string quarterback position behind the two big names.

Kinne threw for 3090 yards and 28 touchdowns this past season, but his mobility and ability to run the football give him a distinct asset to his overall game.

Oklahoma State safety Johnny Thomas
Undrafted Free Agent, New Orleans Saints

During the signing frenzy that follows the NFL Draft, former Oklahoma State safety Johnny Thomas was scooped up by the New Orleans Saints Saturday, making him the second Cowboy to sign as an UFA.

Thomas played significant time in three seasons for Oklahoma State, starting in his final season, but was declared ineligible before his senior season. In his only season as a starter, Thomas racked up 63 total tackles three interceptions and five passes broken up.

The Texas City, Texas native joins a talented defensive secondary, featuring a pair of All Pro Safetys in Roman Harper and Malcolm Jenkins.

Oklahoma State defensive end Jamie Blatnick
Undrafted Free Agent, Denver Broncos

Yet another in-state player announcing via Twitter their signing, former Oklahoma State defensive end Jamie Blatnick tweeted moments after the draft "Signing with Denver as a FA! Ready to get after the qb again! And I hear that got a pretty cool QB there now"

The three-year starter for Oklahoma State came on as a top-end pass rusher late in his career, leading the team in sacks in both his junior season (5.5) and senior (8.0), as well as 19.5 tackles for loss in the two seasons. 

Denver was one of the elite pass rushing teams in the league in 2011, with Von Miller, Elvis Dumerville and D.J. Williams combining for 26 sacks last season.

Oklahoma State offensive tackle Levy Adcock
Undrafted Free Agent, Dallas Cowboys

Two years after Dez Bryant traded in his orange Cowboy hat for a blue one, tackle Levy Adcock followed suit, signing as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, he announced via twitter.

Adcock was an integral part of an OSU front five that was widely regarded as one of the best in the nation for two years running, not allowing a single sack in either season. 

With his ability to play guard and tackle, the consensus All American adds depth and versatility to the Dallas offensive line.

Oklahoma State receiver Hubert Anyiam
Undrafted Free Agent, San Diego Chargers

Former Oklahoma State wide receiver Hubert Anyiam makes the third Cowboy receiver to hook up with an NFL team this year, as he signed with the San Diego Chargers Saturday night.

After leading the Cowboys in receiving in 2009, he struggled with injuries in both in his junior and senior seasons, losing the entirety of the latter due to a broken bone in his foot. In just 42 appearances, Anyiam amassed 83 receptions, 1,052 yards and nine touchdowns.

The Chargers are looking to solidify their receiving corps, after losing 1,000-yard receiver Vincent Jackson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

News9.com will update this story as the draft progresses.