Colorado University Athletics
Awuzie, Witherspoon Selected in NFL Draft
April 28, 2017 | Football
CU duo becomes the 45th and 46th CU defensive backs since 1967 to be drafted
BOULDER – Colorado Buffalo defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie and Ahkello Witherspoon were both selected Friday night in the NFL Draft.
Awuzie went to the Dallas Cowboys with the 28th pick in the second round, No. 60 overall, while Witherspoon was picked by the San Francisco 49ers with the second pick of the third round, No. 66 overall.
CU has now had 268 total players selected in the NFL Draft, which ranks 22nd overall among colleges and fourth in the Pac-12. The last time two CU defensive backs were taken in the same draft was in 2011 when Jimmy Smith (first round to Baltimore) and Jalil Brown (fourth round to Kansas City) were selected.
After a first round that was littered with defensive backs (eight were take Thursday), Awuzie and Witherspoon become CU's 45th and 46th DB's drafted in the common draft era (since 1967). That moved up into a tie for fifth with Oklahoma and Texas for the most in that time period.
Awuzie becomes the ninth Buff to be drafted by the Cowboys, the last being OT Justin Bates in the seventh round (No. 219 overall) of the 2003 draft.
"No. 1 Chido is just a phenomenal person," CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "He graduated in three and a half years, excellent teammate on and off the field. He's everything that represents a true college student-athlete. For him to have the opportunity to now go play for the Dallas Cowboys is awesome for him. The Dallas Cowboys have a special person and a special player.
"I do have heartstrings to Dallas. A lot of the same people are still there in the front office and player personnel. I'm excited knowing the people he's going to be around."
In an ultra-productive career at CU, Awuzie recorded 273 tackles, 22nd all-time at Colorado, with his 226 unassisted tackles the seventh-highest figure and his 26 tackles for loss the most by a defensive back (as were his nine quarterback sacks). He also finished second in career third down stops (47) and fifth in pass deflections (35).
One of the most versatile players in recent memory at CU, as he played all four positions in the secondary: cornerback, free and strong safety and nickel as well as some outside linebacker.
Awuzie was a two-time All-Pac-12 selection at Colorado, drawing first-team honors from the Associated Press his senior year. That season he helped lead CU's secondary that ranked No. 5 in the country in pass efficiency defense at 104.3 while opposing quarterbacks completed just 49.8 percent of their passes averaged only 193.6 yards per game (ranking 20th nationally).
He finished the 2016 regular season with 60 tackles (48 solo), four sacks (tying his own single-season record for the most by any CU defensive back), two forced fumbles and his 13 passes broken up. He also had one interception and 19 third-down stops, ranking second on the team in that category, and led the team in special teams points with 27 (he had nine special teams tackles and blocked a field goal).
Witherspoon tied for 13th on CU's all-time passes broken up list with 28 in his three-year career with the Buffaloes. After transferring in from Sacramento City College, he played in 31 career games from 2014-16 with 21 starts. He recorded 77 tackles in his career, had three interceptions and 18 third down stops.
"I'm really happy for Ahkello," MacIntyre said. "He's from Northern California and I imagine that's a dream come true for him. He's long and athletic and every year just kept getting better and better for us. He's going to be a great pro corner. John Lynch (Niners GM) being a DB himself, I know made a great pick on getting Ahkello in San Francisco.
"I recruited him out of high school and he wasn't very big. But he kept growing and we recruited him out of junior college and got him here. He was a young man who just kept developing. I saw great skills in him and he had a great work ethic and developed those skills. He's a very intelligent young man and I'm very excited for him. In another year he's going to be bigger and stronger and he's going to be an excellent, excellent NFL player."
Witherspoon led the nation his senior year with 23 pass breakups (including the bowl); the 22 in the regular season tied for the most in CU single-season history (Ben Kelly had 22 in 1998). He ranked second in the nation in total passes defended with 24 (including the bowl), trailing only teammate Tedric Thompson's 25.
He was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection of the Associated Press and league coaches his senior season.
Witherspoon is the 11h Buff to go to San Francisco and first since DE Darryl Price in the fourth round (No. 128) of the 1996 draft.
Awuzie went to the Dallas Cowboys with the 28th pick in the second round, No. 60 overall, while Witherspoon was picked by the San Francisco 49ers with the second pick of the third round, No. 66 overall.
CU has now had 268 total players selected in the NFL Draft, which ranks 22nd overall among colleges and fourth in the Pac-12. The last time two CU defensive backs were taken in the same draft was in 2011 when Jimmy Smith (first round to Baltimore) and Jalil Brown (fourth round to Kansas City) were selected.
After a first round that was littered with defensive backs (eight were take Thursday), Awuzie and Witherspoon become CU's 45th and 46th DB's drafted in the common draft era (since 1967). That moved up into a tie for fifth with Oklahoma and Texas for the most in that time period.
Awuzie becomes the ninth Buff to be drafted by the Cowboys, the last being OT Justin Bates in the seventh round (No. 219 overall) of the 2003 draft.
"No. 1 Chido is just a phenomenal person," CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "He graduated in three and a half years, excellent teammate on and off the field. He's everything that represents a true college student-athlete. For him to have the opportunity to now go play for the Dallas Cowboys is awesome for him. The Dallas Cowboys have a special person and a special player.
"I do have heartstrings to Dallas. A lot of the same people are still there in the front office and player personnel. I'm excited knowing the people he's going to be around."
In an ultra-productive career at CU, Awuzie recorded 273 tackles, 22nd all-time at Colorado, with his 226 unassisted tackles the seventh-highest figure and his 26 tackles for loss the most by a defensive back (as were his nine quarterback sacks). He also finished second in career third down stops (47) and fifth in pass deflections (35).
One of the most versatile players in recent memory at CU, as he played all four positions in the secondary: cornerback, free and strong safety and nickel as well as some outside linebacker.
Awuzie was a two-time All-Pac-12 selection at Colorado, drawing first-team honors from the Associated Press his senior year. That season he helped lead CU's secondary that ranked No. 5 in the country in pass efficiency defense at 104.3 while opposing quarterbacks completed just 49.8 percent of their passes averaged only 193.6 yards per game (ranking 20th nationally).
He finished the 2016 regular season with 60 tackles (48 solo), four sacks (tying his own single-season record for the most by any CU defensive back), two forced fumbles and his 13 passes broken up. He also had one interception and 19 third-down stops, ranking second on the team in that category, and led the team in special teams points with 27 (he had nine special teams tackles and blocked a field goal).
Witherspoon tied for 13th on CU's all-time passes broken up list with 28 in his three-year career with the Buffaloes. After transferring in from Sacramento City College, he played in 31 career games from 2014-16 with 21 starts. He recorded 77 tackles in his career, had three interceptions and 18 third down stops.
"I'm really happy for Ahkello," MacIntyre said. "He's from Northern California and I imagine that's a dream come true for him. He's long and athletic and every year just kept getting better and better for us. He's going to be a great pro corner. John Lynch (Niners GM) being a DB himself, I know made a great pick on getting Ahkello in San Francisco.
"I recruited him out of high school and he wasn't very big. But he kept growing and we recruited him out of junior college and got him here. He was a young man who just kept developing. I saw great skills in him and he had a great work ethic and developed those skills. He's a very intelligent young man and I'm very excited for him. In another year he's going to be bigger and stronger and he's going to be an excellent, excellent NFL player."
Witherspoon led the nation his senior year with 23 pass breakups (including the bowl); the 22 in the regular season tied for the most in CU single-season history (Ben Kelly had 22 in 1998). He ranked second in the nation in total passes defended with 24 (including the bowl), trailing only teammate Tedric Thompson's 25.
He was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection of the Associated Press and league coaches his senior season.
Witherspoon is the 11h Buff to go to San Francisco and first since DE Darryl Price in the fourth round (No. 128) of the 1996 draft.
Players Mentioned
Monday, June 22
Saturday, April 11
Saturday, April 11
Saturday, April 11