Oliver, Gaither selected in supplemental draft
Oliver, Gaither selected in supplemental draft
(July 12, 2007) -- The San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Ravens each selected a player in a seven-round supplemental draft, the NFL announced.
The Chargers, picking 28th, chose cornerback Paul Oliver of Georgia in the fourth round. The Ravens, selecting 31st, picked Maryland tackle Jared Gaither in the fifth round.
Oliver (6-0, 208 pounds) was among Georgia's leaders in tackles last season (fifth with 57) and registered two sacks. He limited the No. 2 overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft, Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson (Detroit), to two catches for 13 yards in the Bulldogs' season-ending victory last year. In 2005, Oliver won Georgia's Most Improved Defensive Player Award.
Gaither (6-9, 350) started 17 of Maryland's past 21 games at either left or right tackle. As a freshman in 2005, he did not allow a sack from his left tackle position. Gaither was rated as the No. 3 prep-school prospect in the nation by a scouting service while at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia.
With these selections, San Diego and Baltimore thus forgo the corresponding picks in the 2008 NFL Draft.
There were no other players selected.
The supplemental draft was conducted by computer from NFL headquarters in New York.
Re: Oliver, Gaither selected in supplemental draft
Not surprising. I wasn't expecting anyone to be taken any higher than the third.
That being said, both of those picks make a fair bit of sense. For San Diego, starting cornerback Drayton Florence is entering a contract year, so should he walk, that leaves Quentin Jammer (decent but inconsistent) and Antonio Cromartie for the future. Oliver gives them a nickel back to develop and a potential starter should one of the other two faulter.
The Ravens, on the other hand, lost Tony Pashos in free agency and will be losing Jonathan Ogden in the next season or two, so they need someone to develop for the future. That's a pretty good situation for Gaither, as he can learn from one of the best before eventually taking over.
