Former Logan High quarterback Luke Falk has emulated New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throughout his college career at Washington State.
Appropriately, Falk was taken with the exact same pick in the NFL draft Saturday — No. 199 — as Brady did out of Michigan in 2000. Falk, who played at Oaks Christian High in California as a junior before returning to his native Logan for his senior season, was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the 25th pick of the sixth round.
Falk, who began his career at WSU as a walk-on, threw for 14,486 yards and 119 touchdowns with 39 interceptions at the Pac-12 school. He set Pac-12 records in attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns.
He had 30 passing games with 300 yards or more and led the Cougars to a 33-25 win over Utah last November. He guided the school to three straight bowl appearances.
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay called the Titans’ pick “a good one” and said he had Falk projected to go in the third round.
Cowboys take former Bingham High TE Dalton Schultz
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Stanford Cardinal tight end Dalton Schultz (9) is stopped by Utah Utes defensive back Chase Hansen (22) and Utah defensive back Corrion Ballard, in PAC-12 football action, Utah Utes vs. Stanford Cardinals, at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Saturday, October 7, 2017.
Former Bingham High star Dalton Schultz, a tight end at Stanford, was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round.
Schultz was the first Utah-born player selected in the 2018 draft and was the 137th player taken.
He helped lead Bingham to an undefeated season in 2013 and the Class 5A state championship.
“Schultz is a Y-tight end with the ability as a run blocker to help bolster a team’s rushing attack very quickly,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein said.
The 6-foot-6, 244-pound redshirt junior caught 22 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns but still was named to the All-Pac-12 first team after the 2017 season.
Schultz has an opportunity to make an immediate impact with the Cowboys after longtime tight end Jason Witten announced his retirement Friday.
Buffalo selects Weber State defensive back
Weber State defensive back Taron Johnson runs the 40-yard dash at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Monday, March 5, 2018, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
A Weber State football player has been selected in the NFL draft for the first time in eight years.
Former Wildcats cornerback Taron Johnson, the Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP in 2017, was taken in the fourth round by the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. Johnson was the 121st overall player selected in the draft in Arlington, Texas.
“This guy, I really like him on tape,” McShay said. “He’s got average size, short arms, average speed, comes from a small school and [has] a red flag of a vertical jump. But you go back to the tape. First off, I love the fact that he’s a tape junkie, a self-motivator. I talked to coaches there. They love his practice habits, and he’s a team captain.”
The four-year starter from Sacramento, Calif., made 172 tackles, 48 pass breakups and six interceptions during his career in Ogden.
Johnson, 5-foot-11, 192 pounds, is the first Weber State player taken since the Detroit Lions took receiver Tim Toone with the last pick in the seventh round in 2010. The pick gave Toone the unofficial title of “Mr. Irrelevant” as the last player selected that year.
Johnson was a consensus first-team all-American in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and had 49 tackles and nine pass breakups as a senior in 2017. He ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Multiple BYU players sign free-agent deals
Shortly after the draft ended, several former BYU players began announcing on social media that they have signed free agent contracts or accepted invitations to tryout camps:
Wide receiver Jonah Trinnaman signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Trinnaman spent two years at BYU after transferring from Snow College, and raised his professional prospects at BYU’s Pro Day when he was clocked running the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds. Trinnaman had 24 catches for 305 yards his senior season.
Safety Micah Hannemann announced via Twitter that he has signed with the Cleveland Browns. Hannemann had 123 tackles and four interceptions for the Cougars.
Offensive lineman Tejan Koroma, a four-year starter, accepted an invitation to the Tennessee Titans’ free agent mini camp, according to his agent. Koroma started in 51 games for the Cougars.
Defensive tackle Tomasi Laulile, who missed the entire 2017 season for violating team rules, signed with the Indianapolis Colts. Laulile participated in BYU’s Pro Day and drew attention with a 4.77-second time in the 40.
