Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eagles Prepare for NFL Draft
4/23/2009 10:39:38 AM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
T.J. Lang and Daniel Holtzclaw hope to hear from NFL teams during draft weekend
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Click Here for Video of T.J. Lang (Courtesy of Draftguys TV).
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Click Here for a Downloadable Bio.
Click Here for a T.J. Lang Head Shot. Click Here for a T.J. Lang Action Shot. PERSONAL: Full name: Thomas John Lang, Jr....Son of Thomas Lang and Lynn Confer...Born 9-20-87...Has three brothers, Zach, Trent and Garrett, and one sister, Megan...Criminal justice major...EMU: Started his career as a defensive lineman in 2005 and played 11 games, starting once...Moved to the offensive line as a sophomore in 2006 and went on to start all 36 games his last three seasons, all 12 in 2006 at right or left offensive tackle and all 12 in 2007 and 2008 at left offensive tackle...Selected to play in the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game after his senior season...2008: Started all 12 games at left offensive tackle...Selected as a second-team All-Mid-American Conference offensive lineman...Named the team's Harold E. Sponberg Award winner as the top Down Lineman Scholar-Athlete on the team...Singled out as the Offensive Player of the Week three times, for the Toledo (Sept. 13), Army (Oct. 11) and Akron (Oct. 18) games...2007: Started all 12 games at offensive left tackle...Earned five single-game awards from the coaching staff for outstanding effort...Selected for a Championship Performance against Central Michigan (Nov. 16), and four Winning Performances, against Northwestern (Oct. 19), Western Michigan (Oct. 27), Toledo (Nov. 3) and Bowling Green (Nov. 9)...2006: Started all 12 games, 10 at offensive right tackle and two, the Kent State (Nov. 17) and Northern Illinois (Nov. 24) games, at offensive left tackle...Chosen by the coaching staff for five single-game awards...Named the Offensive Player of the Game at Louisiana Lafayette (Sept. 30)...Earned a Championship Performance award against Toledo (Oct. 21), Championship |
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Special Teams awards for the Central Michigan (Sept. 23) and Bowling Green (Oct. 14) games and a Winning Performance award versus Central Michigan...2005: Earned a varsity letter as one of seven true freshmen to see game action...Played in all 11 games and started once, in the season opener at Cincinnati (Sept. 1)...Turned in his best outing with two solos and two assisted tackles at Central Michigan (Sept. 24)...Singled out by the coaching staff for a Championship Special Teams Performance against Western Michigan (Nov. 5)...HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Birmingham Brother Rice where he played football for head coach Al Fracassa...Senior Year: Played on both the offensive and defensive lines...Had 59 tackles, 34 assists, 8.5 sacks and one fumble recovery...First-team All-State Div. 2 and captain of the team by the Detroit Free Press...Selected No. 33 on Detroit Free Press writer Mick McCabe's Fab 50 list of the top players in the state of Michigan...Selected to the All-North Team by the Detroit Free Press...Named his team's Lombardi Award winner as the Most Outstanding Lineman...Won the Defensive Line award at the University of Michigan 2004 summer camp...Nominated for the Gatorade Player of the Year award in the state of Michigan...Selected Special Mention on the Associated Press' All-State Division 2 team...Junior Year: Named his team's Most Improved Lineman...Helped lead the football team to the state finals...Sophomore Year: Played at Lakeland H.S. in White Lake and lettered in both football and baseball. |
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Click Here for a Downloadable Bio. |
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forced fumble...Selected as Defensive Eagle of the Week twice, for the Toledo game, Sept. 13, and the Central Michigan contest, Nov. 28...Was a Bronco Nagurski Award (best defensive player in college football) and Rotary Lombardi Award (outstanding defensive down lineman or player five yards off the ball) candidate...Was selected as a 2008 preseason first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection in Phil Steele's 2008 College Football Magazine's preseason magazine...2007: Started all 12 games at middle linebacker and led the team in tackles with 125...Ranked tied for 21st in the nation in total tackles and was third in the MAC...Led the team and was ranked third in the MAC and tied for 21st in the nation in total tackles with 125...Earned eight single-game awards from the coaching staff for outstanding efforts...Selected for Winning Performances four times, for the Northern Illinois (Sept. 15), Howard (Sept. 22), Vanderbilt (Sept. 29) and Northwestern (Oct. 19) games...Chosen as the Defensive Big Playmaker for the NIU and Western Michigan (Oct. 27) games...Also selected for a Championship Performance against WMU...Had six double-figure tackle games, including a personal-best 19 in the Howard contest...2006: Started all 12 games at middle linebacker...Recorded 114 total tackles to lead the team and the MAC and finished 16th in the Division I-A ranks...Had five double-figure tackle games with 15 against Central Michigan (Sept. 23), 14 versus Bowling Green (Oct. 14), 11 at Western Michigan (Oct. 28), 13 against Ohio (Nov. 4) and 13 in the season finale at home against Northern Illinois (Nov. 24)...Also turned in 3.5 tackles-for-loss of 14 yards, had one forced fumble, against NIU and one fumble recovery, at WMU...Singled out by the coaching staff for single-game awards six times...Earned Winning Performance awards three times, for the Toledo (Oct. 21), Western Michigan and Ohio games...Named a Championship Performer for the Kent State (Nov. 17) contest and was a Championship Special Teams award winner for the Central Michigan and Bowling Green games...Named to the preseason Dick Butkus Award Watch List which honors the nation's top linebacker at the end of the year...2005: Started all 11 games at middle linebacker as a true freshman...Tied for ninth in the NCAA Division I-A ranks in interceptions in 2005 with five...Recorded 91 total tackles...Completed his freshman season as the 13th leading tackler in the Mid-American Conference and tied for second in interceptions...Named the MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week for the Kent State game after recording 11 tackles, one interception, and 0.5 tackles-for-loss of one yard...Chosen as the Eastern Gridiron Network Newcomer of the Year for 2005...Earned five coaches' awards during the season, including Defensive Big Playmaker against Louisiana Lafayette (Sept. 10), Championship Special Teams performer against Kent State, Defensive Eagle of the Week and a Winning Performer award against Northern Illinois (Oct. 15), and was singled out as a Winning Performer against Miami (Oct. 22) and Ball State (Nov. 12)...Recorded interceptions against Kent State, two at Northern Illinois and two in the season finale at Buffalo (Nov. 19)...HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Enid (Okla.) H.S. where he played football for head coach Tom Cobble...Senior Year: First-team All-State selection as well as All-District and All-Northwest Region selection...Three-year starter and captain...Led the team with 123 tackles, including a school-record 25 tackles in the season opener...One of the strongest players on the team with a 360-pound bench press and 500-pound squat...Junior Year: Earned a football letter and recorded 63 tackles...Sophomore Year: Earned a football letter. |
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The Following Article is Courtesy of The Ann Arbor News
Story Written by Jeff Arnold
Originally Published April 23, 2009
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- T.J. Lang has bounced from airport to airport to interview for NFL jobs.
By now, the former Eastern Michigan University offensive lineman has learned to sell himself to potential employers.
And, after meetings with 10 potential suitors, Lang is forced to wait for his future to be determined this weekend during the NFL Draft.
At times, his curiosity gets the best of him, and he'll peruse mock draft boards.
Speculation means little, but seeing others forecast where the 6-foot-4-inch, 316-pound Lang may land is, after all, part of the process.
"I'm just trying to stay relaxed," Lang said this week. "I'm not nervous about it quite yet, but it's definitely exciting."
During the past two weeks, Lang - who's projected to be a mid-to-late round draft pick - has met with a variety of teams, ranging from Baltimore to San Diego.
Lang, who fell one vote short of an NFL Combine invitation, has been content to be himself. His laid-back demeanor is in stark contrast to his tenacious work ethic that has impressed several NFL teams.
"I felt like I was under the radar a little bit and that I had something to prove," Lang said. "I realized that (getting drafted) was going to be a little tougher, but I know how hard I have worked. I'm going to get into a (NFL) camp and prove that I belong."
He isn't alone in his thinking.
Like Lang, Daniel Holtzclaw is also waiting.
Holtzclaw, a 6-foot, 245-pound linebacker who finished his career as Eastern Michigan's second all-time leading tackler with 437, hasn't attracted the attention of NFL scouts.
"I'm hoping for the best, and I'm preparing for the worst," Holtzclaw said from his home in Oklahoma on Tuesday night. "Whatever comes up, I'm ready for."
Any interaction with NFL teams has come over the phone or through his agent, leaving the 6-foot, 245-pound linebacker to keep working while his future remains in the hands of others.
Holtzclaw's name doesn't appear on mock draft boards like Lang's, and he realizes he may have to earn a roster spot as an undrafted free agent.
Mock drafts only motivate Holtzclaw, who was left to depend on a YouTube video from Eastern Michigan's Pro Day to showcase his abilities.
He'll spend this weekend with his family and wait for the phone to ring, but he's prepared to work his way into an NFL camp.
"I'm always going to get overlooked. There's always going to be the bigger program with linebackers that are going to overshadow me," Holtzclaw said.
"I want to be drafted, but I'm always going to have that chip on my shoulder no matter what happens, and I'm always going to remember what happened."
Jeff Arnold can be reached at jarnold@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6814.
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