Football

Former Syracuse football All-American wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo invited to NFL Draft Combine

Jessica Sheldon | Staff Photographer

Depsite a mediocre career at Maryland, Etta-Tawo rose to stardom in his only season at Syracuse.

Former Syracuse wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo, SU’s first All-American since 2001, was invited Wednesday to the NFL Draft Combine.

In his only season with SU, Etta-Tawo finished first in program history with 94 receptions, 1,482 yards and 14 touchdowns (tied first). Against then-No. 3 Clemson on Nov. 5, he broke Marvin Harrison’s single-season receiving yards record with three games on the schedule.

Despite having played only 12 games, Etta-Tawo ranked fourth in the nation in receiving yards and seventh in touchdown catches. The graduate transfer from Maryland was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference First Team.

Etta-Tawo was also a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation’s top wide receiver. The 6-foot-2, 202-pounder is projected to be a fifth or sixth round 2017 NFL draft pick, per CBS Sports.

“While he’s obviously still raw, the tape shows an improving talent with an ability to challenge over the top and uncover underneath,” reads his NFL.com profile. “Unfortunately for Etta-Tawo, he was wildly inconsistent and his hands were exposed as a flawed part of his game once again.



“He’s a vertical receiver who has the potential to become more than that with additional work, but he looks like a developmental backup at this point.”

The combine is March 3-6 and will air on NFL Network. The NFL Draft is April 27-29 in Philadelphia.





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