The University of Connecticut has had plenty of top draft picks in its history. Unfortunately for the football team, all of them were selected in June at the NBA Draft.
That changed on Saturday.
Former Connecticut running back Donald Brown was selected in the first round, No. 27 overall, by the Indianapolis Colts to become the school's highest football draft pick ever. The Huskies had three more players taken in the second round to finish with four drafted on the first day of the NFL draft.
Cornerback Darius Butler was selected early in the second round at No. 41 by the Patriots. Left tackle Will Beatty went at No. 60 to the New York Giants and three picks later the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals grabbed defensive end/outside linebacker Cody Brown.
"To have the 27, 41, 60, 63rd picks in this draft says a lot about the players themselves and coaches," UConn coach Randy Edsall said. "It does a lot for our program. It's a great day."
Brown, who declared early for the draft after leading the nation in rushing, waited until the 27th pick before he heard from Colts head coach Jim Caldwell.
"When phone rang my heart dropped to my stomach," Brown said. "It hasn't hit me yet. I am still pinching myself to see if this is real."
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UConn's four players drafted were the second-most on the draft's first day behind college football powerhouse USC, which had five players taken.
The Huskies had six players on NFL rosters this past season, but until this year the highest pick was linebacker Alfred Fincher, taken in the third round in 2005 by New Orleans. The Huskies may not be done on Sunday either: Defensive end Julius Williams and safety Dahna Deleston are late-round prospects who would bring the Huskies' draft total to six this year.
"It's something, you see USC with five players drafted, and then us and some others with three, then Cody gets drafted," Edsall said.
Brown, from Atlantic Highlands, N.J., rushed for 2,083 yards as a junior. He declared for the draft immediately after his 261 yards rushing in UConn's 38-20 win over Buffalo in the International Bowl.
He ends his career as UConn's all-time leading rusher with 3,800 yards.
"It's an honor. I wear that shirt today with great pride," Brown said. "Being from the University of Connecticut, there will be many more first-round picks coming from that program."
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