Marcus Cannon, an offensive guard from TCU, was the first selection of the New England Patriots on day three of the 2011 NFL Draft, as the Patriots drafted the 6'5", 350-pound lineman with the seventh pick in the fifth round (No. 138 overall).
Cannon was recently diagnosed with a treatable form of cancer, according to a report from Adam Schefter.
Schefter reports the 6-foot-6, 350-pound senior has non-Hodgkin lymphoma and will begin his treatments today. He will have three more treatments over the next three months. The only good news to come from all of this: Cannon faces a success rate for beating the cancer of better than 90 percent.
Here's a breakdown of Cannon's skill set from CBS Sports.
Cannon doesn't have the physique of a player TCU teammates would quickly identify as one of the best athletes on the team, but he can scoot once he gets moving. If draft grades were assigned based on weight-room numbers, Cannon would be first in line. He owns several program records for power lifts and his natural strength is evident when he gets his hands on defenders.
For more on the New England Patriots and their draft, head over to Pats Pulpit. And for all things 2011 NFL Draft related, from the first pick to Mr. Irrelevant and everything in between, check out SB Nation's 2011 NFL Draft Hub and our NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft.