Former Eastern Michigan University defensive end Pat O'Connor was selected by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft Saturday in Philadelphia. O'Connor was the 250th overall pick in the three-day selection process.
O'Connor is the 28th EMU player to be picked in the draft. He is just the third Eastern Michigan player to be selected by the Lions, joining Al Clark (1971) and Charlie Batch (1998).
Additionally, it marked . . .
O'Connor is the 28th EMU player to be picked in the draft. He is just the third Eastern Michigan player to be selected by the Lions, joining Al Clark (1971) and Charlie Batch (1998).
Additionally, it marked . . .
. . . the first time EMU had players drafted in back-to-back season since 2008-09, as Darius Jackson was a sixth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys last year.
O'Connor was the team leader on a much improved defensive unit for EMU in 2016. In his final season, O'Connor set the EMU sack record since 1998 by getting to the quarterback 20.0 times in his career. In total on the season, the Chicago native sacked the QB a team-high 8.5 times, which was good for 41st in the country and fifth in the Mid-American Conference.
In addition, O'Connor had 42 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 16 QB hurries, and five forced fumbles, and was one of just 10 players in the nation with five or more forced fumbles on the season. He finished his career as the games played leader, sack leader, QB hurries leader, and forced fumbles leader, while also finishing third on the tackles for loss list with 33.5.
At the conclusion of the season, O'Connor was recognized for his substantial efforts by being named to the MAC All-Conference First Team, as well as the first team on Phil Steele's Postseason All-MAC list. He also participated in the 2017 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, played in Carson, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 21.
The MAC had 12 player drafted which is the most in the league's modern era, shattering the previous mark of 11 set in 2005.
O'Connor was the team leader on a much improved defensive unit for EMU in 2016. In his final season, O'Connor set the EMU sack record since 1998 by getting to the quarterback 20.0 times in his career. In total on the season, the Chicago native sacked the QB a team-high 8.5 times, which was good for 41st in the country and fifth in the Mid-American Conference.
In addition, O'Connor had 42 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 16 QB hurries, and five forced fumbles, and was one of just 10 players in the nation with five or more forced fumbles on the season. He finished his career as the games played leader, sack leader, QB hurries leader, and forced fumbles leader, while also finishing third on the tackles for loss list with 33.5.
At the conclusion of the season, O'Connor was recognized for his substantial efforts by being named to the MAC All-Conference First Team, as well as the first team on Phil Steele's Postseason All-MAC list. He also participated in the 2017 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, played in Carson, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 21.
The MAC had 12 player drafted which is the most in the league's modern era, shattering the previous mark of 11 set in 2005.
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