Former Rock Hill, S.C. State star drafted by 49ers
It didn't matter to Phillip Adams that the NFL draft made it to the seventh round before his name was called on Saturday afternoon.
Adams, a former standout at Rock Hill High and S.C. State, said he realized that no matter which round he went in, he'd have to work hard to win his spot. He got that opportunity when the San Francisco 49ers called his name, the 224th player chosen.
San Francisco coach Mike Singletary called Adams, surrounded by family and friends at his parents' home on the south side of Rock Hill, four picks before the 49ers next selection. Singletary told Adams that if he was still on the big board, he would be the team's next pick.
But Adams already knew he was going in the seventh round. He had been called by Green Bay and was told if he was still available when the Packers picked, he'd be a Packer. That pick was No. 230, and Adams told Singletary of the call from Green Bay. With Adams gone, Green Bay took defensive end C.J. Wilson from East Carolina.
"I was on the phone with coach Singletary when my name came on the TV screen,'' said Adams, the son of Alonzo and Phyllis Adams. "I can't describe the feeling when I saw my name. I got picked by a team with a great coach and one that is on the way back up.
"The three teams I was hoping would pick me were San Francisco, Green Bay and Tampa Bay. So you could say I'm very happy right now. San Francisco has some veteran players in the secondary, so I'll have to play special teams at first. That's fine. I'm feeling blessed by God for my family and me to get this chance.''
Adams, 5-foot-11, 192 pounds, was a starter at cornerback on Rock Hill's 2002 Big 16 state championship football team. He was one of the team's top players when the Bearcats won again in 2004.
Adams also helped lead the Bearcats to the Class AAAA state championship in basketball his senior year.
He has been living in Texas since the first of the year and working out with a personal trainer. "I didn't mind waiting to be selected because I had been told it would happen,'' Adams said. "This is one of the most exciting days of my life. I'm ready to do what the 49ers ask of me, and I'm looking forward to playing in the NFL.''
Another former Bearcat in the NFL Chris Hope (Titans) announced last week that he is sponsoring a celebrity basketball game on May 22 to kick off a charitable organization he is establishing.
The first beneficiary will be Adams' mom, one of the most loved teachers in Rock Hill. Phyllis Adams was paralyzed in an auto accident and all proceeds from the event are earmarked for her medical bills.
This story was originally published April 25, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Former Rock Hill, S.C. State star drafted by 49ers."