April 24, 2010
Owusu-Ansah Quotes
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah has become the seventh player in IUP history to be selected in the NFL Draft when he was chosen in the fourth round by the Dallas Cowboys Saturday morning.
Owusu-Ansah is the first IUP player taken in the draft since wide receiver LeRon McCoy was picked by the Arizona Cardinals in 2005 and is the third-highest draft choice ever from the school. Owusu-Ansah was the 126th player taken overall.
Linebacker Jim Haslett was selected in the second round by the Buffalo Bills in 1979 and offensive lineman Leander Jordan was chosen in the third round by the Carolina Panthers in 2000.
The other three players drafted from IUP are wide receiver Dave Smith by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969, quarterback Lynn Hieber by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1976 and offensive lineman Chris Villarrial by the Chicago Bears in 1996.
Owusu-Ansah was the second Division II player selected this year, following Hillsdale offensive tackle Edwin Veldheer who was taken by the Oakland Raiders in the third round.
Owusu-Ansah was drafted as a cornerback, a position he played during the majority of his career at IUP, but may be looked at as a safety in the NFL. He also emerged as one of the most dangerous kickoff and punt returners at any level of college football the past two years.
"We like his size, we like his speed and more importantly we like what we saw of his instincts. We had him come in early and we liked what he did on the board for us," said Cowboys owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones.
"With that pick, we hope he can evolve into a player for us. He is going to be limited a little early because he is coming back from some surgery, but we think he will ready to go for camp."
During his senior season in 2009, Owusu-Ansah scored five touchdowns on returns, including kickoffs of 89 yards vs. Southern Connecticut State and 78 vs. Edinboro. He also scored on punt returns of 70 yards vs. Edinboro, 55 vs. Lock Haven and 53 vs. California.
He scored a total of nine touchdowns in his career, bringing back four punts, three kickoffs and one interception and one fumble for scores. Last year Owusu-Ansah ranked 10th in the nation in kickoff return average at 29.9 and 15th in punt return average at 12.9 and set school career records for kickoff return yards (1,282), punt return yards (788) and punt return average (11.4).
The graduate of Whetstone High School in Columbus, Ohio, was named to the American Football Coaches Association and D2Football.com All-America teams following his senior year.
Owusu-Ansah first made a name for himself among NFL scouts when he intercepted eight passes to lead the PSAC and rank second in the nation in 2008. He had seven picks in the final four games of the year including three vs. Gannon to become the first IUP player to accomplish that feat in 17 years.
He also set a school record with 222 interception return yards and brought one back 74 yards for a touchdown vs. C.W. Post. He finished his college career with 10 interceptions, broke up another 19 passes and made 73 tackles in 42 games.
