4/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Wide receiver/return specialist Steve Breaston (North Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills HS), linebacker Prescott Burgess (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding HS) and tight end Tyler Ecker (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge HS) rounded out a seven-player draft class for the University of Michigan football team during the second day of the 2007 NFL Draft held Sunday (April 29) at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The Wolverines' contingent set a record for number of players drafted since the draft went to seven rounds. The previous best of six draftees was achieved during the 2000 and 2003 drafts.
Breaston joined defensive tackle Alan Branch (Rio Rancho, N.M./Cibola HS), a second-round pick, with the Arizona Cardinals. Breaston was the fifth pick of the fifth round by the Cardinals, the 142nd overall selection of the draft. The Big Ten career punt return leader and the fifth-best kickoff return man in conference history, Breaston owns 18 game, season or career return records at Michigan. He led the team with 58 catches for 670 yards and scored two touchdowns in 2006. He added 29 punt returns for 332 yards and one score and added 21 kickoff returns for 467 yards as fifth-year senior.
Burgess became the first Wolverine to ever be drafted by the Baltimore Ravens and is the only U-M player on the team's roster. He was selected by the organization with the 207th overall selection, the 33rd pick of the sixth round. Burgess earned All-Big Ten honorable mention after finishing second on the team in tackles.
Ecker was the final Michigan player drafted with his selection nine spots after Burgess. Ecker was a seventh round draft choice of the Washington Redskins, the 216th overall pick and the sixth of the last round. An Academic All-Big Ten selection, Ecker grabbed 12 catches for 155 yards and scored two touchdowns in an injury-shortened 2006 season.
The remaining U-M players may begin signing free agent contracts.
Following are the Wolverines selected in the 2007 NFL Draft:
| Player, Position | NFL Team | Overall Pick (Round, Selection) |
| Leon Hall, CB | Cincinnati Bengals | 18th (1st, No. 18) |
| Alan Branch, DT | Arizona Cardinals | 33rd (2nd, No. 1) |
| LaMarr Woodley, DE | Pittsburgh Steelers | 46th (2nd, No. 14) |
| David Harris, ILB | New York Jets | 47th (2nd, No. 15) |
| Steve Breaston, WR/RS | Arizona Cardinals | 142nd (5th, No. 5) |
| Prescott Burgess, LB | Baltimore Ravens | 207th (6th, No. 33) |
| Tyler Ecker, TE | Washington Redskins | 216th (7th, No. 6) |
Notes:
Michigan has had a wide receiver picked in three consecutive drafts -- Braylon Edwards (2005), Jason Avant (2006) and Breaston -- and five of the last seven drafts.
Harris and Burgess became the Wolverines first linebacker pairing to be drafted in the same draft since Ian Gold and Dhani Jones were selected in the 2000 draft.
Football Defenders Dominate NFL Draft's Top 50 Picks (4/28/07)
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