Former IU quarterback Hamdan drafted by Washington Redskins

Former IU quarterback Gibran Hamdan is trading in his cream and crimson for burgundy and gold. Hamdan was picked in the seventh round of the NFL draft Sunday by the Washington Redskins with the 232nd overall pick.\nHamdan, a native of North Potomac, Md., worked out for the Redskins with 40 other local prospects on April 4. Afterwards Washington coach Steve Spurrier said the team was interested. Sunday he showed just how interested the team was.\n"I'm really excited, this is a great opportunity," Hamdan said right after the pick was announced. "I was fortunate enough to work out for them when I got back to D.C. I really enjoyed the day I spent with coach Spurrier. It's a really great opportunity to work with a coach of that caliber."\nSpurrier compared Hamdan to some of the top, first-round quarterbacks at a post-draft press conference. \n"If I told you he could drop back and throw it like Kyle Boller, Carson Palmer and those guys you'd think I'm crazy, but come out this weekend and watch him throw," Spurrier said. "I think he's tough and has courage. He can make decisions." \nHamdan becomes part of a team with two quarterbacks on the roster in Patrick Ramsey, a first round pick from last year and Rob Johnson, a journeyman quarterback who spent last year with Tampa Bay. Hamdan said he looks forward to working with Spurrier, who is often regarded as a top quarterback coach.\n"He's known as a great developer of quarterbacks, and he was a great successful college coach and I think he'll be one in the pros, so I'm excited," Hamdan said.\nHamdan split time at quarterback with fellow senior Tommy Jones last season. He completed 152 of 293 passes for 2,115 yards and nine touchdowns. The yardage total was good enough for seventh best all time at IU. \nHamdan was the 12th quarterback taken in the draft and the second from the Big Ten. Wisconsin quarterback Brooks Bollinger was taken in the sixth round, 32 picks earlier. Hamdan was picked nine spots before Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey, who led his team to two title games the last two years. \nEntering the draft, which began Saturday with the first three rounds, Hamdan wasn't sure if he'd be drafted or if he'd have an opportunity as a rookie free agent. But he said he hoped Washington would give him a chance. \n"It's such a crap shoot, it was a difficult two days," he said. "I was hoping (Spurrier) would give me an opportunity. I was hoping I would end up there."\nHamdan will report to the team for the first time officially on Thursday and will work out with the squad over the weekend.\nHamdan said he wasn't that big of a Redskins fan growing up in the area, but it's a little different now. \n"I wasn't necessarily a fan," he said. "Of course they're the team from the area, but I wasn't definitely a Redskins fan growing up.\n"Of course I am now. I'm a big Redskins fan now"