SEARCY – Just minutes after the 2006 National Football League Draft ended Sunday, Harding University’s Torrance “Tank” Daniels’ professional career began.
Daniels, who played multiple positions for Harding, was contacted by Philadelphia Eagles’ linebacker coach Steve Spagnuolo late Sunday afternoon and offered an NFL free agent contract.
“I am obviously very excited and very relieved,” said Daniels, a native of Clarendon, Ark. “I want to go up there and prove something to the coaches. I am going to make it very hard for someone to cut me.”
Daniels, listed at 6-foot-4, 248-pounds, will report to the Eagles’ rookie camp on May 12.
In 2005, Daniels recorded 74 tackles, including a team-high 10.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. In his career, the two-time All-America honoree compiled 237 tackles, 34.0 TFL, 17.5 sacks, and 7 interceptions.
The Eagles drafted another linebacker in the third round, Chris Gocong from Cal-Poly.
“The Eagles said that they were sending me a playbook Monday and information about where to go from here,” Daniels said. “I am just ready to get started.”
Harding has not had a player drafted since Bruce Baldwin in 1983. The last Bisons to sign free agent contracts were Tim Love (San Diego Chargers) and Floyd Black (Atlanta Falcons) in 2002. Daniels will be looking to become the first Harding player to play a regular season game in the National Football League.
