Perry Chosen 26th in NFL Draft; LeSueur Also Selected
4/24/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Former University of Michigan tailback Chris Perry (Advance, N.C./Fork Union Military, Va.) and cornerback Jeremy LeSueur (Holly Springs, Miss./Holly Springs HS) were selected Saturday (April 24) during the first day of the 69th annual National Football League Draft held in The Theater at the Madison Square Garden in New York. Perry was a first round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals (26th overall) and LeSueur earned a third-round selection by the Denver Broncos (85th).
Perry was the second running back plucked from the draft board, gaining selection by the Bengals two spots behind Oregon State's Stephen Jackson who went 24th to the St. Louis Rams. Perry became the 39 Wolverine to be selected during the first round of the NFL Draft, and is the sixth player to earn the honor during head coach Lloyd Carr's tenure.
Perry was a consensus All-America, finalist for the Heisman Trophy and the Doak Walker Award winner as the nation's top running back last season. He gained the fourth most rushing yards in a season by a Michigan back, totaling 1,674 yards on a school record 338 carries and 18 touchdowns. Perry added a U-M running back record 44 receptions for 367 yards and two TDs. He joined Anthony Thomas as the only players in school history to surpass 2,000 all-purpose yards in a season, and in the process set school records for most plays (382) and yards (2,041). Perry surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark in eight games. Perry finished his career in fifth place on Michigan's career rushing yardage list with 3,696 yards on 811 carries and 39 rushing touchdowns.
The Denver Broncos made Jeremy LeSueur the 85th overall pick and the second Wolverine to be selected in the draft. An All-Big Ten second team pick by the media and coaches, LeSueur tied for the team lead with a career high 12 pass breakups as a senior. He tallied 48 stops, including four tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. LeSueur finished his career in fifth place on Michigan's career PBU list with 27 passes defended.
Rounds four through seven will be held Sunday (April 25) beginning at 11 a.m. EDT. Television coverage runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on ESPN, and shifts to ESPN2 at 1 p.m. until the conclusion of the seventh round.
2004 NFL Draft Notes:
-- Perry is the highest Michigan running back selection in the NFL Draft since Tshimanga Biakabutuka was the eighth overall pick of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
-- Perry joins former Wolverine Glen Steele, a defensive lineman, on the Cincinnati Bengals roster.
-- LeSueur's cousin, Mike Harden, played defensive back for the Denver Broncos from 1980-88 before finishing his career with the Los Angeles Raiders (1989-90). Harden was a three-year letterman for the Wolverines (1977-79).
-- This is the second straight draft that a Wolverine was the 85th overall pick of the draft: LeSueur this season and fullback B.J. Askew (New York Jets) last season.
Media Contacts: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
