Presented by BBSI BOISE.
This Day In Sports…April 29, 2016:
For the second time in five years—and the second time ever—Boise State has three players selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. Kamalei Correa, a defensive end who would become an outside linebacker, was taken in the second round, 42ndoverall, by the Baltimore Ravens. Safety Darian Thompson was chosen in the third round, 71st overall, by the New York Giants. And tackle Rees Odhiambo was also picked in the third round, 97th overall, by the Seattle Seahawks.
Correa appeared in 63 NFL games over five seasons and made 84 tackles with two forced fumbles and one recovery. Thompson also played 63 games—his occurred over six seasons, with 173 tackles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and 1.5 sacks. Thompson, who played at Boise State from 2012-15, is third on the Broncos’ career interceptions list (and first in the school’s FBS era) with 19 picks. Odhiambo, a native of Kenya, got three NFL seasons in and appeared in 16 games.
The other such Bronco trio was in 2012, with first-rounders Shea McClellin and Doug Martin and third-rounder Tyrone Crawford. But there was more to it than that, as the overall record for Boise State selections in the NFL Draft is six selections in that 2012 class. That group was coming off the legendary 50-3 run with the Broncos that is usually associated with Kellen Moore. The other three chosen were George Iloka (fifth round to Cincinnati), Billy Winn (sixth round to Cleveland) and Nate Potter (seventh round to Arizona).
Boise State was riding a 14-year run of players drafted into the NFL until the streak was snapped last year. George Holani should have been taken, judging by the fact that—between the practice squad and the active roster—he stuck all season with the Seattle Seahawks in 2024. Holani officially played in five games and had three carries for 10 yards with one first down. All of the stats came in a Seahawks loss to Green Bay in December. The Broncos, by the way, have had multiple NFL Draft selections 13 times in the 21st century. And with Ashton Jeanty’s first-round selection last Thursday, Boise State has had 20 players picked in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft all-time.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
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