Ohio's Landon Cohen Drafted by Detroit Lions

ATHENS, Ohio-Ohio defensive tackle Landon Cohen (Spartanburg, S.C.) was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 216th pick in the seventh round of this weekend's NFL Draft.

Cohen was the eighth of nine Mid-American Conference players selected during the two-day event and the first Bobcat taken since punter Dave Zastudil's name was called in the fourth round (112th overall) by the Baltimore Ravens in 2002. The last time the Lions drafted a Bobcat was 1961 when fullback Bob Brooks was taken in the ninth round (122nd overall).

Cohen, the 27th Ohio player drafted in the program's history, amassed 144 career tackles with 39.5 tackles for loss, which tied him for fourth in school history with linebacker Matt Muncy. Cohen and running back Kalvin McRae (Decatur, Ga.) also started a team-high 37 consecutive games over the course of their sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

As a senior, the 6'3, 274 pound lineman tallied 59 stops with a team-high 12.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one pass breakup, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. He also claimed second-team All-MAC honors for the second straight year.

The Ohio football squad will begin its 2008 campaign Aug. 30 at Wyoming.