Jarrod Baxter earned a fresh start with a new team when he was selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on Sunday by the expansion Houston Texans.
The former UNM fullback and the Texans have something in common - they both want to prove they can play in the NFL.
"I did not expect them to pick me," Baxter said. "When they called I was happy, I think it's a good spot."
Baxter was chosen as the first pick in the fifth round, the 136th player selected overall.
He is the 10th Lobo in the past six seasons to be selected in the draft. Baxter finishes his UNM career seventh all-time in career rushing yards with 2,090.
He said he was eating breakfast with his family at home when he received a call from a Houston representative right before the pick occurred.
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"They wouldn't let me get off the phone, so I knew it was about to happen," Baxter said. "I believed it when I saw my name come across the screen."
After his family congratulated him, Baxter said he was bombarded by telephone calls from friends wishing him well.
He added that he was more relieved than excited to learn which team he will be playing for next season.
"Finally it's over with," Baxter said. "Now I can move on, and I know where I am going to live. The future isn't so cloudy now."
Heading into this weekend, Baxter's draft stock was a bit murky. Before the draft, he was projected to be picked anywhere from the third to fifth rounds.
Baxter said he did watch most of the draft Saturday, but was not disappointed that he was not selected because he knew he was not going to be picked on the first day.
On Sunday, it seemed likely Baxter would be selected at the end of the fourth round when he received a call from the Dallas Cowboys.
He said they told him he was going to be selected with pick 129, but he then saw Ohio State University's Jamar Martin's name scroll across the television as the Cowboy's pick.
"That's just how it goes," Baxter said. "I knew that they wanted someone more like Jamar Martin. He is more of a blocking back."
Baxter added that he was not disappointed because the Texans and head coach Dom Capers are a better fit for him.
"They have the same atmosphere as here," Baxter said. "Their defense comes first and the offense is going to be run-oriented."
He is also glad that he is staying in the Southwest.
"It is close enough where everyone can come and see me play," Baxter said. "Pretty much this was the only way I was going to get to Houston."
He said he was surprised that the Texans picked him because they did not show a tremendous amount of interest in him during the four months leading up to the draft. He added that he did have good conversations with Capers and other Houston personnel.
He said he is going to Houston Thursday to begin practicing with the team and that the coaches have already told him that he needs to improve his lead blocking in the running game, something he did not do much of at UNM.
But Houston, who picked Fresno State University's David Carr with the first overall pick of the draft, and Baxter will get to prove together that they can play in the NFL.
"Everyone's new, the fans are new and there are no hierarchy of players," Baxter said. "I think I can make the team and play right away. I can't wait to get out there and see what goes down."
