Vikings Select Allison In Fifth Round Of NFL Draft
April 29, 2007 | Football
April 29, 2007
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University wide receiver Aundrae Allison was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round (146th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft Sunday.
Allison is the seventh ECU receiver in history to be drafted and immediately follows offensive lineman Guy Whimper, who was taken by the New York Giants in the fourth round of last year's draft. The Pirates have had at least one player chosen in 13 of the past 18 drafts.
A two-time All-Conference USA performer, Allison recently completed his two-year Pirate career with a total of 145 receptions for 1,732 yards, ranking second and third on ECU's all-time receiving lists, respectively. In addition, he recorded seven 100-yard receiving games while only playing in 22 games (all starts).
Despite missing a pair of contests because of an ankle injury, Allison still led the Pirates in receptions (62), receiving yards (708) and touchdown catches (4) as a senior in 2006 and helped ECU post its first winning season since 2000 and first bowl berth since 2001. He came within one reception of tying a school single-game record when he hauled in a league season-high 13 catches for 138 yards against SMU on Oct. 21 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Allison made one of the nation's biggest impacts in 2005 when he became the first East Carolina player ever to pick up over 1,000 reception yards - making 83 catches for 1,024 yards and seven TDs while starting all 11 games during head coach Skip Holtz' initial year at the helm of the Pirate program. He also produced a school-record five 100-yard receiving contests (163 vs. Duke, 158 vs. Wake Forest, 123 vs. West Virginia, 109 vs. Rice, 108 vs. Memphis) while leading C-USA and standing fourth nationally in receptions per game (7.55).
"We certainly wish Aundrae the very best in his professional career," Holtz said. "His efforts and contributions at East Carolina will be remembered for a long, long time and I know I join the rest of the Pirate Nation thanking him for an exciting two years that helped our program turn the corner."
A two-year letterman for Coach Bert Williams at Georgia Military Academy, Allison finished his junior college career with 70 catches for 865 yards and earned All-America honors in 2004 after a 23-reception, 455-yard campaign as a sophomore. He prepped at A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis, N.C. where he was named to the Associated Press' All-State Team as a senior team captain after collecting 50 catches for 1,101 yards and nine touchdowns.
Allison, who will turn 23 on June 25, was the third-highest wide receiver picked in school history - best since Larry Shannon was the Dolphins' 21st selection of the third round in 1998. His selection also marked the fourth time an ECU player was drafted by the Vikings - a program-high along with the Dallas Cowboys - and first since tight end Luke Fisher was chosen by Minnesota in the eighth round in 1992.
ALL-TIME EAST CAROLINA FOOTBALL DRAFT HISTORY
(year, round, pick, overall pick, name, team, pos)
2007, 5, 9, 146, Aundrae Allison, Vikings, WR
2006, 4, 32, 129, Guy Whimper, Giants, OT
2004, 7, 45, 246, Brian Rimpf, Ravens, OT
2002, 4, 10, 108, David Garrard, Jaguars, QB
2002, 7, 30, 241, Leonard Henry, Dolphins, RB
1999, 5, 20, 153, Roderick Coleman, Raiders, DE
1999, 6, 32, 201, Troy Smith, Eagles, WR
1998, 3, 21, 82, Larry Shannon, Dolphins, WR
1997, 5, 1, 131, Lamont Burns, Jets, OG
1996, 4, 16, 111, Emmanuel McDaniel, Panthers, DB
1996, 5, 2, 134, Jerris McPhail, Dolphins, RB
1994, 6, 4, 165, Bernard Carter, Buccaneers, LB
1994, 7, 8, 202, Carlester Crumpler, Jr., Seahawks, TE
1993, 6, 8, 148, Tom Scott, Bengals, OT
1992, 1, 24, 24, Robert Jones, Cowboys, LB
1992, 6, 26, 166, Jeff Blake, Jets, QB
1992, 8, 14, 210, Luke Fisher, Vikings, TE
1992, 9, 26, 250, Chris Hall, Cowboys, DB
1992, 10, 22, 274, Dion Johnson, Oilers, WR
1991, 9, 3, 226, Ernie Logan, Falcons, DE
1990, 3, 14, 67, Walter Wilson, Chargers, WR
1990, 5, 1, 110, Junior Robinson, Patriots, DB
1990, 7, 14, 179, James Singletary, Colts, LB
1990, 10, 27, 275, Anthony Thompson, Broncos, LB
1988, 8, 5, 198, Anthony Simpson, Buccaneers, RB
1988, 10, 4, 253, Ellis Dillahunt, Bengals, DB
1986, 6, 27, 165, Kevin Walker, Buccaneers, DB
1986, 10, 3, 252, Tony Baker, Falcons, RB
1985, 3, 24, 80, Stefon Adams, Raiders, DB
1985, 8, 4, 200, Ricky Nichols, Colts, WR
1984, 2, 27, 55, Steve Hamilton, Redskins, DE
1984, 4, 27, 111, Terry Long, Steelers, OG
1984, 5, 3, 115, Clint Harris, Giants, DB
1984, 5, 13, 125, Jeff Pegues, Redskins, LB
1984, 5, 21, 133, Hal Stephens, Rams, DE
1984, 10, 1, 253, Norwood Vann, Rams, TE
1984, 10, 28, 280, Earnest Byner, Browns, RB
1984, 11, 4, 284, John Robertson, Eagles, OT
1983, 2, 18, 46, Jody Schulz, Eagles, LB
1982, 4, 2, 85, George Crump, Patriots, DE
1982, 4, 7, 90, Tootie Robbins, Cardinals, OT
1981, 2, 19, 47, Tony Collins, Patriots, RB
1980, 11, 11, 288, Sam Harrell, Vikings, RB
1980, 12, 9, 314, Mike Brewington, Chiefs, LB
1979, 2, 28, 56, Zack Valentine, Steelers, LB
1979, 6, 21, 158, Eddie Hicks, Giants, RB
1978, 6, 28, 166, Harold Randolph, Cowboys, LB
1977, 6, 27, 166, Reggie Pinkney, Lions, DB
1974, 4, 2, 80, Carl Summerell, Giants, QB
1974, 4, 17, 95, Carlester Crumpler, Bills, RB
1973, 16, 1, 391, Tim Dameron, Oilers, WR
1973, 17, 22, 438, Leslie Strayhorn, Cowboys, RB
1969, 17, 1, 417, Wayne Lineberry, Bills, LB
1964, 14, 5, 187, Tom Michel, Vikings, RB
1961, 5, 8, 64, Glenn Bass, Cardinals, TE
1951, 28, 12, 339, Roger Thrift, Browns, B
