Weddle Picks Off Young, Picks Up Award

Eric Weddle got a gift-wrapped, hand-delivered interception from Vince Young for Christmas. Young threw the ball into double coverage and Weddle, who has great instincts around the ball, came away with it. It was his second pick of the season and his fourth ProUte of the Week Award! Weddle also had 4 tackles and 2 pass deflections to go with his interception, which he returned 13 yards in the Chargers' rout of the Titans. Weddle strained his knee again in the win and likely will sit out the final game of the season, as the Chargers have already clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs. Weddle has also clinched the most ProUte of the Week awards, as no other player has more than two going into the final week of competition!

Strikes Three

Steve Smith became the third ProUte Panther to land on the IR yesterday. Smith went out with a bang - just check the video. He withstood a collision and got in for the touchdown despite suffering a broken arm on the play! Tough as nails doesn't even begin to describe Steve Smith!

I'll Take That

Steve Smith reclaimed the ProUte of the Week award with his 9 receptions, 157 yards, and one touchdown against the Vikings in week 15. You can never count this guy out! No word yet on how he feels about replacement quarterback Matt Moore as a person.

Ganther Gets A Chance

Quinton Ganther got a chance to start last Sunday, filling in for injured running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts. A recent addition to the Redskins, Ganther capitalized on his opportunity with the capital's team, gaining 50 yards on 14 carries and scoring the first two touchdowns of his career on tough 1 yard runs. He also caught three passes for 43 yards in netting nearly 100 total yards from scrimmage. Ganther also netted the ProUte of Week 14 award for his breakout performance!

Head-to-Head

Bogut's Bucks beat Miller's Blazers 108-101 in double overtime on Saturday. In this photo Andre could only watch as Andrew scored two of his season-high 27 points. Bogut had a fine all-around game, shooting 12-of-19 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line to go with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. Perhaps the most significant stat was his 44 minutes played before he fouled out. That's a lot of minutes for a guy coming back from an injury, and it could take a lot out of the big Aussie.

Miller had an off-shooting night, finishing 2-of-12 for a meager 7 points. He also had 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.

In other basketball news, Luke Nevill was waived by the Utah Flash of the D-League. Apparently the Australia native is having visa issues and will be re-signed by the team after he gets his visa cleared. Nevill spent the summer playing with the Boomers in Australia before returning to Utah as a member of the Flash. He averaged 11.5 points and 6 rebounds in the first two games of the season.

One Better

Jonathan Fanene did Paul Kruger one better, taking his interception 45 yards for a touchdown! Fanene didn't make an impressive play on the ball like Kruger did - his interception came off a pass deflected by another lineman. But once he had it in his hands he knew what to do with it! "When the ball was in the air, I just grabbed it and took off running," ... "I wasn't worried about slowing down or anybody tackling me." Fanene earned his second ProUte of the Week award, one more than Kruger has 13 weeks into the season. He's already matched Eric Weddle's pick six, can he match Weddle's three PUWies by the end of the season?

Knee Trouble

Eric Weddle is expected to miss the next two games with a sprained ligament in his knee, multiple sources are reporting. See the North County Times for more details. Chris Kemoeatu sprained the MCL in his right knee and missed last week's game, but he's testing the knee in practice and hopes to return to the starting lineup this week, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Interception!

Paul Kruger does it again! His INT in OT against the Steelers looked a lot like his INT against BYU a year ago. Kruger is a play maker, and he should get more playing time with the Ravens after this terrific pick. Kruger wins the ProUte of Week 12, prevailing over fellow rookie Brice McCain, who also snagged his first INT off of Peyton Manning, and Alex Smith, whose performance was defined by a lack of INTs. Kruger also had two tackles and a pass deflection before his game-changing interception.

Locos Win UFL Championship Game

The Las Vegas Locomotives had to go to overtime to defeat the previously-unbeaten Florida Tuskers 20-17 in the UFL Championship Game yesterday. The Tuskers had given the Locos their only two losses during the regular season, but the Locos effectively had the home field advantage as the game was played in Sam Boyd Stadium. The Locos also had a 5 to 1 advantage in ProUtes: Jesse Boone and Lauvale Sape started for the Locos, while Josh Savage (#93, pictured at right) started for the Tuskers. Gabe Long had two tackles, Brian Hernandez returned two punts for 11 yards, and John Madsen had one catch for -5 yards off the bench. Paris Warren missed the game as he was dismissed from the Tuskers for disciplinary reasons.

During the course of the six game season Madsen and Warren each caught a touchdown pass. Hernandez averaged 20.6 yards per punt return with a long of 54 yards. On the defensive side Long and Savage both had a sack. Long was the leading tackler, while Savage forced two fumbles. Did any of these ProUtes play their way into the NFL? That doesn't seem likely. Will the UFL expand next season and add a team in Utah based on the success of these ProUtes? That is a possibility. Until that happens all I can say is Go Locos!

Smith A Second Half QB

Alex Smith is showing that he is a second half quarterback. Following a poor performance in the first half against Green Bay, Alex bounced back and had a nice second half to finish 16 of 33 for 227 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT. The rally wasn't enough to win the game, as Alex was outplayed by Aaron Rodgers, the hometown qb the 49ers passed up when they selected Alex #1 overall. But just like his second half performance against the Texans in week 7, Alex's second half against the Packers was enough to win the ProUte of Week 11 award! Will Alex (2) play enough second halves to challenge Eric Weddle (3) for ProUte of the season?

Andre and Andrew

The blog has been rather football-centric lately, so I thought I would post an update on a couple of ProUtes in the NBA: Andre Miller and Andrew Bogut. Andre is playing a supporting role in Portland, averaging 10.8 points and 5 assists in just 27.9 minutes per game. Those numbers are all lower than his career averages, but Andre has played a lot of games in his career. Andrew, on the other hand, is on the shelf yet again with an injured leg. He'll be out until mid-December. Before getting hurt he was averaging 16.1 points and 9.2 rebounds a game, above his career averages. The Blazers are 11-5 and play host to the winless Nets tonight; the Bucks are 8-4 with a game at New Orleans tonight.

It's In The Sack

Jonathan Fanene got after the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, tearing up Chris Kemoeatu and crew for six tackles, two sacks, and one pass deflection. With those two sacks of Ben Roethlisberger (one pictured at right) he bagged the ProUte of Week 10 award. Fanene has five sacks total for the surprisingly formidable Cinncinati defense. He will look to add to that total this week against the Oakland Raiders and new starter Bruce Gradkowski. Just saying that name should be enough to get the big Bengal salivating!

Ganther Back In, Gross Out

Quinton Ganther is healthy and playing in the NFL again, now as a member of the Washington Redskins. With Clinton Portis injured Ganther saw a few plays in relief of Ladell Betts, carrying three times for four yards and catching one pass for 18 yards. Those stats weren't enough to warrant a nomination for ProUte of the Week 10, but still worth mentioning! Ganther had a better week than Jordan Gross, who suffered a broken ankle when another player fell on his leg. Gross joined fellow ProUte Panther lineman Ma'ake Kemoeatu on the injured list. I regret predicting an outcome like this in a preseason post on Aug. 12th. Gross has been a stalwart tackle for the Panthers and a generous donor to the University of Utah; it's a shame to see his season end this way.

In addition to Ganther two other ProUtes have resurfaced in the league: Freddie Brown with the Bengals and Martail Burnett with the 49ers. They are members of the practice squads of those respective teams.

To The Nines

Eric Weddle's 9 tackles in Week 9 earned him the ProUte of the Week award for the third time this season. This unprecedented feat is all the more impressive considering that no other ProUte has won the award twice. After the Chargers defeated the Eagles in week 10 Weddle could also become the first player to win back-to-back ProUte of the Week awards!

Soliai Gets in on the Action

Paul Soliai, a back up nose tackle with the Miami Dolphins, had an exceptionally active game last week. He racked up 6 tackles, deflected a pass, and forced a fumble! That's practically a career high game for a nose tackle, so Soliai won the ProUte of Week 8 over Steve Smith, who scored his first touchdown of the season, Alex Smith, who was steady for San Francisco, and Eric Weddle, who had a typically strong game. That makes two awards for the defensive line to one for the offensive line; will Jordan Gross even the count?

Alex Smith Wins For Losing

Alex Smith's second half performance against the Texans wasn't quite enough to win the game, but it did win him the starting job in San Francisco. And it won him the ProUte of Week 7 award! In one half Smith was 15-22 for 206 yards and 3 TDs. He also rushed twice for 16 yards and threw one interception. Smith is getting a rare second chance with the team that drafted him #1 overall after restructuring his contract (and his shoulder). Now if the 49ers would restructure their offensive line (tackle Tony Pashos was put on injured reserve with a broken shoulder blade) and give Smith time to throw more touchdowns to tight end Vernon Davis or find rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree downfield, he might be able to make the most of this second chance. The 49ers have a tough match up with the undefeated Colts this weekend. Smith beat out two other Smiths, Sean and Steve, and Eric Weddle for week 7 honors.

D-Line Responds

The battle of the trenches has moved into the blogosphere; two weeks after an O-lineman won the ProUte of Week award D-linemen Jonathan Fanene and Sione Pouha responded. Whether or not they were motivated by news of the award cannot be ascertained. What is official is that Fanene logged four tackles and a sack, while Pouha racked up nine tackles (one for a loss) in week six. Nothing beats a sack, but Pouha wins the award on sheer workload. As you can tell from his facial expression, the big fella is still not satisified. Stay hungry, Sione! Don't let the ProUte of Week Six award keep you content!

Off Week with Weddle Off

One might think that with Eric Weddle and the San Diego Chargers having a bye in week 5 it would open the door for a new ProUte to step forward and win the award. That was not the case however, as no other ProUte did much to distinguish himself.

An esteemed follower of the blog suggested that coaches be included and recognition given to Mike McCoy, a former Ute quarterback who is currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Denver Broncos. The Broncos are 5-0 and qb Kyle Orton was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week after beating the Patriots. Credit McCoy for developing a quarterback who was considered a downgrade when the Broncos traded Jay Cutler for him. It will be interesting to see how McCoy develops as a coach now that he works with Josh McDaniels, who was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Bill Belichick.

McCoy had his own brief pro career in the 90s, playing for the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe and the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL.

Sakoda to Saskatchewan

Louie Sakoda has been called up by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. The team drafted but did not sign Sakoda over the summer. Now a neck injury to their regular punter has prompted the Roughriders to add Sakoda to their practice squad. This could be the opening he needs, so King Louie is putting school, coaching, and his clothing line on hold to chase his dream across the border the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Got to Hand it to the O-Line

It's not often that offensive linemen get singled out for anything besides a holding penalty, so I'm stoked about Chris Kemoeatu winning the ProUte of Week 4 award! Kemoeatu's blocking paved the way for the Steelers to rack up 177 yards rushing and 320 yards passing against the Chargers. Even more impressive was the 40:20 time of possession! That points to domination at the line of scrimmage, so hats off to Kemoeatu. He beat Eric Weddle (on and off the field), Sean Smith, and Paul Kruger, who recorded his first career tackle.

Go Locos!

The inaugural UFL season begins tonight, with the California Redwoods taking on the Las Vegas Locomotives. Get behind the Locos, because they have no fewer than five ProUtes on the team! Center Jesse Boone (pictured at right in practice with qb J.P. Losman) and defensive lineman Gabe Long have been joined by wide receiver Brian Hernandez, tight end John Madsen, and defensive lineman Lauvale Sape. The Locos will play in UNLV's Sam Boyd Stadium, but the home school only landed one player on the practice squad in comparison. As reported in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the fledging league might want to consider Salt Lake for an exhibition game if not an expansion franchise! Even Las Vegas head coach Jim Fassel is a former coach at the University of Utah. Go Locos!

Other ProUtes playing in the UFL include defensive end Josh Savage and wide receiver Paris Warren with the Florida Tuskers. Quarterback Brian Johnson was released by the New York Sentinels.

On a side note, if there are any Savage #95 Tennessee Titans jerseys still in circulation I would be an interested buyer!

Hands Down

I'm going to dispense with the poll this week and declare Eric Weddle the hands down ProUte of Week 3. Weddle recorded 7 tackles and a pass deflection to go with his INT return of 31 yards for a TD against Miami. That gives Weddle one more touchdown than Smith, who is in danger of becoming "the other Steve Smith" at this point. In last night's loss Smith had 4 catches for 38 yards and one fumble. Not what I would call stepping up his game. And with the Panthers having a bye in week four Weddle has the inside track on winning back-to-back ProUte awards. Who knows - maybe with the debacle that is the Cleveland Browns offense qb Brett Ratliff will get his chance!

Steve Smith Makes Things Interesting

After taking a shot at qb Jake Delhomme ("I love you as a person") in week one, wr Steve Smith hauled in 8 receptions for 131 yards in week two. Those aren't jaw-dropping numbers for an All-Pro wideout, but that kind of production with an inconsistent quarterback is still impressive. Smith is known for his competitive streak, and the competition for ProUte of the Week just got a bit more interesting. Smith edged out Eric Weddle and Sione Pouha for Week 2 honors. He could not be reached for comment, as he is preparing to play the Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Eric Weddle had an INT return for a TD in Week 3, so we'll have to see how Smith ups the ante tonight!

Phil Glover

With Utah playing Louisville at home this weekend I have been recalling the game the two teams played in 1998. It was the inaugural game for Rice-Eccles Stadium and I was there in the brand new stands. Utah had a terrific game that night, beating Louisville 45-22. Future NFL players on that Utah squad included rb Mike Anderson, cb Andre Dyson, de John Frank, lb Phil Glover, dt Ma'ake Kemoeatu, and wr Clifford Russell. It was a talented team and Dyson had two interceptions in the game, but the player who really stood out to me was Phil Glover. A Butkus Award candidate, Glover had incredible range as a linebacker. He was all over the field, using his 4.48 40 speed and team-best 38 inch vertical leap to harass the Louisville offense. He made a definite impression on me as a college player, but what has he done professionally?

Glover was drafted by the Tennessee Titans, a team with a strong track record of drafting Utah players (they also drafted Andre Dyson). A seventh round pick, Glover was a member of the Titans team that came up just short of tying St. Louis in the Super Bowl when fellow ProUte Kevin Dyson was tackled at the one yard line. Following that season Glover was assigned to the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe; he then went on to have a notable career in Arena Football, winning individual accolades and team honors along the way. In this picture Glover (#31) and Brian Johnson hoist the trophy after winning Arena Bowl XXI in 2007. Glover was named Ironman of the Game.

This week ProUtes salutes Phil Glover, a dominant linebacker from Las Vegas, and looks forward to watching Stevenson Sylvester, another linebacker with great range from Las Vegas, get his shot at having a memorable game against Louisville!

Week One goes to Weddle

Eric Weddle is the ProUte of Week One of the NFL. The starting free safety for the San Diego Chargers recorded 6 tackles and a pass deflection in Monday night's defeat of the Oakland Raiders. Weddle is rated second on ESPN Fantasy Football magazine's list of most productive safeties in the league, so expect him to contend for this honor week in, week out! Runners up: Jonathan Fanene (Cincinnati), Sean Smith (Miami), and Steve Smith (Carolina).

King Louie

In last night's season opening 13-10 loss the Tennessee Titans missed a field goal and shanked a punt. That kind of thing hasn't happened at the University of Utah over the past few years - not with "King" Louie Sakoda proving to be one of the team's most valuable players. A consensus all-American place kicker and punter, Sakoda could have helped the Titans last night. He could help any number of pro teams this season, yet he went undrafted. Sakoda was the most accurate kicker at the NFL combine, but his kick offs (the one duty he did not handle at Utah) were not impressive. After the draft he worked out for the Chargers, Bears, and Bills, but he hasn't been signed as a free agent, either. Instead Utah's career leading scorer is back on campus, working with the team as a graduate assistant and studying entrepreneurship. The kicker/punter plans to open a sports bar/men's clothing store, proving once again that King Louie can do it all!

Conflicted

I've got to say I'm a bit conflicted over tonight's season opener. I'd like to see a good showing by offensive lineman Chris Kemoeatu, but I've got the Titans defense on my fantasy team. Last year the Titans sacked Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times, and I wouldn't mind seeing a repeat performance tonight. As long as it comes off the outside edge and not up the middle it will be a win-win!

The Sound of One Hand Picking

All this talk about Pro Utes getting cut has been a bit of a downer. Let's start the season off on a positive note, shall we? Utah fans are already familiar with Sean Smith's acrobatic one-handed interceptions, but this one is pretty sweet. Get used to plays like this, Dolphins fans!

Final Cuts

Running back Quinton Ganther posted 10 rushes for 18 yards and 3 receptions for 49 yards during the preseason before he injured his right calf in the final preseason game. Tough luck, poor timing, and a crowded backfield resulted in his being waived-injured by the Tennessee Titans. Also casualties of the final 53-man roster cut were wide receiver Freddie Brown (Bengals) and defensive end Martail Burnett (Vikings).

Two Birds with One Stone

Another bird team has waived wide receiver Bradon Godfrey. First the Falcons, then the Ravens. Are the Eagles next? Michael Vick could use a receiver like Godfrey to catch passes in practice. The Ravens signed Godfrey on August 15th, then waived him on August 31st to get the roster down to the mandated 75 players as of September 1st. Final cuts are this weekend, when teams have to get down to 53 players. No other Pro Utes were casualties of the 75 man roster, although tight end John Madsen and wide receivers Brent Casteel and Paris Warren were waived earlier.

I've never liked the Ravens, but they do have two Pro Utes on their formidable defense: rookie linebacker/defensive end Paul Kruger and back up defensive lineman Kelly Talavou, so I grudgingly give them credit for that.

Utah opens the 2009 season against Utah State tonight! Go Utes!

NFL Shop

Is it just me, or has the NFL Shop.com catalog gone completely metrosexual? Are we really supposed to associate a bunch of prissy pretty boys with snot-bubbling hits on the gridiron? Or is this just an all-out blitz on the girlfriend demographic? Maybe it's not the catalog I want, or maybe I'm not the customer that the NFL Shop.com wants.

Roster cuts drop on Tuesday. I'll have more to say on the NFL then.

Steve Smith's shoulder

First Ma'ake Kemoeatu's Achilles tendon, now Steve Smith's shoulder. Keep an eye on Jordan Gross, because at this rate he's the next former Ute/current Panther on the injury watch list. All-Pro WR Steve Smith injured his shoulder in a padless practice collision. ESPN.com reports that Smith, who was expected to miss the entire preseason, has already returned to practice. There's no tougher receiver in the game today than Steve Smith!

Utes in the UFL

Three former Utes have signed on with the new United Football League. C Jesse Boone and NT Gabe Long will play for the Las Vegas Locomotives and QB Brian Johnson will play for the as yet unnamed New York franchise. The California Redwoods and Florida Tuskers round out the four team league, which kicks off its inaugural season on October 8th. All four teams will wear the same uniform design, but each will sport its own horrendous color scheme. Buy your team gear now; it's guaranteed to be limited edition!

The Deepest Cut

Last week was a tough one for former Utes. On the first day of training camp defensive tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu of the Carolina Panthers tore his Achilles tendon (an injury with which this blogger is all too familiar). Kemoeatu will have surgery and hopes to return for the last month of the season. Wide receiver Bradon Godfrey was cut by the Atlanta Falcons, and Chris Shelton was sent back down to the Tacoma Rainiers.

Jordan Gross gives back

Jordan Gross donated $500,000 to the University of Utah to establish the Jordan and Dana Gross Offensive Lineman Scholarship on Monday. Not only does Gross pave the way for the Carolina Panthers powerful rushing attack, now he's paving the way for other small town offensive linemen to play for the Utes! Gross joins the ranks of fellow Carolina Panther Steve Smith, San Francisco 49er Alex Smith, Philadelphia 76er (now Portland Trail Blazer) Andre Miller, and Milwaukee Buck Andrew Bogut as athletes who have donated substantial sums back to the university. Read the full story on ksl.com.

Andre Miller a Trail Blazer

Andre Miller has signed an offer from the Portland Trail Blazers, ending weeks of speculation over where the stalwart point guard would be taking his game. While it was apparent that the 10 year veteran would not re-sign with Philadelphia, various reports had him going to Indiana, New York, or Portland. Miller will provide veteran leadership for the talented young Trail Blazer team, as Miller and Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard both cited in the team's official announcement. The team did not release the terms of the deal, but it is has been reported as $21 million over three years.

Shelton called up

Chris Shelton was called up by the Mariners on 7/9/09. In 4 games he's batting .250 with two hits, one run and one RBI, a go-ahead run against the Texas Rangers on July 12th. He did not play in last night's game against the Tigers, but remains in the clubhouse as what manager Don Wakamatsu deems an "extra potent bat off the bench."

Luke Nevill update

The New Orleans Hornets entry in the Las Vegas Summer League lost to the Denver Nuggets 107-105 in overtime yesterday, the last day of league play. Luke Nevill did not play in that game, one day after posting his best game with the Hornets. In 22 minutes against the T-Wolves Nevill scored 12 points on 6-9 FGs with 4 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 assists. In four games he averaged 10 minutes and 4 points per game on 57% shooting. Expect Nevill to play in the developmental league or overseas this year.

Update on Brian Johnson

One of the lingering questions left unanswered by the NFL Draft was what about Brian Johnson? The last time a quarterback led the Utes to a perfect season he went #1 overall in the draft. Brian Johnson had more career wins than Alex Smith, yet the Sugar Bowl MVP wasn't drafted. That question was finally answered by Gordon Monson in today's Salt Lake Tribune. See his article for more details.

Summer Camp

Luke Nevill did not hear his name called during the NBA Draft, but he is working out with the New Orleans Hornets as a free agent this summer. On July 2nd the USA Today reported that Nevill will play for New Orleans in the Las Vegas Summer League, alongside former Utah State Aggie star Jaycee Carroll. The 14 player team will play five games between July 10-19 at UNLV, a familiar venue for Nevill, one of three centers on the roster.

NBA Draft

In 2005 Andrew Bogut led the Utes to the Sweet Sixteen on his way to being drafted #1 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. Four years later fellow Aussie big man Luke Nevill led Utah back to the NCAA tournament, and now he is looking to be drafted in tomorrow's NBA Draft. Nevill isn't the caliber of player that Bogut is, but under coach Jim Boylen's tutelage (a coach with an NBA resume of developing big men) he has developed into a reliable post presence. While Nevill won't go #1 and may not go in the first round, he could be a good value pick in the second round. TNT analyst David Aldridge has Nevill listed as the third best center in the draft on his board, behind UConn's Hasheem Thabeet and Ohio State's B.J. Mullens.

Perhaps the better comparison is not between Bogut and Nevill, as natural as that may seem, but between Nevill and Morgan Warburton, a former Ute selected in the second round of this year's WNBA Draft. Warburton was taken by the Sacramento Monarchs with the 33rd pick, but did not make the team's final roster.

There hasn't been much support for the WNBA in Utah - the Starzz franchise relocated from Salt Lake City to San Antonio and was renamed the Silver Stars - but, to her credit, coach Elaine Elliott has seen four of her players drafted by the league in recent years.

2009 - Morgan Warburton, #33, Sacramento Monarchs
2008 - Leilani Mitchell, #25, Phoenix Mercury
2006 - Shona Thorburn, #7, Minnesota Lynx
2006 - Kim Smith, #13, Sacramento Monarchs

Of the four only Leilani Mitchell is presently playing in the league with the New York Liberty (Smith and Warburton were both waived before the 2009 season began). The WNBA has fewer teams and fewer roster spots than the NBA does, however, so the 7' 2" Nevill should face better prospects of being drafted and making a team roster.

Update on Shelton, Khoury

Chris Shelton had five hits and four RBIs in his last two games for the Tacoma Rainiers (both losses). Tacoma has three home games against the Reno Aces this weekend. Shelton is hitting .322 and leads the team with 49 RBIs.

On the opposite coast, Ryan Khoury hit his first home run of the season on Tuesday. Khoury is batting .246 for the Portland Sea Dogs, who will host the Akron Aeros for three games this weekend.

MLB Draft Results

Hot on the heels of Utah's unheralded run through the MWC and NCAA tournaments, Brian Budrow, pitcher, was drafted in the 28th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Budrow was named to the all-MWC second team at the completion of his senior season after posting a record of 5-5 with a 5.75 ERA.

Other noteable Utes playing professionally include Chris Shelton and Ryan Khoury. Shelton, who is best known for hitting 9 home runs in the first 13 games of the 2006 season with the Detroit Tigers, had a good outing in spring training with the Seattle Mariners before being assigned to their minor league organization. Khoury plays for the Portland Sea Dogs, a minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.

Andre Miller

As the Orlando Magic prepare for game three against the L.A. Lakers tonight, let's take a look back at the leader of their first round opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Miller. In leading his team to the playoffs this past season Miller started all 82 games, increased his scoring average, and recorded his ninth career triple double. The Magic beat the 76ers 4-2 in the first round, but they could use a floor leader like Miller right about now!

Free Agents

Bradon Godfrey, a sure-handed receiver from Layton High and the University of Utah, signed with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent. Godfrey worked out for the Buffalo Bills and the Falcons following the draft. The Falcons called him back Tuesday morning, and he was in the ATL that night. Read more about it on Lya Wodraska's Utes blog for the Salt Lake Tribune.

Brent Casteel, a big play receiver for the Utes, signed a free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns, potentially making him the third Ute member of Cleveland's offense, along with quarterback Brett Ratliff and tight end John Madsen.

2009 NFL Draft Results

Four Utes from the 13-0 Sugar Bowl Champions were drafted by NFL teams in April:

#57, Baltimore Ravens, Paul Kruger, de
#61, Miami Dolphins, Sean Smith, db
#188, Houston Texans, Brice McCain, db
#252, Cincinnati Bengals, Freddie Brown, wr

More Utes were drafted in 2005, following the team's first BCS busting season, including the number 1 overall pick:

#1, San Francisco 49ers, Alex Smith, qb
#88, New York Jets, Sione Pouha, dt
#204, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chris Kemoeatu, og
#225, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Paris Warren, wr
#233, Cincinnati Bengals, Jonathan Fanene, de

With the exception of Warren (now with the New Orleans Saints), all of those players are still with the teams that drafted them four years ago. Smith has had a rocky start to his career with the Niners, but the team has re-signed him to a restructured contract, demonstrating a continuing commitment to the former top pick. Kemoeatu was a starter for the Steelers this year, demonstrating that Utes can win bowl games at every level!