MANHATTAN, Kan. – It took until the final two rounds of the 2004 National Football League draft for a Kansas State Wildcat to hear his name called, but for the 11th straight season, at least one K-Stater is headed to the league via the draft.
All-American center Nick Leckey, who finished his K-State career by making 40 consecutive starts, and safety Rashad Washington were selected in the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively, and are the 40th and 41st draft picks produced by Head Coach Bill Snyder in his 15 seasons in Manhattan.
Leckey was taken by the Phoenix Cardinals with the second pick of the sixth round and was the 167th player chosen overall. A consensus two-time first team All-Big 12 selection, the Grapevine, Texas, native made the move from guard to center prior to his senior season at K-State and thrived in the new position, grading out as the Wildcats’ top offensive lineman during the 2003 season. He joins former Wildcat Josh Scobey with the Cardinals.
Washington, a consensus second team all-league choice in 2003 who started the final 28 games of his career at K-State, was the 35th player taken in the seventh round (236 overall) by the New York Jets and will join former Wildcat safety Jon McGraw in the Big Apple.
A native of Wichita, Kan., Washington, a former running back, collected 189 tackles during his Kansas State career, including 102 as a senior, with nine for losses. He was one of only three Wildcats and 15 Big 12 players to crack the 100-tackle mark in 2003. He also led the team with four blocked punts and 14 pass break-ups as a senior.
K-State Draft Picks Under Bill Snyder
Year Name, Pos., NFL Team Rd Overall
1990 Maurice Henry, LB, Detroit 6th 147
1992 Rogerick Green, CB, Tampa Bay 5th 118
Russ Campbell, TE, Pittsburgh 7th 179
Elijah Alexander, LB, Tampa Bay 10th 254
1994 Thomas Randolph, CB, NY Giants 2nd 47
Andre Coleman, WR, San Diego 3rd 70
1995 Barrett Brooks, OT, Philadelphia 2nd 58
Chad May, QB, Minnesota 4th 111
1996 Percell Gaskins, LB, St. Louis 4th 105
1997 Chris Canty, CB, New England 1st 29
Kevin Lockett, WR, Kansas City 2nd 47
1998 Todd Weiner, OT, Seattle 2nd 47
1999 Martin Gramatica, PK, Tampa Bay 3rd 80
Jeff Kelly, LB, Atlanta 6th 198
Ryan Young, OT, New York Jets 7th 223
Michael Bishop, QB, New England 7th 227
Justin Swift, TE, Denver 7th 238
Darnell McDonald, WR, Tampa Bay 7th 240
2000 Darren Howard, DE, New Orleans 2nd 33
Mark Simoneau, LB, Atlanta 3rd 67
Damion McIntosh, OL, San Diego 3rd 83
Lamar Chapman, DB, Cleveland 5th 146
Frank Murphy, RB, Chicago 6th 170
2001 Quincy Morgan, WR, Cleveland 2nd 33
Shad Meier, TE, Tennessee 3rd 90
Monty Beisel, DE, Kansas City 4th 107
Mario Fatafehi, DT, Arizona 4th 133
Jarrod Cooper, DB, Carolina 5th 143
Jerametrius Butler, DB, St. Louis 5th 145
2002 Jon McGraw, FS, New York Jets 2nd 57
Ben Leber, LB, San Diego 3rd 71
DeMarcus Faggins, CB, Houston 6th 173
Josh Scobey, RB, Arizona 6th 185
Aaron Lockett, WR, Tampa Bay 7th 254
Rock Cartwright, FB, Washington 7th 257
2003 Terence Newman, CB, Dallas 1st 5
Terry Pierce, LB, Denver 2nd 51
Melvin Williams, DE, New Orleans 5th 155
Taco Wallace, WR, Seattle 7th 224
2004 Nick Leckey, C, Phoenix 6th 167
Rashad Washington, S, New York Jets 7th 236
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