April 28, 2012
RENO, Nev. – The Cleveland Browns selected Nevada linebacker James-Michael Johnson in the fourth round on Saturday to open up a school-record four draftees for the Wolf Pack in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Johnson became the 37th player in Nevada history to get selected in the NFL Draft. He is the first Wolf Pack player to be selected though Nevada all-time great Marion Motley starred for the Browns in his career.
In the fifth round, linebacker Brandon M. Marshall was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is the first Jaguars’ selection of a Nevada player since 2004 when Jacksonville took linebacker Jorge Cordova.
In the sixth, the Wolf Pack had its first defensive back selected since 1993 (Brock Marion) when corner Isaiah Frey was picked up by the Chicago Bears.
Nevada wide receiver Rishard Matthews capped the school-record class in the seventh round when he was selected by the Miami Dolphins.
The previous record for most players drafted from Nevada was three, set in 1998 and tied last year.
In his career at Nevada, Johnson played in 53 games with 43 starts. He recorded 296 career tackles, including 38.5 for a loss (of 125 yards). That includes 7.5 sacks for a loss of 40 yards. Johnson also intercepted three passes, forced five fumbles and recovered two. Johnson was voted a team captain by his teammates as a junior and again as a senior. He earned All-WAC honors after his junior season.
Marshall led Nevada in tackles as a senior in 2011 as he racked up 102 stops on the year. He was also third on the team in tackles for loss (7.5 for a loss of 30) and sacks (2.0 for a loss of 14). During his career at Nevada, Marshall started 46 games.
Frey earned first-team All-WAC honors in 2011 after leading the nation in passes defended with 1.62 per game. He was third in the nation and first in the WAC in pass breakups with 19 on the season. Frey, who never redshirted, finished second in the conference and 14th in the nation with five interceptions in 13 games played. He started 36 games in his career.
In his career at Nevada, Matthews started 25 of his 26 games played. He caught 147 passes for 2,243 yards with 13 touchdowns. He was named second-team All-WAC as a junior in 2010 and then earned first-team All-WAC accolades as a senior. He led the WAC in receiving in 2011 with 7.6 receptions per games and 113.7 receiving yards per game. In 2010, he was named the Offensive MVP in Nevada’s victory in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. He was also a sensational punt returner, taking two punts back for touchdowns in his two-year career at Nevada.
Nevada’s NFL Draft History
Year Rd. Pick Player Pos. Team
2011 2 36 Colin Kaepernick QB San Francisco 49ers
2011 3 66 Dontay Moch LB Cincinnati Bengals
2011 7 204 Virgil Green TE Denver Broncos
2009 7 243 Marko Mitchell WR Washington Redskins
2007 5 151 Jeff Rowe QB Cincinnati Bengals
2006 5 165 Tony Moll G Green Bay Packers
2004 3 86 Jorge Cordova LB Jacksonville Jaguars
2004 5 149 Maurice Mann WR Cincinnati Bengals
2003 3 71 Nate Burleson WR Minnesota Vikings
1998 4 108 DeShone Myles MLB Seattle Seahawks
1998 6 172 John Dutton QB Miami Dolphins
1998 6 175 James Cannida DT Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1996 2 31 Alex Van Dyke WR New York Jets
1993 5 117 Forey Duckett CB Cincinnati Bengals
1993 7 196 Brock Marion DB Dallas Cowboys
1991 7 189 Bernard Ellison CB Kansas City Chiefs
1991 9 233 Treamelle Taylor WR Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1990 12 331 Demetrius Davis TE Los Angeles Raiders
1989 8 196 Charvez Foger RB Dallas Cowboys
1989 9 230 Patrick Egu RB Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1987 5 135 Henry Rolling LB Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1986 3 68 Patrick Hunter DB Seattle Seahawks
1984 Derek Kennard G St. Louis Cardinals
1984 Tony Zendejas K Washington Redskins
1984 Al Williams WR Detroit Lions
1983 3 84 Charles Mann DE Washington Redskins
1981 5 136 Eric Sanders T Atlanta Falcons
1981 10 276 Frank Hawkins RB Oakland Raiders
1978 6 163 Doug Betters DE Miami Dolphins
1952 13 Pat Brady QB New York Giants
1951 16 Dick Afflis OT Green Bay Packers
1949 1 Stan Heath QB Green Bay Packers
1949 8 Dan Orlich DE Green Bay Packers
1947 2 Bill Mackrides QB Philadelphia Eagles
1947 23 Tom Kalmanir HB Pittsburgh Steelers
1946 3 Bob McClure G Boston Yanks
1945 24 Don Talcott T Philadelphia Eagles
|
|
 |
