April 26, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib, a consensus All-American for the Jayhawks last season, was selected as the 20^th pick of the first round of the National Football League Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.

 

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 26^th overall by San Francisco in 1993.

 

No Jayhawk has been drafted higher than 20^th since wide receiver David Verser was the 10^th 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. Oklahoma State (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 Kansas State 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 Kansas State... Added another pick at Oklahoma State 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 Berkner High 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, 139^th overall pick)

 

The last time Kansas had two players drafted was 2002 when DT Nate Dwyer was picked in the fourth round (113^th overall) by Phoenix and OT Justin Hartwig was picked by Tennessee in the sixth round (187^th overall).

 

The last time Kansas had three players drafted was 1997 - LB Ronnie Ward (third round, 93^rd overall by Miami), RB June Henley (fifth round, 163^rd overall by Kansas City) and WR Isaac Byrd (sixth round, 195^th overall by Kansas City).

 

The last time Kansas had four players drafted was 1996 - DB Dorian Brew (third round, 79^th overall by Miami), OG Chris Banks (seventh round, 226^th overall by Denver), OT Rod Jones (seventh round, 219th overall by Cincinnati), and RB L.T. Levine (seventh round, 235^th overall by Denver).

 

DT Dana Stubblefield was KU's most recent first round draft pick as he was selected 26^th 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 (15^th overall), Cleveland

1977 - DE Mike Butler (ninth overall), Green Bay

1981 - WR David Verser (10^th overall) Cincinnati

1993 - DT Dana Stubblefield (26^th 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 (93^rd 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 (26^th overall) by San Francisco in 1993.

 

The last time a KU defensive back was drafted was Dorian Brew in 1996 (third round, 79^th overall pick by Miami).

 

The last time a KU offensive lineman was drafted was OT Adrian Jones in 2004 (fourth round, 132^nd overall pick by New York Jets).

 

The last time a KU wide receiver was drafted was Isaac Byrd in 1997 (sixth round, 195^th overall by Kansas City).

 

The last time a KU tight end was drafted was Larry Brown in 1971 (fifth round, 10^th overall by Pittsburgh).

 

The last time a KU defensive lineman was drafted was David McMillan in 2005 (fifth round, 139^th overall by Cleveland).