• Former Sooner Wolfe signs free-agent deal with Falcons

The 2008 NFL draft lasted for two days. Through seven rounds more than 200 college players’ names were called.

However, D.J. Wolfe’s name was not one of them. The former Oklahoma safety watched the draft at his residence in Norman with family and friends around him only to go through the entire process undrafted.

“It was upsetting for a little bit as it got later and later,” Wolfe said.

However, Wolfe’s story didn’t end there. As the draft dragged on, his cell phone kept ringing with calls from his agent and from clubs interested in Wolfe. Not to draft him, but to sign him as a free agent.

“Except for the signing bonus, you get the same amount of money,” Wolfe said. “And you get to pick where you want to go. It benefits you.”

The teams that were showing interest included Dallas, San Francisco, Tennessee and Atlanta. In the end he chose the Falcons over the 49ers because of the money and their defensive back situation.

Wolfe signed a free agent contract with a signing bonus of $10,000.

“They had the biggest signing bonus,” Wolfe said. “Their safety situation looks good. They only have Lawyer Milloy, who has been around for 13 years. They just signed Erik Coleman. Those are the only guys with experience. It was a more favorable place to go. They have a new coach, new regime. So there will not be any favoritism as to who plays. Everything is fresh. It’s a good thing.”

Besides Milloy and Coleman, Wolfe will have to battle the Falcons’ third-round draft pick, Thomas DeCoud, for playing time.

“They drafted Thomas, which is cool,” Wolfe said. “But that doesn’t make me not want to go there. I love competition. I just don’t want to sit back and watch. That’s not me.”

While the money and the chance at earning playing time were big reasons for Wolfe signing with Atlanta, it was the small touches that put the Falcons over the top.

“My family came up from Louisiana and my parents came up from Lawton,” Wolfe said. “I had told the Atlanta coaches they would be there and we would be cooking some gumbo. When he called during the draft, the first thing he asked was ‘How’s that gumbo?’ That meant a lot.”

Along with Wolfe, former Sooners Lewis Baker (49ers), Joe Jon Finley (49ers), Garrett Hartley (Denver), Marcus Walker (Vikings) and Alzonzo Dotson (Redskins) have also signed free agent contracts.

Wolfe, who ended his career with eight interceptions and 171 tackles, hopes to parlay what he has learned at OU into a long NFL career.