Local Selections
Ben Ijalana (Villanova) Guard/Tackle, 6-3, 317 pounds Chosen by: Indianapolis Colts, 2d round, 49th pick overall. Skinny: The Colts moved up four slots to select Ijalana, who was the first Football Championship Subdivision player selected in this year's draft. The senior also became the Wildcats' highest draft pick since the Oakland Raiders used the 48th overall pick
Ben Ijalana (Villanova)
Guard/Tackle, 6-3, 317 pounds
Chosen by: Indianapolis Colts, 2d round, 49th pick overall.
Skinny: The Colts moved up four slots to select Ijalana, who was the first Football Championship Subdivision player selected in this year's draft. The senior also became the Wildcats' highest draft pick since the Oakland Raiders used the 48th overall pick in the second round on Howie Long in 1981. Ijalana started all 53 games of his four-year career at left tackle. However, he is expected to compete for a guard position with the Colts. Indianapolis used its first two picks on linemen. The Colts selected Boston College left tackle Anthony Castonzo with the 22d overall pick Thursday. In order to move up to get Ijalana, Indianapolis traded a fifth-round pick to the Washington Redskins.
"Hopefully Anthony and I can be maybe a changing of the guard, and just hopefully establish something with him," Ijalana told the Associated Press.
The 21-year-old watched the NFL draft at his home in Hainesport.
- Keith Pompey
Stefen Wisniewski (Penn State)
Center/Guard, 6-3, 313 pounds
Chosen by: Oakland Raiders, 2d round, 48th pick overall.
Skinny: The offensively challenged Raiders have targeted line help, and they may have found a starter on the interior in Wisniewski, who played center and guard in college. Oakland did not have a first-round selection, so the Penn State product was their top pick.