Mike Seidman and Ricky Manning, Jr. are now bound by more than
just their Bruin pasts. They became Carolina Panther teammates over
the weekend.
In the NFL Draft on Saturday, Carolina snatched the two
All-Pac-10 performers up in the third round one after the other
with the tight end Seidman going 76th overall and Manning, a
cornerback, at 82nd.
“It just made things that much better,” Seidman
said.
Carolina, which drafted tailback DeShaun Foster out of UCLA last
season in the second round, sent its scouts to UCLA’s Pro Day
this year to watch the Bruin seniors showcase their skills. The
Panthers eventually flew Seidman to their practice facilities in
Charlotte for an individual workout and apparently liked what they
saw.
“(Seidman) was very high on our tight end board, and we
think he’s going to be good,” Carolina general manager
Marty Hurney said. “Things fell right for us.”
Carolina, last place finishers in the NFC South, filled one of
their many needs at tight end after releasing aging Pro Bowler
Wesley Walls in the offseason.
“It’s a good situation,” Seidman said.
“I’ll be looking forward to playing.”
Six picks later, the Panthers packaged two fourth-round
selections along with a seventh rounder to the Denver Broncos in
order to move up and nab Manning.
Manning, who only stands 5-foot-9-inches, had feared that his
name would not be called by the end of Saturday.
“I would have been disappointed, but I ain’t got to
worry no more,” said Manning, who projects as a
nickelback.
In order to relish his remaining time as a Bruin, Seidman went
to the UCLA spring scrimmage after being selected. Foster was
coincidentally there.
Manning said he simply went to a local sporting goods store in
his native Fresno to buy a cap.
“I’m a Carolina fan now,” Manning said.
On Sunday, no UCLA players were drafted, but linebackers Marcus
Reece and punter Nate Fikse signed with the San Francisco 49ers,
while offensive lineman Mike Saffer was inked by the Atlanta
Falcons.
Offensive lineman Bryce Bohlander and quarterback Cory Paus hope
to sign free-agent contracts in the coming days.
With reports from the Associated Press.