The Cleveland Browns have signed all five draft choices to four year contracts through the 2011 season, the club announced today. LB Beau Bell, TE Martin Rucker, DT Ahytba Rubin, WR Paul Hubbard and LB Alex Hall will all be present for the start of training camp which opens on Wednesday, July 23 at 3:30 p.m.
Bell (6-1, 250, UNLV) was a fourth-round draft choice, 104th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played in 41 career games, including 26 starts and finished his career with 320 total tackles, 186 solo, 10.5 sacks for 62 yards, 27 tackles for loss, five passes defensed, four interceptions, six forced fumbles and one recovered fumble. As a senior in 2007, Bell started all 12 games at weak side outside linebacker while registering a career-high and team leading 126 tackles, 79 solo, five forced fumbles, nine and one-half tackles for loss, and four interceptions for 13 yards including one touchdown.
Rucker (6-4, 260, Missouri) was a fourth-round draft choice, 111th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He started all 50 games he appeared in throughout his collegiate career and totaled 203 receptions for 2,175 yards (10.7 avg.) and 18 touchdowns. His 203 career receptions are the most ever by a Big Twelve Conference tight end and also rank eighth among receivers in Conference history. Rucker ranks second in school history with 2,175 yards receiving and is one of only three Tigers to gain over 2,000 yards receiving in a career. As a senior in 2007, Rucker started all 14 games, setting the school season-record with 84 receptions for 834 yards (9.9 avg.) and eight touchdowns.
Rubin (6-2, 250, Iowa State) was a sixth-round draft choice, 190th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played in 24 career games at Iowa State, including 21 starts, after transferring from Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College. Rubin finished his Iowa State career with 76 total tackles, 42 solo, two and one-half sacks for 13 yards, eight tackles for loss, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble. As a senior in 2007, Rubin started all 12 games at nose tackle while registering a 42 tackles, 24 solo, including one and one-half sacks for 12 yards, four tackles for loss, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble. Rubin was named All-Big Twelve Conference honorable mention.
Hubbard (6-2, 225, Wisconsin) was a sixth-round draft choice, 191st overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played in 35 career games at Wisconsin, including 21 starts. Hubbard was a former football walk-on who was known for his track exploits when he arrived as a freshman. Hubbard recorded 53 receptions for 936 yards (17.7 avg.) and five touchdowns throughout his collegiate career. His career average of 17.1 yards per reception tied Larry Mialik (1969-71) for fourth on the school career-record list. As a senior in 2007, Hubbard suffered a right knee medial collateral ligament sprain vs. Nevada-Las Vegas and missed five games. He started eight games and had 14 receptions for 305 yards (21.8 avg.).
Hall (6-5, 250, St. Augustine) was a seventh round draft choice, 231st overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played in 30 career games at St. Augustine (Division II), including 29 starts. Hall finished his St. Augustine career with school records of 26 sacks for 168 yards and 51 tackles for loss. Hall registered 156 tackles, 92 solo, four recovered fumbles, one forced fumble, four passes defensed, and 11 pressures throughout his collegiate career. In 2006, he set the St. Augustine single-season sack record with 13 sacks and the single-game sack record with four and one-half sacks vs. Johnson C. Smith. As a senior in 2007, Hall started nine games with a team-leading seven sacks for 48 yards and 15 tackles for loss.
