Staff report

ARLINGTON, Texas — Brandon Parker, who played high school football at Kannapolis’ A.L. Brown and then went on to star at N.C. A&T State University, was the first player selected in the third round of the NFL Draft on Friday night.

Parker, a 6-8, 305-pound tackle, was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the 65th overall pick. Parker was ESPN.com’s 138th-ranked player in the draft, but apparently, the Raiders felt differently.

Parker, three-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year, was an FCS All-American at N.C. A&T in 2016 and 2017. Last season, Parker helped lead the Aggies to a 12-0 record, including a 21-14 victory over Grambling State at the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.

Parker, 22, is the son of Curtis and Regina Parker. He was an electrical engineering major at N.C. A&T.

Former Catawba head coach Chip Hester was Parker’s offensive coordinator the past three seasons at A&T.

Oakland made the playoffs in 2016 but took a step backward last season.

The Raiders fired head coach Jack Del Rio after the last game and hired Jon Gruden.

It is Gruden’s second stint with Oakland, having coached the Raiders in 1998-2001.

Gruden then coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002-08, winning Super Bowl XXXVII, before becoming an analyst on Monday Night Football telecasts.