The Green Bay Packers Wednesday signed RB DeShawn Wynn and TE Clark Harris, the final two players they selected in the 2007 NFL Draft, and released C Pete Bier and DT Devarick Scandrett. Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson made the announcement.
Wynn, a 5-foot-10, 232-pound selection out of Florida, was the Packers' first of two seventh-round choices (228th overall). After Brandon Jackson, selected five rounds earlier in the same draft, Wynn became just the second running back chosen by the Packers since 2002. He was Florida's leading ground-gainer each of the past two years, including its National Championship season of 2006. Among freshmen in Florida annals, his seven rushing TDs in 2003 ranked third in school history, trailing only Emmitt Smith (13 in 1987) and Fred Taylor (eight in 1994).
Harris, a 6-foot-5, 256-pound choice from Rutgers, was Green Bay's final 2007 selection (243rd overall), the first tight end selected by Green Bay since David Martin in 2001. Despite playing in a run-oriented college offense, Harris caught 143 career passes for 2,015 yards and 11 touchdowns. He helped turn around a Rutgers program that went 1-11 in 2002 and finished 11-2 with a second straight bowl appearance in 2006.
Koonce Joins Marquette
Green Bay Packers director of player development George Koonce is leaving the organization to join the Marquette University athletic department as senior associate athletic director.
An eight-year starter at linebacker for the Packers during the 1990s, Koonce had returned to Green Bay last year to oversee player programs and help them get acclimated to pro football and life in Green Bay. Previously, Koonce spent two years at his alma mater, East Carolina, as special assistant to the athletic director, a role in which he was in charge of program development.
At Marquette, Koonce will be involved primarily in fundraising, community relations and student welfare. Koonce is currently pursuing his interdisciplinary Ph.D. in sports administration at Marquette.
World Bowl on Saturday
NFL Europa's championship game, called the Yellow Strom World Bowl XV, will be televised on NFL Network live at noon CT on Saturday, June 23. It will re-air at 7 p.m. CT on Sunday.
The game pits the Frankfurt Galaxy and quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan, a former Packer now with the Chicago Bears, against the Hamburg Sea Devils and quarterback Casey Bramlet of the Washington Redskins. Both teams went 7-3 during the regular season.
A total of 34 NFL players representing 23 teams are involved in the title game. The Packers did not have any players allocated to Frankfurt or Hamburg.
Don't forget
On Thursday, June 21, NFL Network will re-air the classic 2003 NFC Wild Card playoff game between the Packers and Seattle Seahawks at 7 p.m. CT.
The game will be broadcast as it was originally shown on FOX.
A 52-yard interception return for a touchdown by Packers defensive back Al Harris sealed a 33-27 overtime victory for Green Bay over Seattle. The game will always be remembered for quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's overtime coin toss boast, "We want the ball, and we're gonna score!"
