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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Mountain West Conference had 16 former football players selected in the 2009 NFL Draft held on April 25-26 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The 16 selections equal the Conference record set in 2005. Seven of the nine institutions had players selected, led by TCU with five.
Utah defensive end Paul Kruger was the first Mountain West player selected, taken by the Baltimore Ravens with the 25th pick (57th overall) in the second round. Ute cornerback Sean Smith was also selected on the first day, going to the Miami Dolphins with the 29th (61) selection in the second round.
DRAFT NOTES
BYU kept its streak intact with at least one player selected in the NFL Draft each of the last 15 years. The five TCU players taken in the 2009 NFL Draft ties the MWC record for most players selected from a league institution (Utah in 2005 and BYU in 2002). It was also the highest number of Horned Frogs taken in the NFL Draft since six were selected in 2001.
TCU had the most draft picks of any football program in the state of Texas while tying for 10th-best nationally.
New Mexico has had at least one player drafted each of the last five years - the program's longest streak in the modern NFL Draft era.
UNLV had at least one player selected for the third consecutive year and fifth time in the last six years. The current three-year streak is the third- longest in the MWC behind BYU (15) and New Mexico (5).
Utah had four players selected the in the 2009 NFL Draft, marking the eighth time in the last 10 years it has had multiple players chosen.
The four running backs taken in the 2009 NFL Draft is a new league high, surpassing the old mark of three selected in the 2002 draft (Jarrod Baxter, New Mexico-Houston, Larry Ned, San Diego State-Oakland, Luke Staley, BYU-Detroit).
Fui Vakapuna was the first BYU running back selected in the NFL Draft since Doak Walker Award winner Luke Staley was taken in the seventh round of the 2002 draft by Detroit.
Gartrell Johnson became the first running back from Colorado State selected in the draft since Calvin Branch was chosen by Oakland in the sixth round of the 1997 draft.
Frank Summers is the first UNLV running back taken in the NFL Draft since Ickey Woods was selected in the second round of the 1988 draft by Cincinnati.
BYU Name Pos. Rd. Selection (Overall) Team Austin Collie WR 4 27 (127) Indianapolis Fui Vakapuna RB 7 6 (215) Cincinnati
Colorado State Gartrell Johnson RB 4 34 (134) San Diego
New Mexico Glover Quin S 4 12 (112) Houston DeAndre Wright CB 6 27 (200) New York Giants
San Diego State Lance Louis OG 7 37 (246) Chicago
TCU Jason Phillips LB 5 1 (137) Baltimore Robert Henson LB 6 13 (186) Washington Aaron Brown RB 6 19 (192) Detroit Stephen Hodge LB 6 24 (197) Dallas Blake Schlueter C 7 16 (225) Denver
UNLV Frank Summers RB 5 33 (169) Pittsburgh
Utah Paul Kruger DE 2 25 (57) Baltimore Sean Smith CB 2 29 (61) Miami Brice McCain CB 6 15 (188) Houston Freddie Brown WR 7 42 (252) Cincinnati
