NFL draft running blog: Wisconsin's Bret Bielema, Patriots' Andre Tippett makes cameos; Clayborn with competition?

Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema, a former Iowa team captain, appeared on the NFL Network's set before Friday's draft.

Bielema, who will appear on the NFL Network throughout Saturday afternoon's later rounds, was asked about his relationship with former Iowa roommate Paul Burmeister, now an NFL Network anchor. Bielema, a defensive lineman, joked about what he used to do to Burmeister in practice.

"We weren't allowed to hit the quarterbacks," Bielema said. "They had green jerseys, pretty boys, couldn't touch them. We kind of pulled their pants down occasionally."

Bielema also talked about the coincidence of playing in the 1991 Rose Bowl for Iowa (a 46-34 loss to Washington) and coaching Wisconsin in the 2011 Rose Bowl (a 21-19 loss to TCU).

"We were out at the Rose Bowl, kind of a neat thing for me this year, we actually, this year went back to the Rose Bowl as a head coach 20 years after being there as a player," Bielema said. "Very cool. I was a 250-pound d-lineman there. I had surgery on my left hand about two weeks before the Rose Bowl so I was a little bit clubbed up.

"The famous thing I actually made the last tackle in the 1990 Rose Bowl. I But we were already down by three touchdowns."

Bielema had two players drafted in Thursday night's first round. Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt went No. 11 to Houston, while Chicago drafted tackle Gabe Carimi with the 29th pick.

TIPPETT WITH THE PICK

Former Iowa defensive end Andre Tippett announced the first pick of the second round Friday afternoon for the New England Patriots.

Tippett, a second-round draft pick in 1982, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008. He now serves as the Patriots' executive director of community affairs.

COMPETITION FOR CLAYBORN?

Tampa Bay selected defensive end Da'Quan Bowers in the second round, meaning Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn could either have a powerful bookend on his opposite side or major competition.

Two months ago Bowers was considered an early first-round prospect but a major knee injury sent him falling in the draft. Tampa Bay has selected four defensive linemen in the first two rounds of the last two drafts.

NO HAWKS ON FRIDAY

No Iowa football players were selected on Friday night's second and third rounds. Defensive lineman Christian Ballard and quarterback Ricky Stanzi were considered possible picks in either round. Iowa could have several more players taken on Saturday in rounds four through seven.