50@50: FIU football alumni begin pro journey at the NFL Draft

To celebrate the university’s 50th anniversary, FIU News is sharing 50 moments in FIU’s history as part of our “50@50″ series.

Former FIU football players Antwan Barnes, T.Y. Hilton and Johnathan Cyprien (left to right) all began their pro football careers at the NFL Draft.

By Joel Delgado ’12 MS ’17 

Although FIU is still one of the youngest programs in the world of college football, the Panthers are already making their presence felt at the NFL level.

For many collegiate student-athletes, the NFL Draft marks the beginning of what they hope will be a fruitful career in professional football. And for several former FIU players, the draft proved to be the launching pad for theirs.

With this year’s draft kicking off, we take a look back at the Panthers’ history so far in the NFL Draft:

THE FIRST PANTHER DRAFTED

In 2007, linebacker Antwan Barnes – a member of a linebacker corps in the mid-2000s known as “The Killer B’s” – became the first Panther to ever be drafted, selected in the fourth round with the 134th overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens.

Barnes has had the longest NFL career of any Panther to date, amassing 118 career tackles and 25.5 sacks in nine seasons with the Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers and New York Jets.

T.Y. BECOMES A HOUSEHOLD NAME

After T.Y. Hilton wrapped up arguably the most successful collegiate career in the history of the FIU football program, it was almost a near certainty that Hilton would be taken by an NFL team early in the draft – the only questions were by whom and when?

Hilton was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft with the 92nd overall pick.

A day earlier, the Colts selected top quarterback prospect Andrew Luck with the No. 1 overall pick. Luck and Hilton proved to be a match made in football heaven, as the former FIU star, with his explosive speed and deep threat capabilities, emerged as one of Luck’s favorite targets in the Colts’ high-power offense.

In three seasons in the NFL, Hilton has 3,289 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns. He has put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and helped the Colts make it to the AFC Championship Game this past season, becoming the first Panther to participate in the Pro Bowl, the NFL’s all-star game.

CYPRIEN SETS A NEW MARK

Although Hilton was the highest-drafted FIU football player when the Colts picked him in 2012, that distinction didn’t last long.

Safety Johnathan Cyprien set a new benchmark for FIU draftees when the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him early in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft with the No. 33 overall pick.

He immediately jumped into a big role in the Jaguars defense, starting in all 30 games he has played in. During his two seasons with the Jaguars, he has compiled 218 tackles.

Other former Panthers who have been drafted include:

• WR Chandler Williams (2007, 7^th round, 233^rd overall, Minnesota Vikings)
• CB Anthony Gaitor (2011, 7^th round, 222^nd overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
• LB Tourek Williams (2013, 6^th round, 179^th overall, San Diego Chargers)*

* Currently on an NFL roster

Now the question moving forward is “Who’s next?”