The Daily Campus

Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Dan Gindraux Tyvon Branch was selected by the Oakland Raiders Sunday with the first pick of the fourth round.

Media Credit: Dan Gindraux Donald Thomas was selected with the 29th pick in the sixth round by the Miami Dolphins

Although it came two round later than most expected, UConn cornerback/kick returner Tyvon Branch was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the first pick in the fourth round (100 overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Ninety-five picks later, another UConn player, offensive guard Donald Thomas, was selected by the Miami Dolphins.

Branch's selection is the second highest for a UConn player in the modern era of the draft. Alfred Fincher holds the mark after being taken with pick No. 82 in the third round of the 2005 draft.

The Raiders, who hadn't selected a player since taking running back Darren McFadden with the No. 4 pick in the draft, traded with the Dallas Cowboys to move up to the top of the round to select the Huskies defensive back.

Branch joins a crowded Oakland defensive backfield that just traded for Pro Bowl corner DeAngelo Hall from the Atlanta Falcons and already boasts three former first- or second-round picks, including the recently franchised Nnamdi Asomugha.

The Raiders also traded away cornerback Fabian Washington, their first-round selection in the 2005 (No. 27 overall), to the Baltimore Ravens minutes after selecting Branch.

After recording 89 tackles and breaking up a team-high 10 passes on defense, and led the Big East with an average of 28.89 yards per kick return while also adding two in his senior season, Branch's stock soared after an impressive performance at the NFL Combine.

Branch ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.31 seconds) of any defensive back and one of the best times of any player in Indianapolis, and also finished tied for fifth in the bench press, with 19 reps.


Contact Justin Verrier at Justin.Verrier@UConn.edu.

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