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By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
POSTED: 10:18 a.m. EDT, Apr 22, 2008
Having good bloodlines might not weigh heavily with NFL general managers, but it can't hurt. This year's draft is loaded with prospects with family ties to professional sports.
Heading the list is Virginia defensive end Chris Long, son of hall of fame defensive lineman Howie Long of the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.
As his father stays in the background, the younger Long is among those being considered for the first pick in the NFL Draft this weekend.
''It's not his style to want to steal the spotlight from his sons,'' Chris Long said of his father at the combine. ''I have two little brothers and he does the same with them. It's a testament to the fact that he's such a humble guy. I've said, 'Dad, you're an old man now. It's not your time anymore.' He has done a great job with that and I am grateful. I've matured to the point that now I am comfortable sharing that spotlight.''
The group also includes Northwestern State (La.) offensive tackle Demetrius Bell (son of NBA great Karl Malone) and Utah State guard Shawn Murphy (son of Atlanta Braves star Dale Murphy).
Murphy, 25, spent two years on a church mission trip to Brazil after his college freshman season. Exposed to the violent world of drug dealers and robbed a few times, he said, it made him appreciate his life in Utah.
Murphy gave up baseball after his junior year in high school and has played only offensive line for two years.
''I remember if I struck out, I'd hear it from the stands, 'Oh, they struck out Dale Murphy's son,' '' he said. ''But in football, if I get beat, they're not going to get down on me, so there is less pressure. I could do my own thing.''
The list of family connections includes Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge (nephew of Boston Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge), Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm (brother of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jeff Brohm), UNLV defensive end Jeremy Geathers (son of 13-year NFL defensive lineman Jumpy Geathers and cousin of Cincinnati Bengals' end/linebacker Robert Geathers Jr.), Alabama defensive back Simeon Castille (son of former Denver Broncos defensive back and Browns foil Jeremiah Castille and brother of Arizona Cardinals fullback Tim Castille), Florida receiver Andre Caldwell (brother of St. Louis Rams receiver Reche Caldwell), Missouri tight end Martin Rucker (brother of Carolina Panthers defensive end Mike Rucker), Minnesota safety Dominique Barber (brother of Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber III), Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason (son of Atlanta Falcons defensive back Wendell Cason and cousin of former Dallas Cowboys receiver Ken-Yon Rambo), Texas safety Marcus Griffin (twin brother of Tennessee Titans defensive back Michael Griffin), Maryland linebacker Erin Henderson (brother of Minnesota Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson), LSU linebacker Ali Highsmith (cousin of NFL running back Alonzo Highsmith), Tennessee State cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (cousin of San Diego Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie), USC quarterback John David Booty (brother of former Browns quarterback Josh Booty) and Michigan State safety Nememiah Warrick (cousin of former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Peter Warrick).
Like Casey Blake. . .
Pro Football Weekly's 2008 Draft Preview called Iowa State's Todd Blythe ''a solid college football player with no standout qualities for the pro game.''
If the 6-foot-5, 214-pound wide receiver ever starts to believe that, he can look to Casey Blake for inspiration.
Blake and Blythe were multi-sport lettermen at Indianola High School in Iowa. Blythe's father, Jim, a former catcher in the San Francisco Giants organization, coached Blake.
Despite being drafted by three baseball organizations and going to the College World Series with Wichita State, Blake bounced around the minor leagues until he was nearly 30 before getting his chance at third base with the Indians.
''He was elite, all-state in football, basketball, baseball and track,'' Blythe said of Blake. ''He was unbelievable, one of the best athletes I have ever seen. The fact he was so successful at everything he did really impressed me. He was a quarterback in football and a shortstop and pitcher in baseball.''
Blythe is a similar kind of athlete. At Iowa State's pro day, he ran the 40 in 4.58 seconds and hit 321/2 inches in the vertical jump. He played baseball, basketball and football at Indianola, where he was a running back until his sophomore year.
''Basketball was probably my worst sport,'' Blythe said. ''I really couldn't dribble or outshoot anybody, but I was taller and more athletic than most of the guys. In football, everybody at the pro level will be as athletic as you, or more so.''
Blake has met Blythe, first remembering him as ''just a little dude running around when I was in high school.''
But after Blake saw Blythe play receiver at Indianola, Blake decided he needed to have a talk with the quarterback.
''I told him, 'Just throw it up there and he'll get it. Throw it to him every time,' '' Blake said.
Beacon Journal sportswriter Sheldon Ocker contributed to this report. Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com.
Having good bloodlines might not weigh heavily with NFL general managers, but it can't hurt. This year's draft is loaded with prospects with family ties to professional sports.
Heading the list is Virginia defensive end Chris Long, son of hall of fame defensive lineman Howie Long of the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.
As his father stays in the background, the younger Long is among those being considered for the first pick in the NFL Draft this weekend.
''It's not his style to want to steal the spotlight from his sons,'' Chris Long said of his father at the combine. ''I have two little brothers and he does the same with them. It's a testament to the fact that he's such a humble guy. I've said, 'Dad, you're an old man now. It's not your time anymore.' He has done a great job with that and I am grateful. I've matured to the point that now I am comfortable sharing that spotlight.''
The group also includes Northwestern State (La.) offensive tackle Demetrius Bell (son of NBA great Karl Malone) and Utah State guard Shawn Murphy (son of Atlanta Braves star Dale Murphy).
Murphy, 25, spent two years on a church mission trip to Brazil after his college freshman season. Exposed to the violent world of drug dealers and robbed a few times, he said, it made him appreciate his life in Utah.
Murphy gave up baseball after his junior year in high school and has played only offensive line for two years.
''I remember if I struck out, I'd hear it from the stands, 'Oh, they struck out Dale Murphy's son,' '' he said. ''But in football, if I get beat, they're not going to get down on me, so there is less pressure. I could do my own thing.''
The list of family connections includes Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge (nephew of Boston Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge), Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm (brother of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jeff Brohm), UNLV defensive end Jeremy Geathers (son of 13-year NFL defensive lineman Jumpy Geathers and cousin of Cincinnati Bengals' end/linebacker Robert Geathers Jr.), Alabama defensive back Simeon Castille (son of former Denver Broncos defensive back and Browns foil Jeremiah Castille and brother of Arizona Cardinals fullback Tim Castille), Florida receiver Andre Caldwell (brother of St. Louis Rams receiver Reche Caldwell), Missouri tight end Martin Rucker (brother of Carolina Panthers defensive end Mike Rucker), Minnesota safety Dominique Barber (brother of Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber III), Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason (son of Atlanta Falcons defensive back Wendell Cason and cousin of former Dallas Cowboys receiver Ken-Yon Rambo), Texas safety Marcus Griffin (twin brother of Tennessee Titans defensive back Michael Griffin), Maryland linebacker Erin Henderson (brother of Minnesota Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson), LSU linebacker Ali Highsmith (cousin of NFL running back Alonzo Highsmith), Tennessee State cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (cousin of San Diego Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie), USC quarterback John David Booty (brother of former Browns quarterback Josh Booty) and Michigan State safety Nememiah Warrick (cousin of former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Peter Warrick).
Like Casey Blake. . .
Pro Football Weekly's 2008 Draft Preview called Iowa State's Todd Blythe ''a solid college football player with no standout qualities for the pro game.''
If the 6-foot-5, 214-pound wide receiver ever starts to believe that, he can look to Casey Blake for inspiration.
Blake and Blythe were multi-sport lettermen at Indianola High School in Iowa. Blythe's father, Jim, a former catcher in the San Francisco Giants organization, coached Blake.
Despite being drafted by three baseball organizations and going to the College World Series with Wichita State, Blake bounced around the minor leagues until he was nearly 30 before getting his chance at third base with the Indians.
''He was elite, all-state in football, basketball, baseball and track,'' Blythe said of Blake. ''He was unbelievable, one of the best athletes I have ever seen. The fact he was so successful at everything he did really impressed me. He was a quarterback in football and a shortstop and pitcher in baseball.''
Blythe is a similar kind of athlete. At Iowa State's pro day, he ran the 40 in 4.58 seconds and hit 321/2 inches in the vertical jump. He played baseball, basketball and football at Indianola, where he was a running back until his sophomore year.
''Basketball was probably my worst sport,'' Blythe said. ''I really couldn't dribble or outshoot anybody, but I was taller and more athletic than most of the guys. In football, everybody at the pro level will be as athletic as you, or more so.''
Blake has met Blythe, first remembering him as ''just a little dude running around when I was in high school.''
But after Blake saw Blythe play receiver at Indianola, Blake decided he needed to have a talk with the quarterback.
''I told him, 'Just throw it up there and he'll get it. Throw it to him every time,' '' Blake said.
Beacon Journal sportswriter Sheldon Ocker contributed to this report. Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com.
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