FAYETTEVILLE — Former Arkansas safety Kamren Curl was drafted by the Washington Redskins 216th overall in the 7th round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
Curl (6-2, 198 pounds) was the second Razorbacks player selected in this year’s draft, joining defensive lineman McTelvin Agim, who was taken by the Denver Broncos 95th overall on Friday.
As a junior, Curl put together a career year despite Arkansas finishing 2-10 overall and winless in the SEC for the second consecutive season. He finished with 76 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries in 11 games played.
Curl returned one of the forced fumbles for a 69-yard touchdown at Ole Miss in Week 2.
His grade of 87.6 from Pro Football Focus was the highest on the Arkansas roster last season, earning him an All-SEC second-team selection by PFF.
On Dec. 12, less than three weeks after the season finale against Missouri, which he missed for an unspecified reason, Curl announced he would be declaring early for the NFL Draft. Following his pro day on March 11, he said he felt as if entering his name into the draft was the best option for him.
“It was my decision,” Curl told reporters. “I felt like it was my time to go. I'd been talking to my parents, but it was my decision. It was, like, always in my head even before the season, but it was just my gut feeling.
“During the season I just felt like it was my time to go. I feel like I had a pretty good college career. Coming in and starting as a freshman, starting all three years, I feel like I did pretty good.”
Extensive playing time at Arkansas came earlier than expected for Curl. He was forced into action as a true freshman in the Razorbacks’ season opener against Florida A&M in Little Rock after starting cornerback Ryan Pulley was lost for the year with a pectoral injury.
Curl recorded 46 tackles and played in all 12 games of former coach Bret Bielema's final season, which finished at 4-8. He also broke up a career-high 8 passes, the most by an Arkansas freshman since 2001.
The next season, the first under now-Auburn offensive coordinator Chad Morris, Curl totaled 53 tackles, 5 pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Out of Muskogee High School in Oklahoma, Curl chose Arkansas over Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, TCU and other programs. He was considered a top-10 player in the state by ESPN, Rivals and 247 Sports.