May 1, 2006

West Texas A&M University football players Patrick McCoy and Dejuan Skinner were signed by the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday (April 30). The two offensive linemen signed at the conclusion of the NFL Draft. McCoy and Skinner are the first Buffaloes to sign with an NFL team since Chaun Thompson signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2002.

McCoy and Skinner were starters on the No. 1 ranked passing offense in NCAA-II, anchoring a WTAMU offensive line that yielded only 13 sacks this season on 540 attempts (a whopping 41.5 attempts per sack). McCoy, a 6-6, 320, senior from Fairfield, Calif., was a national finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award, sponsored by the Manheim Touchdown Club and presented to the best lineman, offensive or defensive, in NCAA-II. McCoy was the leading vote getter from the Southwest Region. He also was a first-team AFCA Division II All-American. McCoy, who was a Daktronics first-team All-Southwest Region honoree (leading vote getter for offensive linemen), was also a first-team All-LSC South selection, as well as a first-team d2football.com All-Southwest Region honoree. Over the last two seasons, the WTAMU O-Line has yielded only 21 sacks on 1,071 pass attempts (one sack every 51.0 attempts), as last season the O-Line gave up only eight sacks in 531 attempts (one sack every 66.4 attempts). McCoy was a preseason Don Hansen's Football Gazette d2football.com and www.CollegeSportsReport.com NCAA-II All-American candidate.

Last season, McCoy was WTAMU's most decorated player, as he was named to the Don Hansen's Football Gazette honorable mention All-American list, only part of his collection of postseason awards. McCoy was also named to two other All-American lists, including first-team CollegeSportsReports.com All-Division II All-American team, as well as honorable mention d2football.com All-American list. McCoy collected two All-Region honors, being tabbed to the second-team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Southwest Region list and the first-team Daktronics NCAA-II All-Southwest Region team. He was also named the Lone Star Conference South Division Offensive Lineman of the Year and first-team All-LSC South.

Skinner, a 6-6, 330, senior from Starkville, Miss. was a first team All-LSC South Team selection, along with honorable mention All-American for d2football.com and third team for Don Hansen's Football Gazzette All-Southwest Region Team.

The Buffaloes ended their season with a 10-2 mark, the first season to end with 10 wins since 1950, and is WTAMU's first winning season since 1998. The Buffaloes had won a combined seven games in the last four seasons. WTAMU went 8-1 in LSC winning not only the LSC South, but the LSC Championship, the Buffaloes' first LSC title since 1986.