Chris Garrett elated to join Rams as Concordia’s second NFL draftee

Chris Garrett elated to join Rams as Concordia’s second NFL draftee

By CHRIS TOMASSON | ctomasson@pioneerpress.com | Pioneer Press

Edge rusher Chris Garrett put up some gaudy sack numbers when he played at Concordia-St. Paul. So, it was appropriate that after he was selected in the NFL draft last weekend, he received congratulations from one of the league’s premier sack artists.

Garrett was taken with the No. 252 pick in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Rams. And wishing him the best last Monday was Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt, who works out at the same suburban Milwaukee gym.

“I just told him, ‘I really didn’t know if I was going to get drafted or not,’ ’’ Garrett said of talking to Watt at NX Level Sports Performance in Waukesha, Wis. “And he was just telling me, ‘Congratulations and get to work.’ ’’

Garrett had some Watt-like stats for the Golden Bears. As a sophomore in 2018, he had a school-record 16½ sacks in just 10 games. In 2019, he had 14 in 11 games.

The Golden Bears of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference didn’t play last season because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that didn’t affect Garrett’s draft status. He showed his stuff at the University of Minnesota pro day on April 1 and was even more impressive at a pro day Concordia held for Garrett two weeks later.

Garrett became just the second Concordia player drafted by the NFL, following defensive end Zach Moore, a sixth-round pick by New England in 2014. Garrett had broken Moore’s single-season school and career sack records, finishing with 36½.

Full Article
[www.twincities.com]