COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2019 NFL Draft concluded on Saturday evening, after 10 Mountain West student-athletes had been selected, including four in the first three rounds.
On Friday night, Hawai‘i linebacker Jahlani Tavai (43rd overall to Detroit Lions), San José State tight end Josh Oliver (69th overall to Jacksonville Jaguars), San Diego State tight end Kahale Warring (86th overall to Houston Texans) and Boise State running back Alexander Mattison (102nd overall to Minnesota Vikings) were selected. The four players selected in the first three rounds is the second-most since 2014.
On Saturday, six more players were drafted in Fresno State WR Keesean Johnson (174th overall to Arizona Cardinals), Wyoming DB Marcus Epps (191st to Minnesota Vikings), Utah State WR Darwin Thompson (214th overall to Kansas City Chiefs), Hawai‘i WR John Ursua (236th overall to Seattle Seahawks), Colorado State WR Olabisi Johnson (247thoverall to Minnesota Vikings) and Air Force LS Austin Cutting (250th overall to Minnesota Vikings).
This is the 10th time in the Mountain West’s 20 years that the league has had at least 10 draft picks, and the first time since 2015.
MORE MOUNTAIN WEST NFL DRAFT NOTABLES
On Friday night, Hawai‘i linebacker Jahlani Tavai (43rd overall to Detroit Lions), San José State tight end Josh Oliver (69th overall to Jacksonville Jaguars), San Diego State tight end Kahale Warring (86th overall to Houston Texans) and Boise State running back Alexander Mattison (102nd overall to Minnesota Vikings) were selected. The four players selected in the first three rounds is the second-most since 2014.
On Saturday, six more players were drafted in Fresno State WR Keesean Johnson (174th overall to Arizona Cardinals), Wyoming DB Marcus Epps (191st to Minnesota Vikings), Utah State WR Darwin Thompson (214th overall to Kansas City Chiefs), Hawai‘i WR John Ursua (236th overall to Seattle Seahawks), Colorado State WR Olabisi Johnson (247thoverall to Minnesota Vikings) and Air Force LS Austin Cutting (250th overall to Minnesota Vikings).
This is the 10th time in the Mountain West’s 20 years that the league has had at least 10 draft picks, and the first time since 2015.
MORE MOUNTAIN WEST NFL DRAFT NOTABLES
- The Mountain West now has 213 NFL draft selections.
- The Mountain West had at least four players drafted in the first three rounds in seven of the league’s 20 years.
- All four picks have been from four different Mountain West institutions (Boise State, Hawai‘i, San Diego State and San José State).
- Tavai was just the second Rainbow Warrior to be drafted since Hawai‘i entered the Mountain West prior to the 2012 season (RB Joey Iosefa). Tavai, who was selected No. 43 overall, is tied for the third-highest draft pick in program history.
- Ursua became the third Rainbow Warrior selected when he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round.
- Oliver, who was the fifth tight end selected in 2019, is the first Spartan drafted within the first three rounds in 10 years.
- Boise State has had at least one player drafted in each of the last 10 years.
- After Mattison was drafted on Friday, the Broncos have had an early entrant selected in six consecutive years. Boise State is one of nine FBS programs with such a streak, joining Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Penn State, Stanford and Washington.
- Nine Mountain West institutions had players selected in the 2019 NFL Draft: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawai‘i (2), San Diego State, San José State, Utah State and Wyoming.
- The Minnesota Vikings drafted four Mountain West players, including Boise State RB Alexander Mattison, Wyoming DB Marcus Epps, Colorado State WR Olabisi Johnson and Air Force LS Austin Cutting.
- At least one Mountain West defensive back has been drafted in each of the last 11 years.
