The Baltimore Ravens have signed 2006 sixth-round draft choice CB Derrick Martin to a three-year contract, and agreed to terms on three-year contracts with RB P.J. Daniels (fourth round, 132nd overall), TE Quinn Sypniewski (fifth round, 166th overall) and P Sam Koch (sixth round, 203rd overall) general manager Ozzie Newsome announced today.
Martin, the 1st Ravens draft choice to sign in 2006 was the 208th overall selection of the 2006 Draft, is a versatile DB who can play both inside and outside. He totaled 134 tackles (92 solo), 21 PD, six INTs (one returned for a TD), three FR, two FFs and two sacks in his three seasons at Wyoming, while playing in 30 games. He also returned six KOs for 135 yards (22.5 avg.) and blocked three punts, returning two for TDs.
Daniels, a two-time All-ACC tailback (first-team in 2003 and second-team in 2005), finished his career as the fourth-leading rusher in Georgia Tech history (3,340 yards). A former college walk-on who earned a scholarship following the 2002 season, Daniels finished his career ranked third in Georgia Tech history with 23 rushing TDs and 3,912 all-purpose yards, ranking him fifth on the Yellow Jackets’ list. He also ranked second in school history with 16 100-yard rushing games and pulled in 56 passes for 369 yards and three TDs in his college career.
Sypniewski holds the University of Colorado career record with 55 games played, topping the previous mark of 50 by WR Derek McCoy (2000-03), and became the first player in Colorado history to receive a sixth year of eligibility when he was hampered by injuries from 2003-04 and was then granted a rare sixth-year medical hardship from the NCAA in 2005. Teamed with Joe Klopfenstein to provide the Buffaloes with a TE tandem that combined for 62 receptions for 915 yards and nine TDs in 2005, the best production the Buffaloes had received at that position since the tandem of Jon Embree (51 for 680 and three scores) and Ed Reinhardt (14 for 190, two TDs) totaled 65 catches for 870 yards and five scores during the 1984 campaign.
Koch (pronounced Cook) was Nebraska’s punter in 2004-05 after solely holding kickoff duties for seven games in 2003. He played in 30 career games, 23 of which came as the Huskers’ No. 1 punter. Koch racked up a career punting average of 44.1 yards (with 56 kicks inside the 20 and a long of 84 yards) to finish third in school annals. As a senior, broke the single-season punting average mark by kicking for a 46.5-yard average. Koch’s average ranked second nationally and helped Nebraska to a No. 2 national ranking in net punting (39.9 avg.) while earning first-team All-Big 12 as a senior.
RICARD’S CONTRACT TERMINATED
Sixth-year FB Alan Ricard was terminated (vested veteran) today. Ricard, played in 55 games, starting 30 after joining the Ravens as a rookie free agent in 2000. He has gained 173 yards on 43 carries (4.0 avg.) with two TDs and has hauled in 32 passes for 179 yards with Baltimore. In 2003 Ricard was the blocking back for Jamal Lewis when he rushed for a franchise 2,066 yards, the second-highest single-season total in NFL history.
