Sports

Hidden gems get call during and after Draft

Three of the four hidden gems The Post uncovered in the week leading up to the NFL draft were picked, and the fourth, Fordham offensive lineman Andrew Tyshovnysky, signed a free agent deal with the Colts last night and hopes that, “Peyton Manning will be my boss one day.”

Central Florida nose tackle Terrell Troup went the highest of the Post’s gems. He was a second- round pick of the Buffalo Bills (41st overall) and was chosen ahead of Alabama’s Terrence Cody, Lamarr Houston of Texas and Linval Joseph of East Carolina, who was drafted by the Giants.

“Those guys were in a bunch and the beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” said Bills vice president of college scouting Tom Modrak. “We liked Troup the best of the bunch.”

New England has one of the top receivers in the NFL in Randy Moss, but the ACL injury to Wes Welker made that a position of need, even after the Patriots signed free agent Torry Holt.

Trader Bill Belichick used one of his two third-round picks (90th overall) on Ohio wide receiver Taylor Price.

The most intriguing of the Post’s gems is running back James Starks of Buffalo. He missed his senior season with a shoulder injury but the Green Bay Packers saw enough to use a fifth-round pick on the Bulls’ career rushing leader.

Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson have shown flashes for the pass-heavy Packers, but neither has emerged as a dominant back. It’s not a bad spot for the 6-foot-2, 218-pound Starks.

“I always like the size,” general manager Mike McCarthy said of Starks. “I like bigger backs. I felt we had very good information on Starks.”

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Former Notre Dame center Eric Olsen of Staten Island was a sixth-round pick of the Denver Broncos.

It’s a good spot for Olsen because Denver coach Josh McDaniel worked with former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis in New England.

lenn.robbins@nypost.com