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NFL Draft: Penn State Football great almost missed hearing his name called

By Matt Lombardo

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - OCTOBER 28: Rich Ohrnberger #64 of the Penn State Nittany Lions lines up to block against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 28, 2006 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Penn State won 12-0. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - OCTOBER 28: Rich Ohrnberger #64 of the Penn State Nittany Lions lines up to block against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 28, 2006 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Penn State won 12-0. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Former Penn State Football offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger wasn’t expecting the call.

Entering the 2009 NFL Draft, Ohrnberger expected to be chosen in the sixth or seventh-round, if at all, and very nearly missed hearing his name called, when he was ultimately picked No. 123 overall by the New England Patriots.

Had his round of golf on Day 2 of the 2009 NFL Draft ran long, he might have taken the call while putting, or standing on a tee box.

"“I don’t think I was there for the start of the third round,” Ohrnberger told The Big Lead, as part of the outlet’s conversations with NFL media members recalling their draft day experiences. “As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure the second day of the draft, I said to my wife, “I’ve to get out of the house.” I was on this golf kick, so we went and hit a couple of buckets of balls at the driving range and then drove back to the house. The third round was going on and we just sat down in front of the television. A couple of friends came over completely impromptu. There were no plans because, like I said, the assumption is I was going to go undrafted. It was just a very low-key day with my family, my wife and a couple of buddies who dropped by.”"

Ohrnberger, who is currently a host on Radio Host Xtra 1360 San Diego and Fox Sports Radio, says that before the Patriots came calling, he took several pre-draft visits, including one with the Chicago Bears that included a lengthy conversation with then head coach Lovie Smith.

The Patriots traded up to select Ohrnberger in the fourth-round, in a deal that sent cornerback Ellis Hobbs to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Ohrnberger went on to play six NFL seasons, including one with the Arizona Cardinals and a two-year stint with the Chargers, before announcing his retirement in 2014.

Prior to being chosen by the Patriots, Ohrnberger was an anchor along the Nittany Lions‘ offensive line that helped pave the way to a 2008 Big Ten Championship, while garnering First-Team All-Big Ten recognition that season.

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