ANTHONY CASTONZO Offensive Tackle 6-7 305 Boston College D1-2011 (22nd overall) Born: August 9, 1988 COLLEGE: Four-year letterman who set school record with 54 career starts…opened final three seasons at LT after starting 14 games at RT as freshman…started 13 games as senior team captain…graded most productive lineman in eight outings…allowed one sack during season, while missing only seven assignments…had 40 knockdown blocks and only two penalties in 820 plays…helped RB-Montel Harris lead conference rushers, while school RBs had nine 100 outings…was Third-Team All-American by Associated Press and All-ACC First-Team pick…as junior, allowed one sack in 650 assignments…helped Harris produce nearly 1,500 rushing yards and eight 100 games…school ranked 39th nationally in sacks allowed (1.54)…was All-ACC First-Team pick and SI.com Honorable Mention All-America choice…was first-year starter in 14 games at LT as sophomore…school ranked 25th nationally in tackles for loss allowed (4.77) and 49th in sacks allowed (1.69) with two first-year starting QBs…helped Harris set freshman yardage record (900) and have five 100 games…was Second-Team All-ACC and was All-Sophomore First-Team choice by College Football News…at RT was first true freshman starter on school's OL in 10 years…helped school to 5,924 yards offense behind QB-Matt Ryan…school ranked 5th nationally for fewest tackles for loss allowed (61) and team yielded only 22 sacks.…was All-ACC Freshman Team pick by The Sporting News…attended Fork Union Military Academy in 2006 and played OT, DT and TE…holds degree in biochemistry…was Rhodes Scholarship candidate…was National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete and a finalist for William V. Campbell Trophy and Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
PERSONAL: Full name is Anthony Salvatore Castonzo…born in Hawthorn Woods, Ill….attended Lake Zurich High School…was grid performer at OT and DT, while playing basketball and earning all-conference honors in the discus…was Illinois State Athletic Scholar…father, Bill, played football at Illinois and brother, Bill, Jr., played at Drake…single…resides in Hawthorn Woods, Ill.
BEN IJALANA Offensive Guard 6-4 317 Villanova D2a-2011 (49th overall) Born: August 6, 1989 PRO: Pick was obtained from Washington for D2a-11 and D5-11.
COLLEGE: Four-year performer who started all 53 career games at LT…is one of four players in school history (E-John Wysocki; WR-Brian Finneran; RB-Brian Westbrook) to earn All-America honors in multiple seasons…is one of 10 school OL to gain All-America notice, one of two OL to earn all-conference honors three times…team was 40-13 during his career…started 14 games as senior as team earned 9-5 mark…offense had 194.9 rushing avg., 30.8 scoring avg., hit 65.2 percent of passes and had 26:7 TD:int ratio, while amassing 5,180 total yards…was First-Team All-America choice by The NFL Draft Report, Walter Camp and Sports Network and was Second-Team by Associated Press…was only lineman candidate for Walter Payton Award…was only FCS player on Outland Trophy watch list and finished 10th in voting…was All-CAA First-Team choice for third straight year…opened 15 games as junior as school won FCS national championship…team was 14-1, had 31.4 scoring avg. and ranked 4th nationally with 240.3 rushing avg….club totaled 5,784 total yards, with 385.6 avg. topping CAA…named First-Team All-CAA for second straight year…earned First-Team All-America honors by Walter Camp and the Sports Network…was Second-Team All-America choice by Associated Press…started 13 games as sophomore…named First-Team All-CAA…started 11 games as true freshman…criminal justice major.
PERSONAL: Full name is Benjamin Ijalana…born in New Brunswick, N.J….attended Rancocas Valley (N.J.) High school for final two years after transferring from Willingboro (N.J.) High School…lettered in wrestling…pronounced (EYE-juh-lah-nuh)…single…resides in Hainesport, N.J.
DRAKE NEVIS Defensive Tackle 6-1 294 Louisiana State D3-2011 (87th overall) Born: May 8, 1989 COLLEGE: Four-year performer who started 18 of 45 career games at DT…had 139 career tackles, 75 solo, 31.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, five passes defensed, eight QB pressures, four FF, three FR and one interception…started 13 games as senior…had 56 tackles, 30 solo, 13 tackles for loss, six sacks, four QB pressures, three FF, one FR and one interception…named SEC Defensive Lineman-of-the-Week four times (Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Florida, Alabama) to lead conference…was Walter Camp National Defensive Player-of-the-Week vs. Alabama with seven tackles, one sack, one QB pressure, one pass defensed and one FF…had five stops and 2.5 sacks at Vanderbilt…had seven stops, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one FF at Florida…had career-high nine stops vs. Mississippi State and had interception…was First-Team All-America pick by CBSSports.com, Second-Team All-America choice by Associated Press, Walter Camp and Rivals.com…was sixth LSU DL since 2000 to earn All-America honors…was First-Team All-SEC by Associated Press and conference coaches…was reserve in 13 games as junior…topped DL with 50 tackles, 26 solo, 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, three QB pressures and one FR…ranked 2nd on team in sacks, led team in loss-tackles and had at least half-tackle for loss in 10 outings…had eight stops vs. Florida, seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack for safety at Alabama…started two of 13 games as sophomore…had 16 tackles, nine solo, 5.5 tackles for loss, one FF and one FR…had five solo tackles, two for loss, at Florida…started three of eight games as true freshman…had 17 tackles, 10 solo, two tackles for loss…hold degree in general studies.
PERSONAL: Full name is Drake Mitchell Nevis…born in Thibodeaux, La….attended John Ehret (Marrero, La.) High School…was 8th-ranked DT nationally by Rivals.com as senior and was top prospect in state…was Class 5-A First-Team all-state with 72 tackles, 18 sacks, eight FF and two FR…had 80 tackles and eight sacks as junior…pronounced (NEVV-iss)…single…resides in Harvey, La.
DELONE CARTER Running Back 5-9 225 Syracuse D4-2011 (119th overall) Born: June 22, 1987 COLLEGE: Four-year player who opened 23 of 42 career games…was 646-3,104, 24 TDs rushing and 28-208, 1 TD receiving…ranks 3rd in school history in rushing yards and had 11 career 100 games… closed career with streak of 242 attempts without losing fumble…started 12 of 13 games as senior…was 231-1,233, 9 TDs rushing and 8-45 receiving…rushing yards were third-highest seasonal total in school history…was Second-Team All-Big East choice…was named Big East Offensive Player-of-the-Week with 172 rushing yards and four TDs against Colgate…was named MVP of Pinstripe Bowl with career-high 198 rushing yards and two TDs against Kansas State…was named MVP of East-West Shrine Game with 54 rushing yards and one TD…started 11 of 12 games as junior…was 236-1,021, 11 TDs rushing and 11-117, 1 TD receiving…had 170 rushing yards and three TDs against Akron…played in five games as sophomore…was 23-137 rushing…did not play in 2007…played in 12 games as freshman…was 156-713, 4 TDs rushing and 9-46 receiving …was named Freshman All-America choice by The Sporting News…was Freshman First-Team All-Big East…rushing yards ranked as second-highest seasonal total by freshman in school history…was first freshman to lead school in rushing since 1978…had 129 rushing yards and four TDs against Wyoming…yards were single-most in school history by true freshman…holds degree in child and family studies.
PERSONAL: Full name is Delone M. Carter…born in Akron, Ohio…attended Copley (Ohio) Senior High School…was 619-5,291, 77 TDs rushing for career…had 2,788 rushing yards and 49 TDs as senior…was named Mr. Ohio Football and Sports Person-of-the-Year by Dapper Dan Sports Club of Akron…was unanimous choice for Cleveland Plain-Dealer's Offensive Player-of-the-Year…rushed for 2,503 yards and 28 TDs as junior…pronounced (duh-LON)…single…resides in Copley, Ohio.
CHRIS RUCKER Defensive Back 6-1 195 Michigan State D6-2011 (188th overall) Born: October 12, 1988 COLLEGE: Four-year letterman who opened 34 of 42 career games…had 191 tackles, 122 solo, 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, six interceptions, 19 passes defensed, five FF and one FR…started 10 of 11 games as senior…had 64 tackles, 39 solo, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, seven passes defensed and two FF…was Second-Team All-Big 10 by coaches…had five tackles, one FF and three passes defensed at Penn State…had career-high 12 tackles vs. Notre Dame…had interceptions vs. Purdue and Michigan… started 11 of 12 games as junior…had 58 tackles, 37 solo, three tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, seven passes defensed and two FF…had 11t FR at Purdue on first play from scrimmage…had interception in end zone in OT win over Michigan…started nine of 11 games as sophomore…had 45 tackles, 31 solo, four tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, four passes defensed and one FF…had season-high nine tackles, including 1.5 for loss vs. Notre Dame…started four of eight games as freshman…had 24 tackles, 15 solo, one interception, one pass defensed…had interception in debut vs. UAB…majored in sociology.
PERSONAL: Full name is Chris L. Rucker…born in Warren, Ohio…attended Warren G. Harding High School…was three-year starter in high school…was named Northeast Inland All-District First-Team as senior…was 35-521, 7 TDs receiving as senior…also had four interceptions and six passes defensed… single…resides in Warren, Ohio.
