Badger Makes it Big

Garrett Graham has signed a maximum-value deal with the Houston Texans, where he will join another former University of Wisconsin tight end on the roster this fall.

According to the National Football Post website, which cited a league source, Graham agreed to a four-year, $3.115 million contract with the Texans.

The fourth-round draft choice will net a signing bonus of $480,100, the report indicated.

The 6-foot-3, 241-pound Graham caught 121 passes for 1,492 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Badgers, and was a two-time, second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection.

Graham received a lot of reps during the Texans' OTA practices, in part because former UW standout Owen Daniels remains sidelined following reconstructive knee surgery.

Daniels, a former Pro Bowl pick, had 40 catches for 519 yards and five touchdowns in eight games last season before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.

A restricted free agent entering his fifth season in the NFL, he signed a $3.2 million, one-year tender in June, Daniels is projected to miss all of training camp but told the National Football Post earlier this month that he expects to be on the field for Houston's season opener.  It is great to see that Badgers can make a splash in the NFL.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Badgers head to the NFL

While most outgoing Badgers have played in their final competitive football game, at least three members of the 2009 Wisconsin football team have the chance to play professional football in the National Football League, as tight end Garrett Graham, defensive lineman/linebacker O’Brien Schofield and safety Chris Maragos have hooked up with NFL teams.
Graham was the first Badger to come off the board in the draft, selected by the Houston Texans in the fourth round, the 118th overall selection. Schofield was also a fourth round pick, taken by the Arizona Cardinals with the 130th overall selection. Maragos went undrafted, but was snatched up by the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent shortly after the last name was called Saturday.
In 2009, Graham caught 51 passes for 624 yards, both good for second-best on the team for Wisconsin. He also led the team in touchdown receptions with seven, on his way to earning All-Big Ten honors in 2009 and 2008, being named to the first team by the media
.Graham’s 16 career touchdown catches rank fifth in school history, and his 121 career receptions for Wisconsin place him sixth all-time. Graham is also 11th in school history with 1,492 career receiving yards.
As a member of the Texans, Graham will reunite with former Badger and Pro-Bowler Owen Daniels. Graham was a freshman when Daniels was a senior at UW.

It is great to see Badger players in the NFL, too bad no one went to the Packers. GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!