Pochman, Ofahengaue Selected in NFL Draft's 7th Round

PROVO -- After waiting until the last and final round of the 2001 NFL Draft, BYU kicker Owen Pochman and tight end Tevita Ofahengaue finally got a call. Pochman, the Cougars' all-time leading scorer was the 16th selection of the seventh round by the New England Patriots -- the 216th pick overall. Ofahengaue, earned the distinction as the 246th and final overall selection in the draft. Ofahengaue was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals as the 46th selection in the seventh round.

Pochman and Ofahengaue mark the first seventh-round selections since Joe Wong was taken in the seventh round by the Miami Dolphins in 1999. The Cougars, along with Utah and Colorado State, led the Mountain West Conference with two draft selections, while Wyoming and New Mexico each had one player drafted.

Pochman is the first kicker drafted from BYU since Lee Johnson was selected in the fifth round by the Houston Oilers in 1985. Ironically, Johnson and Pochman are slated to be teammates in New England. Johnson is a punter on the New England roster. Pochman is the first BYU player drafted by New England since Jason Andersen was selected in the seventh round of the 1998 draft.

Ofahengaue becomes the first BYU tight end drafted in the NFL since Itula Mili was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 1997 draft. He is also the first-ever BYU player drafted by the Arizona Cardinals, however Vai Sikahema (1986) was the last BYU player picked by the Cardinal's organization, back when the team played in St. Louis.