SOUTH DAKOTA PLAYERS SELECTED IN NFL DRAFT, OTHERS SIGN FREE AGENT CONTRACTS
DETROIT – The three-day NFL draft wrapped up on Saturday (April 27, 2024) and two players from South Dakota State University, plus one from the University of South Dakota heard their name called.
SDSU offensive lineman Mason McCormick was drafted in the fourth round, the 98th pick overall, by the Pittsburgh Steelers. McCormick is a Sioux Falls native, having played his high school ball for the Roosevelt Rough Riders. McCormick was the 19th pick of the fourth round and the 119th overall selection. He became the 34th Jackrabbit to be taken in the NFL Draft after a stellar career at SDSU where he started 57 consecutive games for the Jackrabbits from 2019-23 and was a consensus All-America selection his final two seasons.
Jackrabbit running back Isaiah Davis impressed the New York Jets enough for them to take him in the fifth round. Davis earned Co-Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors and was a consensus All-America selection in 2023 after leading the Football Championship Subdivision with 1,578 rushing yards and adding 18 touchdowns on the ground. He finished his career third on the all-time Jackrabbit charts with 4,548 rushing yards and 50 rushing touchdowns.
In the seventh and final round, USD cornerback Myles Harden was taken by the Cleveland Browns. Harden is the first Coyote to be drafted since Tyler Starr in 2014 and the 17th Coyote to be drafted into the NFL in USD program history. Harden was pick No. 227 overall in the NFL Draft and the fifth player drafted by the Browns. Harden was a consensus FCS All-American on the gridiron this fall. He was a first-team all-MVFC cornerback and one of two FCS players named as semifinalists for the National Comeback Player of the Year.
Another South Dakota native was also drafted in the third round and 82nd overall, as Tip Reiman was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals. Reiman played tight end for the University of Illinois for the past three seasons. He graduated from O’Gorman in Sioux Falls, but grew up in Rapid City where his family still lives. Reiman’s father Scott is also a native of Pierre.
Following the draft a number of other South Dakota college players signed undrafted free agent contracts with NFL teams.
From SDSU, tight end and Sioux Falls native Zach Heins signed with the Los Angeles Chargers, offensive tackle Garret Greenfield inked a contract with the Seattle Seahawks, linebacker Isaiah Stalbird goes to the New Orleans Saints and cornerback DyShawn Gates signed with Cleveland.
Jadon and Jaxon Janke, the twin brothers from Madison who played wide receiver at SDSU, were both signed by the Houston Texans. The Dallas Cowboys signed USD linebacker Brock Mogenson to a free agent contract while Augustana tackle Blake Larson has a deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
Story courtesy of Brian Oakland and Rod Fisher.
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