Temple University Athletics
TE Evan Rodriguez & LB Tahir Whitehead
Rodriguez, Whitehead Selected in NFL Draft
4.28.12 | Football
Three Owls Drafted in 2012
NEW YORK – The Chicago Bears selected Temple TE Evan Rodriguez (North Bergen, N.J.) with the 16th pick of the fourth round (111th pick overall), while the Detroit Lions selected LB Tahir Whitehead (Newark, N.J.) with the third pick of the fifth round (138th pick overall) of the 2012 National Football League Draft on Saturday afternoon at Radio City Music Hall.
The duo brings Temple's draftees to three selected in 2012 and the 64th Temple University football player to be selected in the NFL Draft since 1937. They join RB Bernard Pierce (Ardmore, Pa.) who was selected in the third round last night.
Rodriguez, who played in the East-West Shrine Game, is a two-time first-team All-MAC selection. He played in all 13 games with 12 starts at tight end in 2011. Named to the Mackey Award Watch List, he led the Owls with 479 yards and two touchdowns on 35 receptions. In the win at Maryland, Rodriguez had a career-high 96 yards on five receptions en route to National TE?of the Week honors from the National Football Performance Awards.
Rodriguez is the fifth Owl drafted by the Chicago Bears since 1940.
Whitehead, a team captain, was a second-team All-MAC honoree in 2011 and the Defensive MVP of the 2011 Gildan New Mexico Bowl. He played in all 13 games with 12 starts at Sam linebacker. Named to the Butkus Award Watch List, he finished third in team tackling with 70 tackles, a team-best 13.5 TFL for a loss of 66 yards, five sacks, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
Whitehead is the just the second Owl drafted by the Detroit Lions since 1945. Tackle Mike Jarmoluk was a seventh round pick (62nd pick overall).
The trio ties the school record for the most Owls drafted in a single year. Three Temple Owls were also drafted in 1946, 1975, 1980, and 1987.
Temple opens the 2012 season with Villanova in the fourth annual Mayor's Cup, sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts, on Friday, August 31 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Temple football season tickets are on sale now for as low as $99 and can be purchased by calling the Temple Ticket Sales Office at 215-204-8499 or visit www.OwlsTix.com.
TEMPLE'S ALL-TIME NFL DRAFT HISTORY
Year Rd. Pick Player Name Team Pos.
2012 3 21 84 Bernard Pierce Ravens RB
4 16 111 Evan Rodriguez Bears TE
5 3 138 Tahir Whitehead Lions LB
2011 1 30 30 Muhammad Wilkerson Jets DT
2 22 54 Jaiquawn Jarrett Eagles DB
2008 3 8 72 Terrance Knighton Jaguars DT
2005 5 30 166 Rian Wallace Steelers LB
2003 4 20 117 Dan Klecko Patriots DT
7 23 237 Dave Yovanovits Jets OT
2002 7 27 238 Raheem Brock Eagles DE
2001 4 16 111 Mathias Nkwenti Steelers OT
1997 4 32 128 Alshermond Singleton Buccaneers LB
1996 2 27 57 Lance Johnstone Raiders LB
6 20 187 Jon Clark Bears OT
1994 2 2 31 Tré Johnson Redskins OL
1989 8 25 220 Todd McNair Chiefs RB
1988 3 23 78 Ralph Jarvis Bears DE
8 18 211 Mike Hinnant Steelers TE
1987 1 19 19 Paul Palmer Chiefs RB
6 5 145 Willie Marshall Packers WR
11 24 303 Larry Brewton Browns DB
1986 1 9 9 John Rienstra Steelers OG
6 20 158 Lloyd Yancey Cowboys OG
1985 3 5 61 Anthony Young Colts DB
1984 7 5 173 Kevin Ross Chiefs DB
1983 8 13 209 Mike McClearn Browns OG
1982 10 9 260 Gerald Lucear Vikings WR
1981 12 26 330 Mark McCants Falcons DB
1980 8 25 218 Mike Curcio Eagles LB
9 6 227 Mark Bright Colts RB
12 23 328 Wiley Pitts Oilers WR
1979 8 26 218 Robert Brewer Chiefs OG
11 22 297 Zach Dixon Broncos RB
1977 6 5 144 Joe Klecko Jets DT
6 25 164 Jim Cooper Cowboys OT
1976 3 32 92 Don Bitterlich Seahawks K
1975 6 24 154 Harry Hynoski Browns RB
7 4 160 Steve Joachim Colts QB
17 13 429 Garry Webb Eagles DE
1973 4 19 97 Bill Singletary Chargers LB
10 14 248 Nick Mike-Mayer Falcons K
1970 9 15 223 Chris Fletcher Chargers DB
1969 8 3 185 Jim Callahan Falcons WR
1967 14 11 352 Mike Stromberg Jets LB
1966 20 13 303 Joe Petro Browns QB
1958 30 2 351 Jim Thompson Eagles E
1955 18 7 212 Joe Stout Giants B
29 12 349 Ted (Tex) Robinson Browns B
1954 19 10 227 Bob Edmiston 49ers T
1953 9 4 101 Pat Sarnese Steelers T
1952 24 4 281 Joe Tyrrell Eagles G
1948 6 4 39 Phil Slosburg Yanks B
1946 15 4 134 Johnny Timko Bears C
19 2 172 Jack Burns Yanks B
19 3 173 Bill Cloud Steelers T
1945 7 8 62 Mike Jarmoluk Lions T
1944 19 9 195 Jimmy Woodside Steelers C
1943 22 4 204 George Sutch Cardinals B
27 3 253 Al Drulis Cardinals G
1942 16 1 141 Andy Tomasic Steelers B
1940 5 7 37 Ed Kolman Bears T
12 10 110 Ed McGee Giants G
1937 9 6 86 Bill Docherty Redskins T
The duo brings Temple's draftees to three selected in 2012 and the 64th Temple University football player to be selected in the NFL Draft since 1937. They join RB Bernard Pierce (Ardmore, Pa.) who was selected in the third round last night.
Rodriguez, who played in the East-West Shrine Game, is a two-time first-team All-MAC selection. He played in all 13 games with 12 starts at tight end in 2011. Named to the Mackey Award Watch List, he led the Owls with 479 yards and two touchdowns on 35 receptions. In the win at Maryland, Rodriguez had a career-high 96 yards on five receptions en route to National TE?of the Week honors from the National Football Performance Awards.
Rodriguez is the fifth Owl drafted by the Chicago Bears since 1940.
Whitehead, a team captain, was a second-team All-MAC honoree in 2011 and the Defensive MVP of the 2011 Gildan New Mexico Bowl. He played in all 13 games with 12 starts at Sam linebacker. Named to the Butkus Award Watch List, he finished third in team tackling with 70 tackles, a team-best 13.5 TFL for a loss of 66 yards, five sacks, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
Whitehead is the just the second Owl drafted by the Detroit Lions since 1945. Tackle Mike Jarmoluk was a seventh round pick (62nd pick overall).
The trio ties the school record for the most Owls drafted in a single year. Three Temple Owls were also drafted in 1946, 1975, 1980, and 1987.
Temple opens the 2012 season with Villanova in the fourth annual Mayor's Cup, sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts, on Friday, August 31 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Temple football season tickets are on sale now for as low as $99 and can be purchased by calling the Temple Ticket Sales Office at 215-204-8499 or visit www.OwlsTix.com.
TEMPLE'S ALL-TIME NFL DRAFT HISTORY
Year Rd. Pick Player Name Team Pos.
2012 3 21 84 Bernard Pierce Ravens RB
4 16 111 Evan Rodriguez Bears TE
5 3 138 Tahir Whitehead Lions LB
2011 1 30 30 Muhammad Wilkerson Jets DT
2 22 54 Jaiquawn Jarrett Eagles DB
2008 3 8 72 Terrance Knighton Jaguars DT
2005 5 30 166 Rian Wallace Steelers LB
2003 4 20 117 Dan Klecko Patriots DT
7 23 237 Dave Yovanovits Jets OT
2002 7 27 238 Raheem Brock Eagles DE
2001 4 16 111 Mathias Nkwenti Steelers OT
1997 4 32 128 Alshermond Singleton Buccaneers LB
1996 2 27 57 Lance Johnstone Raiders LB
6 20 187 Jon Clark Bears OT
1994 2 2 31 Tré Johnson Redskins OL
1989 8 25 220 Todd McNair Chiefs RB
1988 3 23 78 Ralph Jarvis Bears DE
8 18 211 Mike Hinnant Steelers TE
1987 1 19 19 Paul Palmer Chiefs RB
6 5 145 Willie Marshall Packers WR
11 24 303 Larry Brewton Browns DB
1986 1 9 9 John Rienstra Steelers OG
6 20 158 Lloyd Yancey Cowboys OG
1985 3 5 61 Anthony Young Colts DB
1984 7 5 173 Kevin Ross Chiefs DB
1983 8 13 209 Mike McClearn Browns OG
1982 10 9 260 Gerald Lucear Vikings WR
1981 12 26 330 Mark McCants Falcons DB
1980 8 25 218 Mike Curcio Eagles LB
9 6 227 Mark Bright Colts RB
12 23 328 Wiley Pitts Oilers WR
1979 8 26 218 Robert Brewer Chiefs OG
11 22 297 Zach Dixon Broncos RB
1977 6 5 144 Joe Klecko Jets DT
6 25 164 Jim Cooper Cowboys OT
1976 3 32 92 Don Bitterlich Seahawks K
1975 6 24 154 Harry Hynoski Browns RB
7 4 160 Steve Joachim Colts QB
17 13 429 Garry Webb Eagles DE
1973 4 19 97 Bill Singletary Chargers LB
10 14 248 Nick Mike-Mayer Falcons K
1970 9 15 223 Chris Fletcher Chargers DB
1969 8 3 185 Jim Callahan Falcons WR
1967 14 11 352 Mike Stromberg Jets LB
1966 20 13 303 Joe Petro Browns QB
1958 30 2 351 Jim Thompson Eagles E
1955 18 7 212 Joe Stout Giants B
29 12 349 Ted (Tex) Robinson Browns B
1954 19 10 227 Bob Edmiston 49ers T
1953 9 4 101 Pat Sarnese Steelers T
1952 24 4 281 Joe Tyrrell Eagles G
1948 6 4 39 Phil Slosburg Yanks B
1946 15 4 134 Johnny Timko Bears C
19 2 172 Jack Burns Yanks B
19 3 173 Bill Cloud Steelers T
1945 7 8 62 Mike Jarmoluk Lions T
1944 19 9 195 Jimmy Woodside Steelers C
1943 22 4 204 George Sutch Cardinals B
27 3 253 Al Drulis Cardinals G
1942 16 1 141 Andy Tomasic Steelers B
1940 5 7 37 Ed Kolman Bears T
12 10 110 Ed McGee Giants G
1937 9 6 86 Bill Docherty Redskins T
MBB Press Conference vs. Princeton (Adam Fisher)
Tuesday, December 23
MBB Press Conference vs.Princeton (Babatunde Durodola and Jordan Mason)
Tuesday, December 23
Temple Men's Basketball 2025-26 All Access | Game 12 at Davidson 12.18.2025
Sunday, December 21
Ep. 29: Last Episode of First Semester from David & Amelia
Wednesday, December 17
