April 29, 2007
BERKELEY -
Former University of California standout running back Marshawn Lynch was selected with the No. 12 pick of the first round of the NFL Draft on Saturday by the Buffalo Bills. The 2006 Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, Lynch is the highest Golden Bear draft pick since Andre Carter was chosen No. 7 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2001. In program history, only eight California players have been selected higher than the No. 12 overall pick.
In addition to Lynch, longtime teammates Brandon Mebane and Daymeion Hughes and linebacker Desmond Bishop were also selected. Mebane was picked by the Seattle Seahawks with the 22nd pick in the third round (No. 85 overall), while Hughes was snagged by the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts with the 32nd pick in the third round (No. 95 overall). In addition to being teammates for four years at Cal, the Los Angeles products played together at Crenshaw High School. Bishop was drafted with the 18th pick of the sixth round (No. 192 overall) by the Green Bay Packers.
This year marks the first time since 1996 that California has had three players taken in the first three rounds of the draft. That year, Regan Upshaw (Tampa Bay, first round, No. 12), Duane Clemons (Minnesota, first round, No. 16) and Je'Rod Cherry (New Orleans, second round, No. 40) were selected in the first two rounds.
Lynch departed California after three seasons as the school's second-leading rusher with 3,230 yards in his three-year career. He scored 35 touchdowns in 35 career games and had a school-record 17 career 100-yard rushing games. In addition to becoming just the second Golden Bear to run for 1,000 yards in multiple seasons, Lynch was rated as the No. 1 running back in the nation by SI.com in October. In 2006, he led the Pac-10 in rushing yards (1,356), touchdowns (15) and all-purpose yards (1,785).
During Lynch's time in Berkeley, California posted a 28-9 (.757) record, including a pair of bowl victories. Lynch was the Most Valuable Player of the 2005 Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl after running for 194 yards and three touchdowns, as well as being the co-MVP of the 2006 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl when he ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bears to a 45-10 victory over Texas A&M. Cal's 10 wins this year give it two 10-win seasons in three years; the Golden Bears have been ranked in the top 10 in each of Lynch's three seasons with the program.
Mebane was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the 22nd pick in the third round. Throughout his career, the two-time first team All-Pac-10 selection drew double teams which opened up holes for Cal's linebackers to pile up big numbers. In addition to be selected to play in the 2007 Senior Bowl, he was a third team All-American by Rivals.com. In 2006, he recorded a career-best 52 tackles, including 10 for losses and was named Cal's Most Valuable Defensive Lineman. He collected a career-high nine tackles, including four for losses in the Big Game against Stanford while also recording six tackles, including a safety against USC.
Hughes, who was snagged by the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts with the 32nd pick of the third round, was an exceptional lock-down cornerback and the defensive star of the Golden Bears all season. The Defensive Player of the Year in the Pac-10, he also was awarded the Ronnie Lott IMPACT Trophy for the top defensive player in the nation who exhibits leadership and integrity on and off the field. A first-team All-American by the Associated Press, Walter Camp Foundation, the American Football Coaches Association, SI.com, The Sporting News and Rivals.com, he closed his career second all-time at Cal with 15 interceptions and also had four career interception returns for touchdowns. Hughes was also selected to play in the 2007 Senior Bowl.
Bishop, the 18th pick of the sixth round, was the heart and voice of the Golden Bear defense in 2006. He led the Pac-10 with 126 tackles and 9.7 tackles per game (14th in the nation) and was a first team All-Pac-10 selection and a third-team All-American by Rivals.com. Bishop tallied 19 games with seven or more tackles in his career, including eight double-figure tackle games and was selected to play in the East-West Shrine All-Star game. The active backer recorded a game-high 12 tackles to earn Defensive MVP honors in the Holiday Bowl.
California now has had 22 first-round draft picks in its history, including four under Tedford. In 2005, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was selected No. 24 overall by the Green Bay Packers, while in 2003 quarterback Kyle Boller went No. 19 to the Baltimore Ravens and Nnamdi Asomugha was picked at No. 31 by the Oakland Raiders.
The Bears open the 2007 season on Sept. 1, hosting Tennessee in a rematch of last year's season-opener. Other games on the Cal home slate include USC, Arizona, Oregon State, Washington State and Louisiana Tech.
For further information or to purchase season tickets, visit www.CalBears.com or call 1-800-GO-BEARS.
