Huskers suffer longest draft drought in 34 years

 No comments  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

Former Nebraska football players had to wait for the second day of the NFLDraft for the first time in a long time.

The first three rounds of the draft, through 96 picks, were without any former Huskers. The last time Nebraska was shutout of the first three rounds of the draft was in 1970.

"I knew I was probably going to be a Sunday guy," said former NUdefensive end Trevor Johnson. "You never know what's going to happen and I got a little nervous watching guys get drafted on the first day. But realistically, I figured I'd go in the fourth through seventh rounds."

Former NU All-Big 12 linebacker Demorrio Williams had been projected by many mock drafts to be picked in the third round. He was not taken the first day of the draft, but remains as one of the top players available in the draft according to ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

Former Husker punter and Ray Guy Award finalist Kyle Larson had been listed by many sources as the best or second-best punter available this year. Ohio State's B.J. Sander, who won the Ray Guy Award as the top collegiate punter was chosen in the third round by Green Bay.

"The first three rounds are over and that's already in the past," said Johnson, who has worked out for pro teams as a defensive end, defensive tackle, linebacker and tight end.

Nebraska has had 30 first-round draft picks since 1937 but has not had a first-round pick since 1998. The first Nebraska player chosen in both 1986 and 1990 went in the third round. Otherwise, NU has had a first- or second-round pick every year since the 1971 draft.