Four Huskers Taken in NFL Draft

New York - Four Nebraska players were selected in the 2003 NFL Draft which concluded its two-day run on Sunday afternoon in New York City.

Rush end Chris Kelsay was the first Husker taken, as the Buffalo Bills made him the 16th selection in the second round (No. 48 overall). Kelsay was the only Husker selected on the first day of the draft, but he was joined by three Huskers on day two. DeJuan Groce was a fourth-round pick of the St. Louis Rams (107th overall), followed by a pair of seventh-round picks-place-kicker Josh Brown by the Seattle Seahawks (No. 222 overall) and linebacker Scott Shanle by the Rams (251st overall).

Kelsay played in 43 games during his Husker career and made 29 starts at rush end. He finished his career with 135 total tackles, including 33 tackles for loss and 13 sacks for 80 yards. Kelsay was hampered by a hamstring injury during his senior season, but managed 38 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and had seven sacks.

Kelsay's second-round draft selection adds to a long list honors for the Auburn, Neb. native. He was a four-time Academic All-Big 12 pick and the winner of an $18,000 Postgraduate Scholarship from the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. He also served as one of Nebraska's three team captains in 2002.

Groce, a native of Garfield Heights, Ohio, was a 2002 first-team All-American kick returner by the American Football Coaches Association and was also a standout at cornerback for the Huskers. Last season, Groce tied an NCAA record with four punt return touchdowns and capped his NU career with a 60-yard punt return touchdown in the Independence Bowl. Groce finished his career tied for second on Nebraska's career passes broken up list with 41, including a school-record 17 breakups as a sophomore in 2000.

Groce's selection marks the eighth time in the last 10 years the Huskers have had at least one defensive back taken in the NFL Draft. Last season cornerback Keyuo Craver was a fourth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints.

Brown capped a stellar Husker career with a strong senior season. Brown finished his Nebraska career as the school's No. 3 all-time scorer with 315 points. In his senior season, Brown was at his best, making 14-of-18 field goal attempts and connecting on all 44 of his PAT tries en route to first-team All-Big 12 honors. The Foyil, Okla., native was also one of the nation's top kickoff men, hitting 39 of his 74 kickoffs for touchbacks. Brown is Nebraska's second straight starting place-kicker to be selected in the NFL draft, joining Kris Brown who was a seventh-round pick in 1999.

Shanle was the final Husker selected in this year's draft, joining Groce with the St. Louis Rams. A former walk-on, Shanle started 28 games in his Nebraska career and compiled 183 total tackles, including 17 tackles for loss. Shanle had a strong senior season, finishing the year with 71 stops, including 31 solo tackles. The Huskers have had a linebacker selected in three of the past five NFL Drafts.