April 26, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. - For a school record fourth consecutive season, and for the seventh time in the past eight years, UCF football was represented in the NFL Draft as cornerback and return specialist Joe Burnett (Eustis, Fla.) was selected in the fifth round by the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
Burnett was the 25th Knight to be drafted all-time and the first by Pittsburgh. Additionally, UCF expects to have several players sign undrafted free agent contracts with NFL franchises over the coming week. In 2008, UCF had 15 players make NFL active rosters, the most of any school in Conference USA.
Within the state of Florida, only the University of Florida (three) had more players drafted in 2009 than UCF. Florida State, Miami and USF also had one player picked apiece. In 2008, UCF tied Florida State and Miami for the most of any team in the state with three. Over the 2008-09 seasons combined, only Florida (five) has had more players drafted state-wide than UCF's four.
Since joining C-USA for the 2005 season, UCF is tied for the most players drafted of any team in the league with its six, matching UTEP. UCF and East Carolina share the distinction of being the lone C-USA schools with least one player drafted in each of the past four seasons.
The Knights have now had a player selected in the NFL Draft for a fourth consecutive year for the first time in school history. UCF previously had runs of three straight years with a draftee from 1991-93, 2002-04 and the previously active streak from 2006-08.
Overall, the Knights have had a player selected in seven of the last eight NFL Drafts. UCF is one of five schools from non-automatically qualifying BCS Conferences which can make this claim, joining BYU, Fresno State, Hawaii and San Diego State.
"I'm very happy for Joe and his family," UCF head coach George O'Leary said. "He has worked very hard during his time here to get to this point and he is another person who also has gotten his UCF degree before going onto the NFL. It is exciting to see him drafted by a great organization like Pittsburgh, the Super Bowl champions. I wish him the best of luck with the Steelers. I am very proud of Joe and happy for him."
Burnett was a first-team All-American in 2008 after excelling both as a returner and in pass coverage. He ranks 19th in NCAA history with 1,304 career punt return yards and third in C-USA history with his 16 career interceptions. Burnett set numerous school records at UCF. He earned a total of eight career All-Conference USA honors including a four-year sweep of the first-team punt returner award. This past year, the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year and was named to the all-conference first team as a defensive back, kick returner and punt returner.
"When you look at him statistically, he is very productive," Steelers defensive backs coach Ray Horton said of Burnett. "He is a return man - both kickoff and punt, and he gets interceptions. He is a guy who was a playmaker for them, and we expect him to be a playmaker for us in a multitude of ways. I am not going to compare him to (former Steelers' wide receiver) Antwaan Randle El, but hopefully on the defensive side that is what he can be - a guy who can do a multitude of things for us. He is a guy who will come in and compete at corner in the nickel and as a return man. He will make his living at the start as a third-down type of corner and as a returner. After he grows into the position, if he can pick off the ball and return it for touchdowns like that he will be on the field quite a bit."
To see the next wave of future NFL superstars come through Bright House Networks Stadium, get your 2009 UCF football season tickets today! Ticket information is available either online at UCFAthletics.com or by calling (407) 823-1000.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.