East Texans selected by pro teams during the 2018 NFL Draft
EAST TEXAS (KLTV/KTRE) - At least four East Texans received calls Saturday during the 2018 NFL Draft.
Longview's Travin Howard got picked up by the Los Angeles Rams. Howard comes to the Rams from TCU. Howard is former Longview High School Lobo Travin Howard. Howard recently joined APEC in Fort Worth to prepare for the NFL and 2018 Draft.
A former linebacker for TCU, Howard led the team in tackles the past three seasons, which is a new program record. Howard racked up 345 tackles from 2015 to 2017, which is also the most ever under head coach Gary Patterson.
The Rams also picked John Franklin, a defensive end at Stephen F. Austin University. Franklin went under-recruited out of high school. In four years of Friday night ball in Greenville, his teams went 0 and 40. But he stood out in college and impressed at the combine.
Another East Texan, Whitehouse native Dylan Cantrell, was drafted by Los Angeles Chargers.
Cantrell is a former Whitehouse and Texas Tech playmaker who stood out during the NFL Combine. He impressed the scouts, ranking among the top receivers to grade out. Some sources have said his SPARQ rating was the best of all the receivers in the draft, and he led all receivers in several drills, like the 20-yard shuffle.
Earlier Saturday, the Houston Texans selected Lufkin native Keke Coutee during the NFL Draft 2018.
While a junior at Texas Tech, Coutee caught 93 passes for 1,429 receiving yards. Coutee earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2017. The wide receiver ranked fourth in the FBS with 1,429 receiving yards on 93 catches. Coutee also ranked sixth in the nation with 10 touchdowns. After11-reception, 187-yard, one-score effort against South Florida in the Birmingham Bowl, Coutee announced he was going to leave Texas Tech early and head to the pro ranks.
