Falcons select UR’s Sidbury

Lawrence Sidbury went to the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL draft Sunday.

Sidbury, a DE from Cheltenham, Md., collected 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for losses during his senior season, when UR won the Football Championship Subdivision title and went 13-3. In the FCS title game vs. Montana, Sidbury had four of Richmond’s seven sacks in a 24-7 victory over Montana.

Sidbury was in only 17 tackles as a sophomore, when he was a part-time starter. As a junior, he arrived as one of the premier pass-rushers in the FCS. Twice, Sidbury was named first team All-Colonial Athletic Association.

Sidbury attended the Parisi Speed School in New Jersey following the season. At February’s NFL Combine, the 6-2, 266-pounder was timed at 4.64 seconds in the 40-yard dash, tops among 47 defensive-line prospects who participated. He also impressed scouts with his practice weeks before the Jan. 17 East-West Shrine Bowl and the Jan. 24 Senior Bowl. Sidbury has 35-inch arms and 10-inch hands, attributes that help him keep away blockers.

Richmond Spiders taken in first five rounds of NFL drafts:

First round:

• HB Art Jones, 1941 (No. 7 overall), Philadelphia Eagles

 • RB Barty Smith, 1974 (No. 12 overall), Green Bay Packers

 • RB Barry Redden, 1982 (No. 14 overall), Los Angeles Rams

 • WR Walker Gillette, 1970 (No. 15 overall), San Diego Chargers

Third round:

 • WR Jim Livesay, 1971 (No. 61 overall), St. Louis Cardinals

Fourth round:

 • DB Jeff Nixon, 1979 (No. 87 overall), Buffalo Bills

 • LB Shawn Barber, 1998 (No. 113 overall), Washington Redskins

 • WR Arman Shields, 2008 (No. 123 overall), Oakland Raiders

 • DE Lawrence Sidbury, 2009 (No. 125 overall), Atlanta Falcons

Fifth round:

 • P Mike Bragg, 1968 (No. 117 overall), Washington Redskins

 • RB Tim Hightower, 2008 (No. 149 overall), Arizona Cardinals

 • WR Muneer Moore, 2000 (No. 154 overall), Denver Broncos