Six Buffs Drafted Into NFL

BOULDER - The University of Colorado had six players selected from its two-time defending Big 12 North Division champion team in the 2003 National Football League draft, which was completed in New York City this weekend (April 26-27).

Leading the way was DT Tyler Brayton, who was the final pick of the first round by the Oakland Raiders (32nd overall). Two other Buffs were drafted on the first day, with three CU players going in the seventh and final round Sunday. (Complete list below.)

Several other players could sign free agent contracts in the next day or so, led by P Mark Mariscal, the 2002 Ray Guy Award winner, CB Roderick Sneed and LBs Kory Mossoni and Drew Wahlroos.

Notes on this year's draft and the Buffaloes:

** Brayton was the first Buffalo defender to be selected in the first round in 10 years, dating back to 1993, when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected CB Deon Figures and the Philadelphia Eagle took DT Leonard Renfro.

** The six Buffs selected tied for the most in the Big 12 (with Texas A&M); there were 35 Big 12 players selected overall, as after the half dozen Buffaloes and Aggies being drafted, Kansas State, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas all had four players picked, with Missouri and Texas Tech netting two picks, and Baylor, Iowa State and Oklahoma State one.

** Nationally, Colorado tied for the sixth most players selected; Florida, Miami and Tennessee all had eight players drafted, while Georgia and Notre Dame had seven. Colorado, Florida State, Michigan, Penn State and Texas A&M all had six, and Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State and Southern California had five.

** The six CU players drafted were the most Buffs in a single draft since 1998, when six were also selected; the only years where more were drafted came in 1946 (8), 1962 (7), 1968 (7), 1972 (7), 1974 (10), 1975 (7), 1976 (11), 1977 (9), 1980 (7) 1991 (9) and 1995 (10).

** With junior TB Chris Brown being selected in the third round by Tennessee, all six Buffaloes who have declared early for the NFL draft have been selected. DT Leonard Renfro ('93), TB Lamont Warren ('94), DT Shannon Clavelle and TB Rashaan Salaam ('95) and CB Ben Kelly ('00) were all juniors as well; Renfro and Salaam were first round picks, Brown joins Kelly as a third round selection, while Warren and Clavelle went in the sixth round.

CU's 2003 NFL Draft Selections

Rd  (Pick)  Player, Pos.           Team
 1  ( 32)   Tyler Brayton, DT       OAK
 3  ( 90)   Donald Strickland, CB   IND
 3  ( 93)   Chris Brown, TB         TEN
 7  (219)   Justin Bates, OT        DAL
 7  (236)   Brandon Drumm, FB       DET
 7  (249)   Wayne Lucier, C         NYG