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Princeton University Athletics
Seahawks Select Dennis Norman In Seventh Round Of NFL Draft
April 22, 2001 | Football
April 22, 2001
Dennis Norman, one of four three-time first-team All-Ivy League selections in Princeton football history, was selected by the Seattle Seahawks Sunday on the second day of the National Football League draft.
Norman was the 22nd pick of the seventh road, the 222nd pick overall. He is the first Princeton player to be drafted since the Philadelphia Eagles took Judd Garrett in the 12th round of the 1990 draft.
Ironically enough, Norman's selection was followed immediately in the seventh round by two other Ivy Leaguers, Yale's Than Merrill and Eric Johnson.
"It's a relief to be drafted," Norman said. "Now I have to go out there and prove myself. I came to Princeton as a tight end in high school, and I had to work very hard on my technique as an offensive lineman."
A graduate of Cherokee High in South Jersey, Norman missed his entire freshman year with a broken leg suffered in training camp. He came back to be a first-team All-Ivy pick each of the next three years, joining Derek Graham '86, Damani Leech '98 and Matt Evans '99 as the only Princeton players ever so honored.
Norman may have been selected by the perfect team. The Seahawks, who did draft two other offensive linemen, currently list only three offensive tackles on their entire roster.
Norman's fellow offensive linemen Ross Tucker and John Raveche were not drafted but are expected to sign free agent contracts.