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PACKERS SIGN LINEBACKER NA'IL DIGGS, FIRST OF 3 FOURTH-ROUND DRAFT PICKS
posted 06/20/00
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| Na'il Diggs |
The Green Bay Packers have signed linebacker Na'il Diggs of Ohio State, their first of three fourth-round selections in the 2000 National Football League draft, to a multi-year contract, Andrew Brandt, the team's director of player finance/football operations, announced today.
The 6-foot-4, 226-pound Phoenix native, accorded All-America and All-Big Ten recognition in 1999, is competing for the strong-side linebacker position left vacant by the release of veteran George Koonce. Diggs led the Buckeyes in total tackles last season with 94 stops while becoming the focal point of the Ohio State defense following All-American Andy Katzenmoyer's departure to the New England Patriots. He also paced the Buckeyes in sacks (6), tackles for loss (15) and forced fumbles (3) while weighing in with 3 pass deflections.
It was the second productive season in a row for Diggs, who led the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes in tackles for loss with 16 in 1998 and finished second on the defense in both total tackles (80) and sacks (6). He also returned a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown in a shutout victory at Illinois.
Diggs, assigned jersey number 59, earlier was an All-America selection of SuperPrep in his senior season at Dorsey High School in Los Angeles after recording 98 tackles, including 9.5 sacks and 29 stops for loss - plus 2 safeties - as a senior.
The newcomer was reared by his sister (Roslyn) following his mother's death and, when Roslyn married the father of one-time Ohio State (and current Packers) teammate Gary Berry, Na'il, by a rare quirk of fate, became Gary's uncle. Gary, a 5-foot-11, 199-pound safety, also was drafted by Green Bay in the fourth round.
Diggs, born Na'il Ronald Diggs (his first name is pronounced 'NILE'), is the third of the Packers' 13 selections in this year's draft to be signed thus far, joining defensive tackles Steve Warren of Nebraska, a third-round choice, and Ron Moore of Northwestern Oklahoma State, a seventh-round pick.
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