2008 Woodie Awards
Alleman Sainted
Zips offensive lineman taken with the 88th overall pick in the NFL Draft
Vincent Dorsey
Issue date: 5/1/07 Section: Sports
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Alleman was the fourth-highest UA player to be drafted in the NFL behind Charlie Frye, Jason Taylor and Dwight Smith. His selection marks the third-consecutive year that a Zips player has been chosen in the April draft.
Alleman described his initial reaction to the selection as emotional.
"I had been waiting the whole night," Alleman said. "I started to get nervous - the picks kept going by. Then, I got a phone call and it was great."
Alleman will join a Saints team that won the NFC South division, going 10-6, and made it to the NFC Championship game for the first time in team history last season. Saints head coach Sean Payton was named the 2006 Coach of the Year in his first season.
In 2005, the Saints had the league's second-worst record at 3-13.
The improvement the franchise has made over the past year is not lost on Alleman, and has the 6-foot-4, 302-pound offensive lineman excited to join the team and help build on the success of 2006.
"I'm really excited to join them," Alleman said. "They have Reggie Bush (and) Deuce McAllister. They were a game away from the Super Bowl last year.
"They went from the outhouse to the penthouse in one year. They've got young players. It's going to be fun to get down there and go to work."
Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart points to Alleman's dedication to the game and hard work as reasons for his success.
"Andy's work ethic has always been good," Brookhart said after UA's Blue-Gold Game April 15. "Andy is good because of his work ethic. He's always been a weight room guy."
Brookhart said that Alleman has improved his technique over the last year and a half.
Alleman's selection ends a continuous string of workouts and team meetings that began with the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis in late February and ended less than two weeks before the draft.
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