April 30, 2006
Willie Andrews Career Bio In PDF Format
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Baylor outside safety Willie Andrews, one of the most versatile players in school history, was drafted in the seventh-round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots Sunday afternoon. The 21st player tabbed in the seventh-round and the 229th player taken in the two-day draft overall, Andrews was selected as a return specialist and was the only Bear picked but others are expected to sign free-agent contracts in the coming days.
"We are thrilled that Willie was selected by the Patriots," said Baylor coach Guy Morriss, who played for New England from 1984-87 and then launched his coaching career with that organization in 1988. "He has the talent and ability to play at the next level. I'm excited to see how he does."
The Longview, Texas, native earned first-team All-Big 12 honors from the league's coaches in 2005 as a defensive back to become the first two-time, first-team All-Big 12 player in school history (he was tabbed as a return specialist in 2004 after leading the Big 12 in kickoff returns at 24.7 ypr). He also earned second-team 2005 All-Big 12 honors from The Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram, as well as honorable mention all-conference from The Associated Press as both a return specialist and defensive back. Andrews started all 11 games for Baylor at outside safety in 2005, playing 913 total snaps for the 5-6 Bears, and drew starts in the final 34 games of his collegiate career.
He finished his four-year Baylor career with 2,654 all-purpose yards (2,596 kick return, 51 interception return and 7 rushing), good for eighth-place on the school's all-time list. Andrews became the first player in school history to crack the school's all-time all-purpose list with fewer than 10 total or rushing yards. He owns Baylor career records for total kick returns (164), total kick return yards (2,596), kickoff returns (67), kickoff return yards (1,647), and punt return yards (949), while ranking No. 2 in punt returns (97), No. 4 in yards per kickoff return (24.58 ypr) and No. 5 in yards per punt return (9.78 ypr). All-told, Andrews averaged 15.82 yards per kick return (24.58 on kickoffs and 9.78 on punts) over his career, but did not have a touchdown return. Forty-two (31 kickoff, 10 punt and one interception) of his career returns went for 25-plus yards.
As a senior in 2005, Andrews was No. 5 in the Big 12 and No. 33 nationally in punt returns (10.1 ypr). He also averaged 24.1 yards on 11 kickoff returns for the season. Andrews tallied 59 tackles (36 solos) to rank No. 4 on squad with 7.5 TFL (T-No. 3 on squad), three PBU, two sacks and a forced fumble to share team defensive MVP honors with senior linebacker Colin Allred.
He posted five or more tackles in 24 of his last 31 career starts, including seven of 11 in 2005, and registered a career-high tying 12 tackles (6 solos) and 1 PBU against No. 2 Texas. Andrews earned an ESPN College Game Day helmet sticker for all-around performance at Iowa State which included 7 tackles (5 solos), 1 sack, 3 punt returns for 60 yards which set up 3 scores, and a 32-yard kickoff return Shared team defensive MVP honors.
Andrews becomes the third Bear drafted in the last four seasons, following in the footsteps of DT Ethan Kelley (7th round by New England in 2003) and DE Khari Long (6th round by Kansas City in 2005), and just the third taken by the Patriots all-time after OG Derrick Fletcher in 1999 (5th round) and Kelley. The Baylor program, meanwhile, produced NFL draft picks in back-to-back years (2005 & 2006) for the first time since the 1996 and 1997 drafts.
Baylor finished the 2005 season 5-6 overall and 2-6 in Big 12 play, the Bears' most successful season since 1995. During the 2005 campaign, Baylor snapped a 24-game road losing streak, won its first Big 12 road game and posted multiple Big 12 wins in the same season for the first time ever.
