Kansas Cornerback Aqib Talib Drafted In First Round By Tampa Bay
April 26, 2008
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib, a consensus All-American for the Jayhawks last season, was selected as the 20th pick of the first round of the National Football League Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Talib, a junior this past season, became the first KU player drafted since defensive end David McMillan was selected in the fifth round by Cleveland in 2005. He also became the ninth Jayhawk to be taken in the first round and the first opening round pick since defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield was chosen 26th overall by San Francisco in 1993.
No Jayhawk has been drafted higher than 20th since wide receiver David Verser was the 10th overall pick by Cincinnati in 1981.
Talib, the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl MVP, recorded 66 tackles, five interceptions and 13 passes broken up last season. He finished his Kansas career ranked second in career interceptions with 13.
As a sophomore in 2006 he led the country with 28 passes defended with six interceptions and 22 passes broken up.
Aqib Talib Bio
Kansas
CB, 6-2, 205, 3L
Richardson, Texas (Berkner HS)
2007 (Jr.): Named a consensus All-American…. Jack Tatum Award winner… Bronko Nagurski Award finalist… Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist… Walter Camp Award watch list… A repeat All-Big 12 First Team selection… FedEx Orange Bowl MVP… Preseason All-America by most publications… Earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors vs. OklahomaState (Nov. 12) this season… Was a mid-season All-America by CBSSportsline.com and SI.com… Named KU co-defensive MVP along with James McClinton… Was one of four team captains… Started at cornerback as well as wide receiver in the KansasState game… Had 66 tackles on the season… Tied for 15th in the nation in passes defended with five interceptions and 13 passes broken up… Recorded interceptions in three straight games against Toledo, Florida International and KansasState… Added another pick at OklahomaState when he also had a pass broken up in the end zone late in the game and a season-high nine tackles… Returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown in the Orange Bowl… Broke up four passes at Texas A&M… Returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown against Florida International… Also saw time at wide receiver through the first half of the season and caught eight passes for 182 yards and four touchdowns… Scored a touchdown in each of the first five games (four receptions and an interception return)… Caught just one pass in the last eight games, pulling in one for eight yards at Texas A&M… Finished second on the KU career interceptions list with 13 behind only Ray Evans, who had 17… Talib’s 322 career interception return yards are a school record.
2006 (So.): Played in and started 10 games… A second-team All-America selection by SI.com… Named All-Big 12 First Team by the league’s head coaches and by the Associated Press, Kansas City Star, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle and Fort Worth Star-Telegram… Earned the team’s Ray Evans Award as the defensive MVP… Led the nation with 2.80 passes defended per game and was the Big 12 leader with six interceptions .. Collected 42 total tackles including 39 solo stops… Led the Big 12 with 22 pass break-ups… Had two tackles-for-loss and one quarterback hurry… Recovered one fumble… Collected a season-high two interceptions against Colorado… Broke up four passes at Missouri… Recorded eight games with two or more pass break-ups… Scored a 42-yard touchdown against Missouri after lining up offensively as a wide receiver.
2005 (Fr.): An All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection by the league’s head coaches… Named Freshman All-America by Rivals.com… Was named Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram… A Freshman All-Big 12 selection by The Sporting News… Played in 11 games while making nine starts… Collected 54 total tackles including four tackles-for-loss… Intercepted two passes and led the team with eight pass break-ups.
2004 (Fr.): Redshirted… Chosen by the coaching staff as the scout team defensive player of the week for his work leading up to the Oklahoma game.
High School: A graduate of BerknerHigh School in Richardson, Texas… Named first team all-district and first team all-city for the Rams in 2003… Named Berkner HS Defensive Back of the Year as a senior… Lettered in football, basketball and track… Coached in football by Jim Ledford.
Personal: Born in Cleveland, Ohio… A sociology major… Would like to play in the NFL and own a couple of businesses… Main hobby is video games… Son of Okolo Talib and Theodore Henry… Has one brother and two sisters.
Defense G UT AT Total TFL Int PBU FF FR
2005 11 45 9 54 4-6 2-45 10 2 1
2006 10 39 3 42 2-5 6-82 22 0 1
2007 13 42 24 66 3.5-8 5-195 13 0 0
Totals 34 126 36 162 9.5-19 13-322 45 2 2
Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD LG
2006 1 42 42.0 1 42
2007 8 182 22.8 4 58
Totals 9 224 24.9 5 58
Kansas Pre-NFL Draft Notes
The last Kansas player drafted was DE David McMillan in 2005 (Cleveland, fifth round, 139th overall pick)
The last time Kansas had two players drafted was 2002 when DT Nate Dwyer was picked in the fourth round (113th overall) by Phoenix and OT Justin Hartwig was picked by Tennessee in the sixth round (187th overall).
The last time Kansas had three players drafted was 1997 – LB Ronnie Ward (third round, 93rd overall by Miami), RB June Henley (fifth round, 163rd overall by Kansas City) and WR Isaac Byrd (sixth round, 195th overall by Kansas City).
The last time Kansas had four players drafted was 1996 – DB Dorian Brew (third round, 79th overall by Miami), OG Chris Banks (seventh round, 226th overall by Denver), OT Rod Jones (seventh round, 219th overall by Cincinnati), and RB L.T. Levine (seventh round, 235th overall by Denver).
DT Dana Stubblefield was KU’s most recent first round draft pick as he was selected 26th overall by San Francisco in 1993.
Kansas All-Time First Round Draft Picks
1944 – B Ray Evans (overall not known), Chicago
1962 – QB John Hadl (overall not known), Detroit
1965 – RB Gale Sayers (overall not known), Chicago
1971 – RB John Riggins (sixth overall), New York Jets
1974 – LB Don Goode (15th overall), Cleveland
1977 – DE Mike Butler (ninth overall), Green Bay
1981 – WR David Verser (10th overall) Cincinnati
1993 – DT Dana Stubblefield (26th overall), San Francisco
The last time a Kansas player was drafted in the first three rounds was LB Ronnie Ward, who was taken in the third round (93rd overall) by Miami in 1997.
The last time a Kansas player was drafted in the first two rounds was DT Dana Stubblefield, who was taken in the first round (26th overall) by San Francisco in 1993.
The last time a KU defensive back was drafted was Dorian Brew in 1996 (third round, 79th overall pick by Miami).
The last time a KU offensive lineman was drafted was OT Adrian Jones in 2004 (fourth round, 132nd overall pick by New York Jets).
The last time a KU wide receiver was drafted was Isaac Byrd in 1997 (sixth round, 195th overall by Kansas City).
The last time a KU tight end was drafted was Larry Brown in 1971 (fifth round, 10th overall by Pittsburgh).
The last time a KU defensive lineman was drafted was David McMillan in 2005 (fifth round, 139th overall by Cleveland).
