April 27, 2003 | Football
"I am really excited about the opportunities ahead for our players. I think in most cases the selections were a good fit, especially Eugene, Brandon and Tony," Illinois head coach Ron Turner said. "It doesn't matter what round these guys were drafted. They will be in camp and have a great chance to prove themselves."
Illinois Cornerback, Eugene Wilson
With the 36th pick of the 2003 Amateur NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected Illinois cornerback Eugene Wilson. Wilson, who led the nation in passes broken up in 2001, becomes the highest drafted Illinois player since Simeon Rice in 1996 (3rd overall) and just one selection ahead of second-rounder Robert Holcombe in 1998 (37th overall).
Wilson, a 2001 All-American and 2002 Thorpe Award Semifinalist, was a two-time All-Big Ten selection in his Illini career and very instrumental in the team's Big Ten Championship season in 2001. Wilson finished his three-year starting career with 176 tackles (139 solos), 11 interceptions and 60 passes broken up. A very accomplished punt returner, Wilson also set Illinois' all-time punt return yardage record last season. For his career he scored twice on punt returns, while averaging 9.6 yard per return.
"I am just happy to be a Patriot," Wilson said. "It is a relief to be done with the whole process and just get on with my dream of playing in the NFL. I had a lot of contact with the Patriots, had a private workout and visited with them. It is great to be picked. I worked hard all this time and it is finally paying off."
When asked about the mood around his house in Merrillville, Eugene added that his parents were more anxious than he was. "I kept my cool. I figured everything would work out for the best. I had my phone on vibrate so no one really noticed that I was talking to them (New England) when my named popped up on the screen. After that things got a lot looser around here.
"It looks like I may have an opportunity to play right away. They need a little youth and I am looking to provide that. The coaches seem really cool and it is a good situation for me."
Illinois Wide Receiver, Brandon Lloyd
With the 27th pick of the fourth round, 127th overall, of the 2003 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Illinois wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. Lloyd, who declared himself eligible for the draft after his junior year, became the second Illini taken this year.
Lloyd finished his career at Illinois ranked second in the record books with 2,583 career receiving yards, 160 catches and 21 touchdowns. The two-time, second-team All-Big Ten selection was also a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist in 2002. He caught passes in 28 consecutive games and recorded 12 100-yard games during his career. A big play receiver, Lloyd caught 27 receptions over 30 yards and was a 7-1 high jumper out of high school.
"This feels great (being drafted by the 49ers). Now I finally get a chance to breathe," Lloyd said. "I am going to a great system, one that Coach Turner ran here at Illinois. It is the same terminology. It would have been cool to be drafted in the first or second rounds, but it comes down to how productive you are out on the field. I am really excited about learning from the best receiver (Terrell Owens) in the game."
Illinois Offensive Guard, Dave Diehl
With the 160th pick overall and the 25th in the fifth round, the New York Giants selected Illinois offensive guard Dave Diehl. Diehl was a two-year starter for the Illini at both tackle and guard in years where the Illinois offense shined with record-setting numbers. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2002. In each of the last two seasons, the total offense marks rose above 5,000 yards for the first time in school history, while also aiding Antoineo Harris to the single-season rushing record in 2002.
"It was so exciting to see my name pop up there today. This has been a dream of mine my entire life (to be drafted)," Diehl said. "I am celebrating today, but soon it will be time to get back to football, proving to the Giants that I was the right pick for them."
Diehl also addressed his position status after a career at Illinois where he played both tackle and guard. "I think my versatility did make me more valuable. A lot of teams saw that I could move around and play different positions and I think the Giants are looking at me for either. It was a little difficult to bounce around, but that was my job with Illinois football and I was going to do anything I could to help the team win. I was very fortunate to have a great coaching staff that helped me develop at both positions."
Illinois Offensive Tackle, Tony Pashos
With the 173rd overall and 38th of the fifth round, the Baltimore Ravens selected Illinois offensive tackle Tony Pashos. Pashos is coming off one of the most successful careers by an offensive lineman in school history. He tied the Illinois mark for most career starts with 47 in his four-year tenure. He broke nearly every weight room record and posted 38 reps in the bench press at the NFL combine, the most of any athlete represented. A two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection, Pashos helped lead Illinois to an average of 414.1 yards of total offense per game in his 47 starts.
"I am extremely happy and proud to be selected (by the Ravens). I am ready now to go out and get back to business on the football field," Pashos said. "You wait around so long and then you finally get selected and it is by a team that has a great situation for offensive tackles. I am completely happy with what happened and am looking forward to getting out there (to Baltimore) as soon as I can. I know Baltimore likes to pound the ball and their coaching staff is very well respected by both Coach Turner and (Illinois offensive line coach) Hiestand. It couldn't be a better fit for me."
Illinois Wide Receiver, Walter Young
With the 12th pick of the seventh round, 226th overall, the Carolina Panthers selected Illinois wide receiver Walter Young. Young was a three-year starter for a wide receiving corp that was the most successful in school history. He averaged 17.1 yards per catch in his 147 receptions, scoring 15 touchdowns. His 2,382 receiving yards rank third in the Illinois record books, behind David Williams (1983-85) and Lloyd
"I was getting nervous down the stretch, but now one of longer days of my life has a sunny ending," Young said. "It was important for me to be drafted because it would be an accomplishment going from being a quarterback to a receiver and now a receiver for the Carolina Panthers. Right now I am anxious to get down, prove myself and start having fun."
On the draft for the University of Illinois ... "It was definitely a good draft. We had guys all over the place. I think it is a tribute to Coach Turner and the coaching staff for bringing in these type of players."
