The Carolina Panther drafted former Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy with the 60th overall pick of the NFL Draft Friday night at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Ealy, a second round pick, is the first Tiger to be selected in this year’s draft. It is the first draft since 2008 that Mizzou hasn’t had a player selected in the first round.
The 6-foot-4, 273-pound redshirt junior announced his intention to forgo his final year of eligibility after the 2014 AT&T Cotton Bowl, where he recorded six tackles and two sacks.
Ealy recorded 30 solo tackles and assisted on 13 more for a total of 43 in 2013. His 9.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss were both good for second on the team, finishing behind defensive end Michael Sam in both categories.
His collegiate career took off in his redshirt sophomore year. Ealy jumped from six solo tackles in his freshman campaign to 17 solo tackles in his second season.
Ealy attended the draft with some family and friends. His sister, Sierra, suffers from a chromosome disorder, which affects her bone structure and speech skills. His father, Willie, has diabetes.
The NFL Draft will go through round three Friday. Rounds four through seven will begin Saturday at 11 a.m.
Former Tigers looking to get drafted include Sam, offensive tackle Justin Britt, cornerback E.J. Gaines, receiver L’Damian Washington and running back Henry Josey.
