Dartmouth FB Casey Cramer was a prolific Ivy League pass-catcher, like sixth-round pick TE Nate Lawrie
Petition to ESPN: Bring back College Bowl, the 1980s quiz show hosted by Chris Berman. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Class of '04 would make a formidable team.
The Bucs drafted Dartmouth fullback Casey Cramer in the seventh round on Sunday, marking the second Ivy League player the team had added in a two-hour period. In the sixth round, Tampa Bay picked up Yale tight end Nate Lawrie. Though not yet confirmed by the NFL, it's likely that the Bucs' 2004 draft class is the first ever to feature a pair of Ivy Leaguers.
The Bucs, of course, are more interested in Cramer's playing ability, and the former tight end is considered a solid prospect to play fullback or H-back at the professional level. At 6-2 and 250 pounds he has the size to compete, and his collegiate productivity suggests a significant set of skills.
A first-team Division I-AA All-America, Cramer played in 39 games for Dartmouth and amassed 180 receptions for 2,405 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also ran nine times for 13 yards and threw one pass for a 35-yard gain during a brief stint as a quarterback.
In 2002, Cramer racked up 72 receptions for 1,017 yards and seven touchdowns, and he followed up as a senior with 58 more grabs for 695 yards and six scores.
The Buccaneers' draft has now tilted to the offense, with four of its five second-day picks playing on that side of the ball. The day started with the fourth-round selection of Ohio State safety Will Allen, but North Carolina G Jeb Terry arrived in the fifth round, followed by Lawrie, Cramer and Tennessee WR Mark Jones. On Saturday, Tampa Bay drafted LSU WR Michael Clayton in the first round and Washington LB Marquis Cooper in the third.
Jones and Cramer were the first two of three third-round picks the Bucs are slated to make. Tampa Bay's final pick of the day will be number 252 overall, a compensatory pick that is four selections from the end.
