Ten former BYU players, two ex-Utes, two Aggies, two Wildcats and a pair of Southern Utah alums were among the 49 players chosen by the Utah Pioneers in the first two days of the Professional Spring Football League draft.
Included in the group were such recognizable names as BYU receiver Mark Bellini, Utah cornerback Lavon Edwards and Weber State running back Fine Unga.Each of the 10 PSFL teams chose 25 players from a list of 50 from its "territory" in Sunday's first phase. The Pioneers' territory consists of Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota.
In addition to those 25 players, two additional players were assigned by the league to the Pioneers, joining three other players previously assigned and giving the team a total of 30 players - as of Monday morning.
On Monday, the Pioneers selected 22 more players. The draft was to continue Tuesday and Wednesday.
Besides Bellini, other BYU players were defensive linemen Tim Adams, Rich Kaufusi and Steve Kaufusi; linebackers J.C. VonColln, Alema Fitisemanu and THor Salanoa; defensive back Eric Bergeson; and a couple of offensive linemen you'll have to reach back to remember - Chris Matau, who played in the 1985-86 seasons, and Wayne Faalafua, who was around way back in the 1981-82 seasons. Chris Smith, BYU's All-American tight end, was previously assigned to the Pioneers.
Utah running back Eddie Johnson was also assigned earlier, and he is now joined by former teammates Edwards and Darrel Hicks, a wide receiver.
The Utah State contingent consists of receiver Kendal Smith and defensive lineman Shawn Miller; Weber State's contributions are Unga and offensive lineman Shane Elliott; and the T-Birds of Southern Utah are offensive lineman Randy Bostic and running back Michon Johnson.
The only quarterbacks drafted so far are Bruce Mathison of Nebraska, a longtime backup with the Buffalo Bills; Frank Seurer of Kansas, who played with the L.A. Express of the USFL; and Mike Horton of Div. II New Haven in Connecticut.
Several in-state players who were on the list of 50 players from which the Pioneers made their territorial choices could still be selected in later rounds. Among those are defensive lineman Eddie Green and running backs Stacey Corley, Mike Salido and Lakei Heimuli, all of BYU; wide receiver Solomon Miller and tight end Troy Turner of Utah State; wide receiver Gerald Bradley of Weber State; and offensive lineman Mike Lopour and running back Kelvin Minefee of Southern Utah. Those players, however, could be chosen by any of the PSFL's other nine teams.
"I would think that a number of them are going to be drafted," said Bill Kreifeldt said, the Pioneers' spokesman in Salt Lake City.
Several big-name college and former NFL players were assigned by the league or chosen on the first day, including Major Harris, former West Virginia quarterback; QB Tony Rice of Notre Dame, by the New England Blitz; running back Lorenzo Hampton of Florida, by the Miami Tribe; running back Lydell Carr, by the Arkansas Miners; and linebacker Keith Browner of USC, by the Tampa Bay Outlaws.
A couple of draftees who should be familiar to Cougar fans were Ralph Martini, who started his college career as a tight end at BYU and finished it as a productive QB at San Jose State. He was taken by the Nevada Aces. And then there's Garret Gabriel, the ex-Hawaii quarterback who was largely responsible for the 1989 and 1990 demolitions of the Cougars. He was chosen by the Oregon Lightning Bolts.
The Pioneers open camp Jan. 27 in Phoenix, where they will trim the roster to 45 players by the season opener on Feb. 29.
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Pioneers' selections
Territorial draft: J.J. Flanigan, rb, Colorado; George Hemingway, rb, Colorado; Darrell Hicks, wr, Utah; Chris Smith, te, BYU; Gordy Wood, te, Wyoming; Fine Unga, rb Weber St.; Randy Bostic, ol, Southern Utah; Shane Elliott, ol, Weber St.; Steve Kaufusi, dl, BYU; Tim Rother, dl, Nebraska; J.C. VonColln, lb, BYU; Eric Bergeson, db, BYU; Victor Scott, db, Colorado; Mark Bellini, wr, BYU; Rich Kaufusi, dl, BYU; Bruce Mathison, qb, Nebraska; Gene Cullinan, ol, Washburn; John Bankhead, dl, Snow College; Kendal Smith, wr, Utah St.; Frank Seurer, qb, Kansas; Alema Fitisemanu, lb, BYU; Eddie Johnson, rb, Utah; Chris Matau, ol, BYU; Wayne Faalafua, ol, BYU; Tim Adams, dl, BYU; Troy Faunce, p, Kansas St.; LaVon Edwards, db, Utah; Shawn Miller, dl, Utah St.; Blaze Winter, dl, Syracuse; Arthur Walker, dl, Colorado.
Open draft: Craig Swoope, db, Illinois; Mike Horton, qb, New Haven; John Brandon, ol, Arizona; Tom Gizzi, ol, Penn; Merv Mosley, db, Western Conneticut; Arnie Gasbarro, lb, Western Illinois; Duncan Burgermeister, te, Mesa St.; Chris Dugan, k, Arizona St.; Kirk Wilson, db, Arizona; Kevin Newton, ol, Texas A Scott Saylor, lb, Maryland; Gary Wahlage, db, Colorado St.; Pete Gosar, lb, Wyoming; Bob Neta, wr, Wyoming; Martin Sartin, rb, Long Beach St.; Kerry Simien, wr, Texas A Thor Salanoa, lb, BYU; Michon Johnson, rb, Southern Utah; Chris Stearns, rb, Virginia; Lewis Mooney, rb, North Texas, Adrian Moss, te, West Virginia; Vince Mazza, db, Ashland.