TicketsApril 26, 2009
CINCINNATI -
The University of Cincinnati football team had a record-setting NFL Draft with five selections on day two of the annual event for six overall draft picks. Kevin Huber (fifth), DeAngelo Smith (fifth), Brandon Underwood (sixth), Mike Mickens (sixth), and Trevor Canfield (seventh) all were second-day picks, while Connor Barwin (second) was a day-one choice.
UC's six overall draft choices was the most in school history, bettering the previous mark of five, which had occurred three times, in 1998, 1960, and 1947. The six selections were the most of any BIG EAST school, and the Bearcats were one of nine institutions in the nation with six or more players drafted.
Punter Kevin Huber was the first day-two choice, going to the Cincinnati Bengals with the 142nd pick in the fifth round.
Huber was the first UC player to earn back-to-back Associated Press First Team all-America honors. He earned multiple all-America honors in 2008, including First-Team all-America honors by Rivals.com, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). He was also a First-Team All-BIG EAST selection and was a Consensus First-Team All-American in 2007.
He led the BIG EAST and ranked seventh nationally with a 45.0 yards per punt average. He has a long kick of 64 yards in 2008, 24 punts inside the 20, and 20 kicks of 50 yards or more. Only three of his 60 punts in 2008 were touchbacks. UC led the nation in net punting for the second-straight season.
Defensive back DeAngelo Smith was taken with the next pick, number 143, by the Dallas Cowboys.
Smith, who played at both cornerback and safety in 2008, was tied for the national lead with 13 interceptions in 2007. He tallied 53 tackles in 2008, along with 3.5 tackles for a loss and a pair of interceptions. He also added 10 pass break ups and a forced fumble.
Defensive back Brandon Underwood is heading to Green Bay after being selected by the Packers with the 187th pick in the sixth round.
Underwood played only a single season for the Bearcats, earning first-team all-BIG EAST accolades at safety. He started 14 games, playing both cornerback and safety, tallying 66 tackles, fifth-best on the squad. He had a team-high three fumbles recovered, along with four interceptions. He also forced two fumbles and had six pass break ups. He was named UC's Special Teams Player of the Year at the team's awards banquet in December.
Defensive back Mike Mickens will join his defensive backfield mate Smith in Dallas after being chosen by the Cowboys with the 227th pick in the seventh round.
Mickens, a first-team all-BIG EAST selection, put together a solid year despite missing the final three regular-season games with a knee injury. He tied for second on the team with 70 tackles, including two for a loss. He has a team-high four interceptions, including a 72-yard runback for a touchdown against Miami (OH). He led the BIG EAST with 14 passes defended. He holds the school records for career interceptions (14) and interception return yards (296). He started 46-consecutive games at cornerback before being injured practice prior to the Pittsburgh game on Nov. 22.
He earned three all-America honors following the season, being named a second-team Walter Camp honoree and a third-team selection by the Associated Press and Rivals.com.
Offensive guard Trevor Canfield went to the defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals with the 254th pick in the seventh round.
Canfield was an Associated Press Second-Team all-America selection, the first UC offensive lineman to earn a spot on the AP team since Bill Shalosky earned honorable mention honors in 1952. Canfield started 39-straight games on the offensive line and helped lead a group that helped Cincinnati average over 370 yards of total offense per game in 2008. He was a second-team all-BIG EAST honoree for the third-straight season.
CINCINNATI BEARCATS IN THE 2009 NFL DRAFT
| Player | Round | Pick | Team |
| Connor Barwin | 2 | 46 | Houston Texans |
| Kevin Huber | 5 | 142 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| DeAngelo Smith | 5 | 143 | Dallas Cowboys |
| Brandon Underwood | 6 | 186 | Green Bay Packers |
| Mike Mickens | 7 | 227 | Dallas Cowboys |
| Trevor Canfield | 7 | 254 | Arizona Cardinals |