CHICAGO — Nebraska outside linebacker Randy Gregory’s long wait ended 60 picks into the 2015 NFL Draft on Friday night at Auditorium Theater, when he was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys.
Gregory, the 16th-ranked player and No. 2 pass rusher according to NFLDraftScout.com, failed a drug test at the Scouting Combine in February and has a string of off-the-field concerns. The Cowboys traded up in the 2014 NFL Draft for Boise State defensive end Demarcus Lawrence.
“It’s the best fit for me,” Gregory said. “The organization believes that, too.”
With the first pick in the second round, the New York Giants dealt up for the No. 33 overall pick to choose Alabama safety Landon Collins.
New York picked ninth overall in the first round and made the deal to jump up to No. 33 with the Tennessee Titans, who had passed on multiple offers for the No. 2 overall pick to draft Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. Tennessee selected 6-foot-5, 237-pound wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham at No. 40.
New York’s pick was announced by former Giants safety Shaun Williams. Alabama teammate T.J. Yeldon went to Jacksonville four picks later. Ohio State wide receiver Devin Smith, one of the fastest vertical targets in the draft, landed with the Jets at No. 37. He was the seventh receiver drafted in 2015, and then the Carolina Panthers took Michigan wide receiver Devin Funchess.
“It was all worth it. You only get to do this once,” said Smith, who attended the first round Thursday.
With the 34th pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected offensive tackle Donovan Smith, who started 31 games at left tackle at Penn State. The Oakland Raiders picked pass rusher Mario Edwards from Florida State and the Washington Redskins selected Mississippi State linebacker Preston Smith at No. 38.
Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, one of several NFL legends on the stage Friday, introduced the 39th overall pick and newest Chicago Bear, defensive tackle Eddie Goldman from Florida State.
Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly announced Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby as the Buffalo Bills’ first pick in the 2015 draft at No. 50. The Seattle Seahawks spent their first pick of the draft, the 63rd overall, on Michigan defensive end Frank Clark.
Houston drafted inside linebacker Bernardrick McKinney with the 43rd pick and the New Orleans Saints made their third selection in the top 44, outside linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha, who was the fourth Washington product drafted and a third consecutive linebacker, UCLA’s Eric Kendricks went next to the Minnesota Vikings. Miami (Fla.) inside linebacker Denzel Perryman was chosen 48th by the San Diego Chargers.
Utah defensive back Eric Rowe landed with the Philadelphia Eagles (47th overall). Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah was selected 54th by the Detroit Lions.
Offensive linemen dominated the first round and two powerful right tackles, Wisconsin’s Rob Havenstein (57th, Rams) and Colorado State’s Ty Sambrailo (59th, Cardinals) came off the board late in the second round along with Hobart guard Ali Marpet (61st, Buccaneers).