** During the month of July EIUpanthers.com will take a look back at 13 moments, events or performances that helped shape the 2015-16 school year. **
Kamu Grugier-Hill became the second Eastern Illinois player to be drafted by the New England Patriots in the past three years and the 15th EIU player to be the drafted by a National Football League franchise.
On the final day of this year's NFL Draft in Chicago the Patriots selected Grugier-Hill with the 33rd pick of the 6th round, the 208th overall pick.
Grugier-Hill was a two-time first team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection at linebacker even though he is projected to move to a hybrid position at the NFL level. As a senior he had 70 tackles with 16.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries and one interception while missing two games. He led the team in tackles as a junior with 97 adding three interceptions and 9.5 tackles for loss.
Grugier-Hill ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds at his pro day in April. He ran a 1.52-second 10-yard split with a 6.89-second 3-cone, 4.20-second short shuttle, 38.5-inch vertical leap, 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump and 15 bench press reps at 225 pounds.
Eastern Illinois All-Time NFL Draft Picks
1944 – Bill Glenn, Chicago Bears (19th round)
1964 – Rob Butler, Chicago Bears (16th round)
1966 – Roger Haberer, Chicago Bears (19th round)
1974 – Nate Anderson, Washington Redskins (16th round)
1977 – Ted Peterson, Pittsburgh Steelers (4th round)
1980 – Tom Pettigrew, Los Angeles Rams (8th round)
1983 – Jeff Christensen, Cincinnati Bengals (5th round)
1987 – Roy Banks, Indianapolis Colts (5th round)
1989 – Dave Popp, New York Giants (7th round)
1993 – Brad Fichtel, Los Angeles Rams (7th round)
1995 – Ray McElroy, Indianapolis Colts (4th round)
1999 – Chris Watson, Denver Broncos (3rd round)
2010 – Otis Hudson, Cincinnati Bengals (5th round)
2014 – Jimmy Garoppolo, New England Patriots (2nd round)
2016 – Kamu Grugier-Hill, New England Patriots (6th round)
EIU Football Home Page
2015-16 EIU Year In Review
No. 13 -
Panthers Welcome Five New Head Coaches
No. 12 –
EIU Places 2nd In OVC Commissioner's Cup
No. 11 –
Wireman Sets Softball Strike Out Record
No. 10 -
McInerney Posts Best XC Season In More Than A Decade
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