D-II offers Day 2 bright spots

Two of the more intriguing selections on Day 2 of the NFL draft were made by the NFC North when the Lions and Bears picked a pair of virtually unknown Division II players in the middle rounds.

Looking for help to stop Adrian Peterson twice a year, the Lions went with a giant nose tackle when they took Senior Bowl standout Sammie Lee Hill of Stillman College in the fourth round (115th overall). One round later, the Bears gave new quarterback Jay Cutler the fastest guy at this year's combine when they picked receiver Johnny Knox of Abilene Christian 140th overall.

Six Division II players were among the 256 drafted this year, proving it doesn't matter where you're from on draft day. Heck, six D-II selections is six more than our local D-I program had chosen.

"Personally," Hill said, "I don't think the [college competition] will be a problem."

Hill is a 6-4, 331-pounder who wowed scouts at the Senior Bowl with his strength and agility. Chances are he also won't take football for granted.

His mother is a minister. His father is a retired coal miner. If Hill weren't 6-4, 331, he'd also be a coal miner, which isn't something he was particular fond of becoming.

No Division I program wanted Hill coming out of high school. Heck, it took his high school defensive coordinator begging the coaches at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala., just to find a place for Hill to play.

"I'm overwhelmed," Hill said after the only 0-16 team in NFL history made him the 14th defensive tackle drafted.

Later in the fourth round, the Bears tapped tiny Abilene Christian College for the second time in three years. After taking defensive back Danieal Manning in the second round in 2006, the Bears selected Knox in the fifth round. The 5-11, 185-pounder ran a 4.34 40 at the combine. He also ran an unofficial 4.29.

Hill is considered extremely raw at receiver but could help in the slot eventually and as a combo with Devin Hester in the return game immediately.

Hill and Knox are just two more examples of how the NFL leaves no football field unscouted. There were others on Sunday.

Two picks before Hill was taken, the Chargers went north of the border to take defensive tackle Vaughn Martin of Western Ontario. In the third round, the Giants took a 6-6 receiver from Cal Poly named Ramses Barden. He isn't the fastest guy in the world, but he averaged 26 yards a catch last season, had two 200-yard games and, being from Cal Poly, chances are good he won't shoot himself in the leg with his own pistol.

Make that Gregory Toler, member of the defending NFC champion Cardinals. That's quite a long way from where his career was a few years ago.

Toler's grades were so poor in high school, he ended up stocking shelves at the local JCPenney in Virginia. He thought his football days were over, but he bumped into a recruiter for the D.C. Explosion, a semipro team.

A few games into his semipro career, Toler bumped into another recruiter, former NFL player Kevin Grigsby. Grigsby was restarting a St. Paul's program that had been dormant since 1987.

Toler agreed to sign with St. Paul's, knowing he'd have to play one year as a club sport before moving up to Division II.

Back in Detroit, a story about Hill and some friends running into a burning home to save a man's life in 2007 was circulating Sunday.

A great draft-day story. Now, let's see him help the Lions end a 17-game losing streak because the draft -- finally -- is OVER!