STORRS, Conn.—Connecticut cornerback Tyvon Branch and offensive guard Donald Thomas were taken Sunday in the NFL draft.
Branch, who led the Big East in kick returns in 2007, was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the first pick in the fourth round. He was the 100th player taken overall.
Thomas, who walked onto Huskies team as a sophomore, was taken in the sixth round by the Miami Dolphins. He was the 195th player chosen.
Branch led the Big East in kick returns last year with a 28.9 average after becoming the first player in UConn history to return two kickoffs for a touchdown in the same season.
He made 230 tackles over his Husky career, capping it with a team-high 10 stops in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, including a tackle for loss.
"It's great for Tyvon and great for our program," UConn head coach Randy Edsall said. "It's also exciting to see the Raiders trade up to draft him because it shows that they really want Tyvon."
Thomas started every game at right guard as a senior in 2007, one of three Huskies to start all 13 contests, helping UConn to a 9-4 record and a share of the Big East championship.
"This is the culmination of a tremendous story for Donald to be drafted 195th," Edsall said. He never played high school football and didn't start to play until his sophomore year in college. You couldn't ask for a better story."
