Alford goes to Falcons as first FCS selection

New York, NY – Southeastern Louisiana cornerback Robert Alford apparently is a prime time player.

Alford was the first FCS player selected in the NFL Draft, taken in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons with the 60th overall pick Friday night.

Former Falcons great Deion Sanders, "Prime Time" to many, announced the selection for the team at Radio City Music Hall.

Alford is Southeastern Louisiana's first NFL Draft pick since the Southland Conference university reinstated football in 2003.

Alford, 5-foot-10, 188 pounds, has sub-4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash and is physical in coverage. The younger brother of former NFL player Fred Booker also has potential return ability.

There was concern he would drop lower than the second round after NFL teams learned at the NFL Combine in February that he has Crohn's disease.

Crohn's occurs primarily when the body's immune system attacks the digestive tract and causes inflammation in the walls of the large or small intestines. An episode causes extreme abdominal pain, and there's no telling how long the attack will last.