For the first time since 1976, two University of Northern Iowa football players were selected in the same National Football League draft. Offensive linemen Chad Rinehart (Boone, Iowa) and Brandon Keith (McAlester, Okla.) saw their names come across as draft picks on the second day of the two-day draft.
The Washington Redskins selected Rinehart in the third round with the 96th overall pick. The Arizona Cardinals chose Keith in the seventh round with the 225th overall pick.
Both Panthers will be joined by former UNI players when they join their new teams. Rinehart will team up with punter Derrick Frost in Washington, while Keith will meet up with quarterback Kurt Warner in Arizona.
It also marks the first time since 2002 that UNI has had a player chosen in the draft. Ryan Hannam went in the fifth round of the 2002 draft to the Seattle Seahawks.
UNI IN THE DRAFT
1966 - RB Randy Schultz (Cleveland Browns) - 5th Round (74th pick)
1966 - OL Doug Korver (Atlanta Falcons) - 18th Round (261st pick)
1968 - OL/DL Ray Pedersen (Baltimore Colts) - 17th Round (458th pick)
1976 - QB Bill Salmon (Minnesota Vikings) - 10th Round (289th pick)
1976 - OL Mike Timmermans (Green Bay Packers) - 17th Round (440th pick)
1982 - QB Steve Sandon (New England Patriots) - 11th Round (296th pick)
1990 - LB Bryce Paup (Green Bay Packers) - 6th Round (159th Pick)
1991 - DL James Jones (Cleveland Browns) - 3rd Round (57th Pick)
1993 - WR Kenny Shedd (New York Jets) - 5th Round (129th Pick)
1997 - WR Dedric Ward (New York Jets) - 3rd Round (88th Pick)
1999 - DB Ty Talton (Detroit Lions) - 5th Round (137th Pick)
2000 - OL Brad Meester (Jacksonville Jaguars) - 2nd Round (60th Pick)
2001 - WR Eddie Berlin (Tennessee Titans) - 5th Round (159th Pick)
2002 - TE Ryan Hannam (Seattle Seahawks) - 5th Round (169th Pick)
2008 - OL Chad Rinehart (Washington Redskins) - 3rd Round (96th Pick)
2008 - OL Brandon Keith (Arizona Cardinals) - 7th Round (225th Pick)
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