April 30, 2006

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford's Cortland Finnegan was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round of the National Football League Draft on Sunday. Finnegan was the 215th overall pick in the draft.

Finnegan, who was named the Ohio Valley Conference's Defensive Player of the Year in 2003, led Samford in tackles each of the last three seasons. In 2005, Finnegan led the OVC in punt return average, and he was second in the league in kickoff return average.

Finnegan was named first-team All-Conference for the OVC the last three seasons, and he was named All-American as a defensive back in 2003 and 2005, and as a kick returner in 2002.

Finnegan finished his Samford career with 338 tackles and nine interceptions. He averaged 28.3 yards per kickoff return and 15.1 yards per punt return in his time at Samford.

Finnegan is the first Samford player to be taken in the NFL Draft since 1969 when Gary Fleming was drafted in the seventh round by the Baltimore Colts.