Big day on Saturday

In a little more than 24 hours, Evander "Ziggy" Hood of Amarillo will officially go from college student-athlete to NFL player. And he stands to net a few million dollars in the process. He was profiled in Thursday's Globe-News as his big day looms.

Hood, who went from an outstanding linebacker at Palo Duro to a mobile and strong defensive tackle at Missouri, will set some Amarillo sports history as well. Hood could be taken in today's NFL draft late in the first round or early in the second round.

The draft begins at 3 p.m. local time. Several mock drafts have Hood going around No. 27 in the first round to the Indianapolis Colts. Some have him being one of the first selections in the second round.

In Texas Panhandle sports history, two players have been taken in the first round. The first was running back Donny Anderson of Stinnett and Texas Tech, selected by Green Bay in 1965. The other was offensive tackle Jerry Sisemore of Plainview and Texas, selected No. 3 overall by Philadelphia in 1973.

Among Amarillo players, linebacker William Thomas of Palo Duro and Texas A&M was taken in the fourth round by Philly in 1991. In the last 30 years, no local player has been taken higher than Clarendon and Oklahoma running back Kenny King, who was grabbed in the third round by Houston in 1979.

Hood, who is having a watch party at the Amabassador Hotel tomorrow afternoon and into the evening, will make some kind of history today. It's a moment all of Amarillo can be proud. Nice going, Ziggy.