Conklin drafted 157th overall by Vikings, other Chippewas sign


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Central Michigan head coach John Bonamego and tight end Tyler Conklin share a laugh at Turf Bay in the Indoor Athletic Complex at CMU's Pro Day on March 16.

Even though tight end Tyler Conklin was the only Central Michigan player selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, a host of Chippewas earned professional opportunities. 

CMU had four draft-eligible players signed to an NFL team, while two others received invitations to training camp.

Tyler Conklin

The Minnesota Vikings picked Conklin with the 157th overall selection in the 5th round of the NFL Draft. He will join Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph and is projected to be his backup for the 2018 season. 

In order to draft Conklin, Minnesota traded up, sending the 167th and 225th overall picks to the New York Jets for the 157th selection. 

In his CMU career, Conklin made 83 receptions for 1,159 yards and 11 touchdowns. The tight end registered 28 receptions, 406 yards and five touchdowns in his senior season. 

Conklin came to CMU as a walk-on from Division II Northwood, where he played basketball. 

“When I walked-on, not many people thought I’d be here,” Tyler said. “I had a feeling. I took a different route than most people, so that will keep me working hard and sticking to my roots.”

The 6-foot-3, 254 pounder was named a team captain for CMU and a Third-Team All-MAC selection in 2017. At the 2018 NFL Combine, his 38-inch vertical ranked second among all tight ends in the draft. 

The Rest

Moments after the 2018 NFL Draft came to a conclusion, wide receiver Corey Willis, defensive end Joe Ostman and defensive back Amari Coleman found their future home as undrafted free agent signees.

Willis will play for the Arizona Cardinals, Ostman for the Philadelphia Eagles and Coleman will stay in the state of Michigan to play for the Detroit Lions. 

CMU offensive tackle J.P. Quinn and offensive lineman Joe Austin both agreed to walk-on spots at the rookie mini-camp with the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons, respectively. If the duo performs well, an opportunity to sign would be granted. 

Corey Willis

For his entire CMU career, Willis was labeled as a big moment player. He solidified the label with a game-winning 71-yard touchdown against Western Michigan on Nov. 18 from quarterback Shane Morris. 

The Cardinals noticed the same, as General Manager Steve Keim picked up on his contract just moments after the draft ended. 

“Waking up an Arizona Cardinal makes me think about how long of a road it’s been to get to this point,” Willis said. “But also knowing this isn’t the end of the road, it’s only the beginning.” 

Willis caught 42 passes for 625 yards and nine touchdowns in his senior 2017 season for the Chippewas.

From Holland, Michigan, Willis played four seasons in Mount Pleasant, making 161 receptions for 2,394 yards and 23 touchdowns. 

Joe Ostman

Many expected to Ostman’s name called toward the end of the draft after a stellar showing at the Shrine Game. 

When his name did not appear, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles jumped at the opportunity. 

“I feel like I had a good week at the Shrine game and was able to prove myself, which you have to do coming from a small school,” Ostman said at CMU’s Pro Day on March 16. “I feel like I’ve been able to prove myself to a point.” 

The 6-foot-3, 236-pound defensive end from St. Ignace High School had 63 tackles during his senior season to go with 13 sacks, 19.5 tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles. 

Conklin, who was selected by the Vikings, had a few words at Pro Day for whoever ended up picking Ostman – “Whoever gets him will be lucky. He’s going to be a great football player.”

Amari Coleman

New Lothrop, Coleman’s hometown, is just 87 miles north of Detroit. Since he was selected to join the Lions as an undrafted free agent, he will not have to go far to start training camp. 

The 5-foot-11, 188-pound defensive back made 44 tackles, 4.0 tackles for a loss, three interceptions and eight passes defended. Of his three interceptions, one was returned for a touchdown. 

In his four-year career with the Chippewas, Coleman registered 141 tackles, 9.0 tackles for a loss, one sack, eight interceptions, 29 passes defended, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. 

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