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Delmas is second-highest draft pick in WMU history

April 28, 2009

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University football standout Louis Delmas was the first pick of the second round in this year's National Football League Draft. Selected 33rd overall by the Detroit Lions, he is the second highest draft choice in Bronco football history.

WMU football
Top five NFL draft picks

  • Jason Babin, DE, Houston Texans, 2004, first round, 27th overall
  • Louis Delmas, FS, Detroit Lions, 2009, second round, 33rd overall
  • Bob Rowe, DE, St. Louis Cardinals, 1967, second round, 43rd overall
  • John Offerdahl, LB, Miami Dolphins, 1986, second round, 52nd overall
  • Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay Packers, 2006, second round, 52nd overall
  • Tony Scheffler, TE, Denver Broncos, 2006, second round, 61st overall

A free safety from North Miami Beach, Fla., Delmas is the fourth WMU defensive back ever to be drafted into the NFL, and joins John Lomakoski, 1962, as the second Bronco ever drafted by the Detroit Lions.

Bucs take Biggers in seventh round

The second day of the draft, in the seventh round, Delmas was joined by his former high school and WMU teammate E.J. Biggers. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 217th overall selection of the cornerback from North Miami Beach, Fla., WMU joined the University of Michigan as one of only two schools in the state with multiple draft selections. Biggers' selection also tied up the score in the Mid-American Conference, making WMU and Ball State the only two teams with multiple picks this year.

This is the eighth time in program history that WMU has had more than one draft picks. The last time was in 2006, when Greg Jennings and Tony Scheffler were taken nine selections apart by the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos, respectively. Both are now starters, and in just a few short weeks, one will be joined by a former teammate.

Simmons and Fryar sign as free agents

The top two receivers in Bronco history in terms of receptions, Jennings and Jamarko Simmons will be together once again when the Green Bay Packers mini-camp starts in about a week. Simmons signed a free agent contract with Green Bay on Sunday night. He and Jennings reside side by side in the WMU record books as the Flint, Mich., native replaced Jennings atop the list for career receptions (260), receptions in a season (104) and yards in a season (1,276).

WMU cornerback Londen Fryar also signed a free agent contract Sunday evening. The Jobstown, N.J., native will join the Kansas City Chiefs' mini camp in May.

WMU has had a total of 38 draft selections to the NFL and five to the AFL. The highest number of Broncos ever drafted in a single year was four. Bill Slater (DE), Dennis Sweeney (DE), Roger Lawson (RB) and Vern Brown Sr. (DB) were all selected in the 1972 NFL Draft, going to the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins, respectively.

Stephen heads to the CFL

Cornerback Desman Stephen will also be moving on to the next level. The Flint, Mich., native has been offered a two-year contract with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.

Visit wmubroncos.com for more information.

Media contact: Mat Kanan, (269) 387-4125, mat.kanan@wmich.edu

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