University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Has Four Taken In NFL Draft
4/22/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Southern Miss Has Four Taken In NFL Draft
Hattiesburg, Miss. - Southern Miss had four players from one of its most successful senior classes drafted in the 2001 National Football League's Amateur Draft today. Cedric Scott (DE), taken in the fourth round by the New York Giants, was the first Golden Eagle to be taken. Raymond Walls (DB) was selected in the fifth round by the Indianapolis Colts, Daleroy Stewart (DL) was picked in the sixth round and John Nix (DL) was drafted in the seventh round, both by the Dallas Cowboys.
Scott, a third-team All-American selection by Football News and the Associated Press, was named Conference USA's co-Defensive Player of the Year. He was invited to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., in January and also worked out at the NFL Player Combine in February.
In 2000, he was fourth on the team in tackles with 69, including a team-leading 12 quarterback sacks and 19 tackles for loss. His top game performances of the season include a nine-tackle, one forced fumble and one sack effort in the season opener against Tennessee, and eight tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one blocked field goal in the Golden Eagles . 21-0 win over Alabama. Against Houston, he recorded a career-high four quarterback sacks.
Walls was named to The Sporting News all-C-USA first-team and the C-USA second-team by the coaches and media after recording 62 tackles, including 47 unassisted, three tackles for loss, seven pass deflections and two interceptions. He was selected to play in the senior bowl in Mobile, Ala., in January and also worked out at the NFL Player Combine in February.
One of his interceptions, he returned 54 yards for a touchdown at Alabama. His top performances of the season included nine solo stops against Louisville, eight tackles, three tackles for loss, two pass deflections and an interception at No. 13 Alabama and seven tackles, including five unassisted and a pass breakup at No. 13 Tennessee.
Stewart participated in the Kelly Tires Blue/Gray Classic, Rotary Gridiron Classic and was scheduled to play in the senior bowl but didn't get to play due to a shoulder injury. He also was invited to participate in the NFL Player Combine in February.
As a senior in 2000, he played in all 11 games and started two. He finished 10th on the team in tackles with 38, including 20 unassisted tackles, four quarterback sacks and eight tackles for loss and a pass deflection. His best games of the season were five tackles, including one for loss at No. 12 Tennessee, six tackles, including a quarterback sack and two tackles for loss at UAB and six tackles, including one for loss at East Carolina.
Nix participated in the Rotary Gridiron Classic and the Senior Bowl this past January. A first-team All-Conference USA defensive lineman by The Sporting News, he played in all 11 games, started all but the first game of the season. He finished with 33 total tackles for the year, including four quarterback sacks and seven tackles for loss. His best performances were a five tackle, including a quarterback sack at Tulane, four tackles for loss and a quarterback sack against Memphis and three tackles, including a quarterback sack at Cincinnati.
