SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Two Southern Conference football players were drafted Saturday as part of the 2014 NFL Draft. Furman offensive lineman Dakota Dozier was taken by the New York Jets in the fourth round, while Georgia Southern defensive back Lavelle Westbrooks was chosen by Cincinnati in the seventh round.
The 37th pick of the fourth round and the 137th overall selection in this year's draft, Dozier was the second Southern Conference player to be chosen and the sixth Football Championship Subdivision player to on the draft. Dozier is the highest drafted Furman player since All-America safety John Keith was taken in the fourth round (14th pick, 108th overall) by the San Francisco 49ers in 2000.
The 31st player in Furman history to be drafted, he is the first Paladin selected by the Jets.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds, Dozier, a four-year starter, was a three-time All-SoCon selection, two-time All-America choice, including a consensus pick in 2013, and recipient of the Southern Conference Jacobs Blocking Award this past year. He served as a team co-captain and contributed significantly to the Paladins' late season surge that netted Furman a SoCon championship and league's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. During his career he helped pave the way for three consecutive 1,000-yard rushers at Furman (2011-13).
The West Columbia, S.C., product played in the prestigious East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Fla., in January, and participated in the NFL Combine in February. He was named Furman Male Athlete of the Year on Apr. 28.
He will graduate from Furman on Saturday evening with a degree in health sciences.
Westbrooks becomes the fifth Eagle defensive back drafted by NFL teams in the program history and the first to be selected by the Bengals.
A four-year starter at both cornerback and safety, Westbrooks was tabbed by Fox Sports as the best cover corner during the Reese’s Senior Bowl week this past January. Westbrooks started in 41 of his 49 career games as an Eagle and was honored by Phil Steele Publications as a second team All-American as a senior.
“I feel great, I am very blessed and excited to know where I am going to play football,” said Lavelle Westbooks, who was with family at his Riverdale, Georgia, home when the call came from the Bengals organization. “I wasn’t anxious today, but the Bengals were the first team I met with and after all this time, they chose me. I spoke to Darius (Eubanks) today and he told me that we’re in a very physical conference. I want to go up there, play ball and show them what I can do.”
Westbrooks received his itinerary and will arrive in Cincinnati early this week to meet team personnel.
Westbrooks was a second-team All-Southern Conference pick by both coaches and media after leading the league in passes defended for most of the 2013 season. He recorded 10 tackles in the Eagles’ triple overtime victory over Chattanooga in 2012 and finished his career with 167 total. He had two interceptions in each of the last two seasons, returning one for 72-yards for a touchdown against Samford in 2012.
The last time two Eagles were taken in the NFL Draft was 1987 when Tracy Ham, drafted as a running back (9th round), and defensive end Fred Stokes (12th round) were both selected by the Los Angeles Rams. Safety J.J. Wilcox was the last Georgia Southern defensive back selected in the NFL Draft, the 80th pick overall in 2013.