Sims, Wilhite, Dunlap taken on final day of draft

Pat Sims hadn’t planned to be quite so interested in the second day of ESPN’s coverage of the NFL draft.

After all, when Sims passed up his senior season at Auburn to declare for the draft, he did so with the intentions of being among the 63 players selected on Saturday, the draft’s first day.

That didn’t happen. Instead, Sims had to wait until Sunday morning, when the draft resumed with the third round.

Early in the third round, the Cincinnati Bengals relieved Sims’ suspense, selecting him with the 77th overall pick, the 14th of the round.

Despite the longer-than-expected wait, Sims is looking forward to his professional future.

“I was a little bit surprised, but I can’t worry about that,” Sims told Cincinnati reporters Sunday. “I have to move on.

“I went today and I’m happy for going today. It’s just a proud feeling to have.”

Sims was the first of three former Tigers selected on the draft’s second day. The New England Patriots chose cornerback Jonathan Wilhite with the 129th overall pick, the 30th selection of the fourth round.

The Philadelphia Eagles took offensive tackle King Dunlap with the 23rd selection of the seventh and final round. Dunlap, who started six games last season, was the 230th overall selection.

The trio joined first-day selections Quentin Groves and Patrick Lee, who were both chosen in Saturday’s second round. It’s the first time since 1989 that four Auburn defenders have been selected in the same draft.

Sims joins former teammate Kenny Irons in Cincinnati. Irons, the Bengals’ second-round pick last season, is one of several former AU standouts on Cincinnati’s roster. The others are tailback Rudi Johnson and offensive tackle Willie Anderson.

The Bengals, who usually run a 3-4 defense, need a youth movement on their defensive line: Their top two defensive tackles last season were 32-year-old Mike Myers and 31-year-old John Thornton.

Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis is excited about Sims’ potential.

“For a big strong man at 312 pounds, he’s got great physical tools,” Lewis said. “He’s got the ability to run and change direction. That’s what’s impressive.”

Wilhite, meanwhile, faces a deeper roster in New England.

The Patriots’ depth chart at cornerback includes NFL veterans Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, Lewis Sanders and Ellis Hobbs, as well as second-year players Tim Mixon and Mike Richardson and rookie Terrence Wheatley, a second-round pick in this year’s draft.

Wilhite isn’t concerned about the competition.

He’s just excited to be a part of the New England franchise, which had an NFL-best 16-0 regular-season record last year and has played in four of the last seven Super Bowls.

“Just to get in and play and practice with these guys is a blessing that I’m thankful for,” Wilhite said on a conference call with Boston media. “I just want to be a part of the franchise.

“I’m going to keep saying it’s a blessing. … It’s an honor playing with these guys.”

Dunlap could get an opportunity in Philadelphia, which needs a long-term replacement for aging right tackle John Runyan, 34. The team cut backup right tackle Pat McCoy in December.

Several former AU players weren’t selected during the seven-round draft. Those players — a group that includes fullback Carl Stewart, tight end Cole Bennett, wideout Prechae Rodriguez, noseguard Josh Thompson and linebacker Eric Brock — are eligible to be signed to free-agent contracts immediately after the end of the draft.

| 737-2561