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Event Spotlight:
Eagles Sign 22 Rookie Free Agents

Monday, April 28, 2003

By Bob Lange
Manager of Football Media Services

The Philadelphia Eagles today announced the signing of the following 22 rookie free agents:

Pos. Name School DOB Hometown
RB Chris Downs Maryland 3/26/79 Philadelphia, PA
T Dante Ellington Alabama 2/29/80 Leighton, AL
C Alonzo Ephraim Alabama 11/9/81 Birmingham, AL
P Derrick Frost Northern Iowa 11/25/80 St. Louis, MO
WR Byron Gasaway Kansas 5/23/80 Grandview, MO
CB
David Hinton Arizona 7/28/80 San Diego, CA
CB/S Roderick Hood Auburn 10/3/81 Columbus, GA
T Jamaal Jackson Delaware State 5/8/80 Miami, FL
DE Ron Johnson Shippensburg 10/23/79 York, PA
T Damian LaVergne
Louisiana Tech 4/22/80 Baton Rouge, LA
LB Darvin Lewis Central Michigan
2/21/80 Detroit, MI
WR Greg Lewis Illinois 2/12/80 Matteson, IL
WR Reno Mahe Brigham Young 6/03/80 Salt Lake City, UT
WR Denero Marriott Marshall 10/29/77 Inwood, WV
T Kareem Marshall Georgia 5/29/80 Grover, NC
S Quintin Mikell Boise State 9/16/80 Eugene, OR
WR Scooter Monroe Maryland 4/11/81 Bel Air, MD
DT Sam Rayburn Tulsa 10/20/80 Chickasha, OK
G Taylor Robertson Central Florida 9/8/80 Kingston, Ontario
LB Merrill Robertson Virginia 1/26/80 Richmond, VA
LB Drew Wahlroos Colorado 6/7/80 Poway, CA
S Jamal Wallace Temple 7/25/80 Millville, NJ

Downs (5-8, 193) played two seasons at Maryland after a two-year stint at Valley Forge Military Academy. Was the starting tailback as a senior and gained 1,154 yards and 13 TDs on 208 carries, while adding 165 yards and 2 TDs on 18 receptions. The Philadelphia native earned many honors while attending Malvern Prep, including the Inter-Ac League player of the decade. Posted 4,045 yards rushing and 54 TDs (50 rushing) in his prep career. As a senior in 1997, established a single-season city record for rushing yards (2,198) and tied marks for rushing TDs (29) and total TDs (31).

Ellington (6-5, 363) was one of only seven true freshmen to start a season opener in Alabama's storied football history. Had started 25 consecutive games at left tackle before taking a backup role in the middle of the 2001 season. Sat out the 2002 season due to academic ineligibility.

Ephraim (6-0, 312) a four-year player who earned All-SEC honors as a junior. After breaking into the starting lineup for the first time as a junior, provided leadership for an offensive line that featured three freshmen in 2002. Closed out his career with 25 straight starts.

Frost (6-4, ) was a two-sport athlete at Northern Iowa competing in both football and baseball (pitcher). Was the Panthers punter and kickoff specialist for three seasons, compiling a 40.2-yard average on 166 punts. He capped his career with a senior season that included 49 punts for a 43.6-yard average and 10 punts inside the 20.

Gasaway (6-4, 210) played in 44 games over five years and doubled his previous career totals with a senior season that produced 39 catches for 490 yards and 5 TDs. Suffered a training injury as a true sophomore and was granted a medical redshirt.

Hinton (6-1, 175) played three seasons for the Wildcats, starting at RCB as a senior. After redshirting in 1998, he suffered season ending shoulder surgery in spring drills of 1999. Excelled on special teams and as a backup CB for the following two seasons, before earning the starting role in 2002.

Hood (5-11, 189) was a former walk-on who earned a scholarship with excellent special teams play as a freshman. Played in 47 games (18 starts) recording 106 tackles, 5 INTs, and 18 knockdowns. Showed versatility playing left and right cornerback as well as free safety. Also registered an 11.6-yard average on punt returns and 19.9 on kickoff returns.

Jackson (6-4, 330) saw action in just three games his senior year and recorded one tackle. During his junior campaign was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference offensive lineman of the week after helping lead the Hornets to a season high 312 rushing yards in a 38-12 win over Morgan State.

Johnson (6-5, 255) was named first team All-PSAC as a senior after recording 44 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Helped the Raiders lead the conference in fewest first downs allowed with 146. Led the team with 4 FRs and returned one for 45 yds. His 18 career sacks ranks 4th-highest in school history.

LaVergne (6-6, 333) was a three-year starter at Louisiana Tech, starting 34 consecutive games. Selected first-team All-WAC Conference after registering 90 knockdowns while the offense averaged 417.9 yards per game.

Darvin Lewis (6-3, 235) after suffering a knee injury his junior, season returned to record 36 tackles and one half sack. Prior to his knee injury, started every game in 1999 and 2000, finishing second on the team with 113 tackles in 2000. Tied the school record for interceptions by a linebacker with 5 in 1999.

Greg Lewis (5-11, 172) served as the Illini's third-receiver in 2002, as he finished third on the team with 38 receptions for 538 yards and 4 TDs. Returned kicks during the 2001 season, had six returns for 86 yards.

Mahe (5-9, 198) began his career as a tailback at BYU in 1998 before leaving the program and sitting out the 1999 season. Returned to the squad in 2001 after spending the 2000 campaign at Dixie Junior College. A second-team All-Mountain West Conference selection in 2002 59 receptions for 771 yards and 2 TDs.

Marriott (6-1, 178) finished his career at Marshall ranked 9th on the school's all-time list with 143 receptions and 10th with 1,805 receiving yards. Also ranks 9th on the all-time list with 17 TD receptions. As a senior, led the team with 86 receptions for 993 yards and 8 TDs.

Marshall (6-4, 359) started every game at right offensive tackle during the 2002 season, 18 career starts. Recorded 76 knock downs for an offense that generated 5,113 yards total offense. Had 6 touchdown-resulting blocks. Attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College until transferring to Georgia in 2001. Earned Mississippi JUCO All-State honors in 1999 and 2000. North Carolina state shot put champion in 1997 and 1998 at King's Mountain HS in Grover, NC.

Mikell (5-10, 206) finished his Boise State career ranked second all-time in career tackles (401). As a senior, earned WAC Conference defensive player of the year honors. In 2002, the two-time first-team All-WAC selection led Boise for the third straight season with 97 tackles (58 solo), while posting 4 sacks, 5.5 TFLs, 1 INT, 11 KDs, one FR, 8 FFs and 2 blocked FGs. As a junior, posted 87 tackles 2 sacks and 2 INTs. Posted 118 tackles in just his sophomore season to earn All-Big West Conference defensive player of the year honors. As a true freshman earned Freshman All-America honors from the Football News and All-Big West honors after making 99 stops, 2 sacks and 2 INTs.

Monroe (6-2, 194) caught 68 passes for 614 yds. and 4 TDs in 46 games as a Terrapin. As a senior, caught 37 passes for 614 yds. and 2 TDs in 14 games. Posted a career-high 167 yds. on 3 receptions vs. UNC in 2002. Missed just one game in his four-year career.

Rayburn (6-3, 303) finished career ranked second all-time in the Golden Hurricanes record books with 39.5 career tackles for a loss in 40 games (28 starts). Was a first team All-WAC Conference selection after a 61 tackle, 4 sack, senior season at Tulsa. His 17.5 tackles for a loss in 2002 set the school single-season record.

Taylor Robertson (6-6, 335) was Central Florida's first-ever player from Canada. Started 22 of 23 games during his final two seasons at UCF. As a senior, moved to right guard after spending his junior season at left tackle. In his sophomore year flip-flopped back and forth between guard and tackle, appearing in every game as a reserve. Played football, basketball and rugby at LaSalle Secondary School in Kingston, Ontario. Invited to play rugby for Team Ontario and Team Canada on the under-18 level.

Merrill Robertson (6-1, 248) finished his Virginia career with 204 tackles (116 solo), 9 sacks, 16 TFLs, 5 FFs, and 3 FRs. In his senior season, posted 122 tackles, 5 sacks and 9 TFLs. As a junior, his first full season at linebacker, posted 29 tackles and 2 sacks in just 9 games. Began he career at fullback, the first five games of his freshman year, before moving to defensive end for the remainder of that season and his sophomore year, before finding a home at linebacker as a junior.

Wahlroos (6-3,230) was a two-year starter for Colorado who lined up at outside linebacker as a junior and inside linebacker as a senior. Finished his career with 250 tackles (100 solo), 6 sacks, 13 TFLs and 2 INTs in 44 games. Earned All-Big 12 Conference honors for the second-straight year as a senior, after posting 93 tackles and an INT. His uncle, George, was a long-time player and head coach for an Australian rugby team in Sydney. His cousin is a Formula 1 racecar driver in Finland.

Wallace (6-1, 190) completed his Owls career with 264 tackles (184 solo), 3 INTs and 1 sack. Made 34 consecutive starts at free safety to end his career. As a senior, led Temple with a career-high 96 tackles (65 solo). Also posted 4 TFLs, 5 KDs and a forced fumble. Spent his freshman season as a reserve wideout and caught 26 passes for 246 yds. before taking over the starting free safety role the following spring. Was selected first-team all-state as a defensive back at Millville (NJ) HS.

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