The first wave of draft selections for the 2015 Pro Bowl were made on Tuesday with alumni team captains Cris Carter and Michael Irvin making their Day 1 picks. After Irvin won a coin toss, he elected to choose Dallas Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray.
He joined Cleveland Browns CB Joe Haden, the active player captains, to help determine the roster as the first members of Team Irvin.
Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt and Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown joined Team Carter as the active player captains, with Team Carter also being awarded the top picks for the ensuing Wednesday draft.
The other selections made by Team Irvin on Tuesday included Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins and punter Kevin Huber. This past season, Atkins started every game and totaled 34 tackles, 3.0 sacks (second on team), eight tackles-for-loss (ranked second) and seven QB hits (third). He had an additional shared sack in Cincinnati’s Wild Card playoff game at Indianapolis.
Atkins was a fifth-year NFL player in 2014, all with the Bengals, and this is his third selection to the Pro Bowl. He was voted in for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. For both the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Atkins earned first-team berths on major NFL All-Pro teams. His 12.5 sacks in 2012 led all NFL interior linemen by a wide margin.
Huber’s gross and net averages for this season, if held through Game 16, would re-set club seasons records he already holds. He is also the franchise’s career leader in gross punting average (44.6) and (39.7).
The second-ever Pro Bowl Draft will continue with 56 players yet to be selected during a nationally televised primetime broadcast on NFL Network at 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 21.
TEAM CARTER (THROUGH DAY 1 PRE-SELECTION)
WIDE RECEIVERS (1) DEFENSIVE ENDS (1)
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh J.J. Watt, Houston
GUARDS (3) INTERIOR LINEMEN (3)
Evan Mathis, Philadelphia Marcell Dareus, Buffalo
Mike Pouncey, Miami Dontari Poe, Kansas City
Josh Sitton, Green Bay Kyle Williams, Buffalo
CENTERS (2) SPECIALISTS (4)
Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Justin Bethel, Arizona
Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh Devin Hester, Atlanta
Pat McAfee, Indianapolis
FULLBACK (1) Cody Parkey, Philadelphia
John Kuhn, Green Bay
TEAM IRVIN (THROUGH DAY 1 PRE-SELECTION)
RUNNING BACKS (1) CORNERBACKS (1)
DeMarco Murray, Dallas Joe Haden, Cleveland
GUARDS (3) INTERIOR LINEMEN (3)
Kyle Long, Chicago Geno Atkins, Cincinnati
Zack Martin, Dallas Aaron Donald, St. Louis
Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets
CENTERS (2) SPECIALISTS (4)
Travis Frederick, Dallas Kevin Huber, Cincinnati
Nick Mangold, New York Jets Darren Sproles, Philadelphia
Darrell Stuckey, San Diego
FULLBACK (1) Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis
Marcel Reece, Oakland