He watched on television as 14 running backs were selected in the NFL Draft. By late Sunday afternoon, as the draft slid into the late rounds, Cory Ross began to feel a little down, he said.

“I wasn’t nervous or panicking — it was just disappointing,” said the former Nebraska I-back, who was named the Huskers’ offensive MVP after each of the past two seasons.

The 5-foot-6, 195-pound Ross settled for a free-agent deal with the Baltimore Ravens, the team that selected former Nebraska punter Sam Koch in Sunday’s sixth round.

The Ravens’ official team Web site lists three running backs on the depth chart — seven-year veterans Jamal Lewis and Mike Anderson, and six-year veteran Jamel White. Ross will get a look as both a running back and a return man.

“I’ve always been a fighter,” said Ross, ninth on Nebraska’s all-time rushing list with 2,743 yards. “I’ve been fighting for I don’t know how long.”

Ross, who totaled 64 receptions the last two seasons, also received free-agent overtures from Indianapolis, Chicago and the New York Giants.

Meanwhile, offensive lineman Seppo Evwaraye, who started 20 of Nebraska’s last 23 games, agreed to a free-agent deal with the Carolina Panthers. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Evwaraye also received free-agent calls from New Orleans and the New York Jets.

“Those teams already are stacked with offensive linemen,” Evwaraye said. “Carolina is a better situation for me.”

As a typical college student, Evwaraye said, he is low on funds and could have used the $40,000-$50,000 approximate signing bonus for seventh-round selections. Instead, he gets a $7,500 free-agent signing bonus.

“That’ll pay some bills,” he said.

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.