Kansas Has Four Players Taken In NFL Draft

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – Anthony Collins, Derek Fine and Marcus Henry joined first-round selection Aqib Talib to give Kansas four players taken in the National Football League Draft through 175 picks on Sunday.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

Kansas has had four players taken in the same draft for the first time since 1996.

Collins, an All-America First Team selection, who opted to make himself available for the National Football League draft after his junior season last year, was selected in the fourth round by Cincinnati on Sunday.

Just 20 picks later, teammate tight end Derek Fine was selected by Buffalo. Henry, a wide reciever was selected in the sixth round by the New York Jets with the 171st overall pick.

The Bengals made Collins, a 6-6 left tackle, the 112th overall pick. Collins, an Outland Trophy finalist and an All-America First Team selection by the Associated Press, Walter Camp, Football Writer’s Association of America, SI.com, CBSSportsline.com and Rivals.com last year, became the first KU offensive lineman selected in the draft since Adrian Jones was picked in the fourth round (132nd overall) by the New York Jets.

Collins made 24 career starts in three seasons at KU, starting at right tackle in 2006 and at left tackle as a junior last season.

Fine, who was picked 132nd overall by Buffalo, became the first Jayhawk tight end selected in the draft since Larry Brown was chosen by Pittsburgh in the fifth round of the 1971 draft.

Fine set a school record for tight ends with 46 receptions this past season. He turned those catches into 394 yards and four scores. Fine, a 6-3, 250-pounder, also became the school’s career tight ends reception leader with 98 for 1,009 yards and 10 scores.

Henry, a 6-4, 210-pounder, finished his career ranked 10th all-time at KU in receptions with 104. His 54 catches in 2007 were the fifth-most in school history, while his 1,014 yards during the year rank third all-time at KU.

Henry, an All-Big 12 Second Team selection last year, became the first Kansas wide receiver selected since the Kansas City Chiefs selected Isaac Byrd in the sixth round in 1997.

Anthony Collins

Kansas

OT, 6-6, 310, 3L

Beaumont, Texas (Central Senior HS)

2007 (Jr.): An Outland Trophy finalist… Earned All-America First Team honors by the Associated Press, Walter Camp, the Football Writer’s Association of America, SI.com, CBSSportsline.com, and Rivals.com… Was an All-Big 12 First Team selection… Was named KU’s offensive lineman of the year… Started 11 games this season, missing starts against Toledo (due to a one-series suspension) and Iowa State (due to injury)… Started 24 games in his career, including all 12 last season… Has averaged nearly nine knockdowns per game this season… Switched to left tackle after playing right tackle as a sophomore.

2006 (So.): Started all 12 games of the season at right tackle… An All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection by the Associated Press.

2005 (Fr.): Played in eight contests while making one start on the offensive line.

2004 (RS): Redshirted… Worked as a member of the scout team defense before switching to the offensive side of the ball… Picked by the coaching staff as the defensive scout team player of the week for the season-opener against Tulsa.

High School: A graduate of Central Senior HS in Beaumont, Texas… A 4A all-district and all-state performer… Helped Central to a regional championship as a senior… Named to the Super Gold Team in 2003… Coached by David Suggs.

Personal: Born in Beaumont, Texas… Major is African-American studies… Goal is to play in the NFL… Likes to go to Watson’s Barbershop… Parents are Rhoda Goodman and Harold Collins… Has two brothers and four sisters.

Derek Fine

Kansas

TE, 6-3, 250, 4L

Sallisaw, Okla. (Sallisaw HS)

2007 (Sr.): One of four team captains… Was a captain for the second straight season… Shared KU’s special teams player of the year honor… Became KU’s season reception leader for tight ends (46) and career receptions leader for tight ends (98)… He bested John Schroll’s season mark of 40, which was set in 1971 and the career mark of 97 by John Mosier, which was set from 1967-69… Had an outstanding season and finished third on the team with 44 catches… A great blocker as well… Caught at least two passes in every game this season… Caught at least three passes in 10 games, including nine straight heading into the bowl game… Had at least one 10-yard plus catch in nine of 13 games… Had 10 career touchdown receptions… His 98 career catches rank 12th in school history.

2006 (Jr.): Earned team’s Gale Sayers Award for most courageous player… Played in all 12 games and made 10 starts… Finished third on the team with 28 receptions and 355 receiving yards… Tied for the team lead with five touchdown catches… Averaged 29.6 yards per contest… Had a career-long 40 yard reception at Nebraska… Had four or more catches in four separate games… Named KU’s offensive player of the game against IowaState and Toledo and special teams player of the game versus Baylor… A team captain.

2005 (So.): Started all 12 games at tight end… Ranked fifth on the team with 22 receptions… Averaged 11.1 yards per catch and scored one touchdown… Posted a season-best 25-yard reception against IowaState in KU’s regular-season finale.

2004 (Fr.): Played in all 11 games, including a start in the season opener against Tulsa… Hauled in his first two career catches for 16 yards against Colorado… A special teams standout… Tallied 12 total tackles including eight solo stops… Selected by the coaching staff as the special teams player of the game against IowaState.

2003 (RS): Redshirted… Gained valuable experience on the scout team… Won the team’s Otto Schnellbacher Award for Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year.

2002: Originally signed with Kansas in the spring, but did not enroll in school due to an injury.

High School: An all-state performer at SallisawHigh School… Was the MuskogeePhoenix All-Area Co-Offensive Player of the Year… Named all-district and the best offensive player in District 4A… Named the team’s most valuable player after his senior season… Helped Sallisaw to a combined 26-2 record as a junior and senior with a pair of state runner-up finishes… Broke the school record for yards receiving in a season (798) and in a career (1,792)… Had 34 receptions for 798 yards as a senior with eight touchdowns… National Honor Roll selection and American Character and Citizenship Award winner… Coached by Ron Lancaster.

Personal: Born in Sallisaw, Okla… Majoring in American studies… Main hobby is playing golf… Likes to do card tricks… Parents are Mike and Gail Fine… Has one brother and one sister.

Receiving G Rec Yds Avg TD LG

2003 1 0 0 0.0 0 0

2004 11 2 16 8.0 0 11

2005 12 22 244 11.1 1 25

2006 12 28 355 12.7 5 40

2007 13 46 394 8.6 4 32

Totals 49 98 1009 10.3 10 40

Defense G UT AT Total FR

2004 11 8 4 12 0

2005 12 5 1 6 0

2006 12 7 1 8 0

2007 13 4 3 7 1-0

Totals 48 24 9 33 1-0

Marcus Henry

Kansas

WR, 6-4, 210, 4L

Lawton, Okla. (Eisenhower HS)

2007 (Sr.): Played in the East-West Shrine Game… All-Big 12 Second Team… Finished career ranked 10th all-time in receptions at KU (104)… His 54 catches in 2007 were the fifth most in school history… His 1,599 career receiving yards rank seventh all-time, while his 1,014 in 2007 rank third… Tied school records with five 100-yard receiving games in a season and three consecutive 100-yard receiving games… His 13 career touchdown receptions rank fifth at KU, while his 10 in 2007 were a school record… Voted by his teammates in the off-season as the player who would be the biggest surprise on the team and he responded by starting the year with three straight 100-yard receiving games… Opened the year with seven catches for 103 yards vs. Central Michigan, five for 119 vs. Southeastern Louisiana and seven for 133 vs. Toledo… Recorded at least 100 yards in five different games, including a 199-yard effort at OklahomaState… Had eight catches for three touchdowns in that game, which was played in his home state of Oklahoma (he is from Lawton)… Recorded a team best 16 explosives (plays of 20 or more yards), including eight plays of 40 or more yards this season… Caught at least two passes in every game… Led the team with 10 touchdown catches and caught at least one in each of the final five games of the year.

2006 (Jr.): Appeared in all 12 games with 10 starts… Finished fourth on the team with 25 catches… Finished third on the club with three touchdown catches… Had a season-long 33-yard reception against South Florida… Averaged 12.6 yards per catch… Had a season-best 67 receiving yards against Toledo.

2005 (So.): Played in 11 games while making six starts… Hauled in 17 catches for 183 yards… Collected a season-best 35-yard reception against IowaState late in the fourth quarter.

2004 (Fr.): Saw action at wide receiver in 10 contests as a true freshman… Ranked eighth on the team with eight receptions for a total of 85 yards… Grabbed two catches at Northwestern and at Oklahoma… Snared a season-long 21-yard pass against Texas.

High School: A graduate of EisenhowerHigh School in Lawton, Okla…. An all-around athlete who earned a total of nine letters in football, basketball and track… Was named the school’s Receiver of the Year in 2003 and 2004… Coached by Bill Whiteley.

Personal: Born in Hienzville, Ga… Major is youth development… Likes to play video games and watch movies… Son of Gregory and Rhonda Henry… Has one brother and one sister.

Receiving G Rec Yds Avg TD LG

2004 10 8 86 10.6 0 21

2005 11 17 183 10.8 0 35

2006 12 25 316 12.6 3 33

2007 13 54 1014 18.8 10 82

Totals 46 104 1599 15.4 13 82