Sports

Three Cardinal Football Players Drafted by the NFL

Stanford University's football squad caught the attention of the Eagles, Falcons and the Cardinals.

Three Stanford football players were selected in the 2013 NFL Draft last weekend with tight ends Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo being called alongside running back Stepfan Taylor.

Ertz was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 35th overall pick (third pick of the second round); Toilolo was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 36th pick of the fourth round (133rd overall); and Taylor was called upon by Arizona with the 7th pick of the fifth round (140th overall).

It marked the fourth straight year that Stanford had at least three players drafted.

Find out what's happening in Palo Altowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Ertz said he is excited about playing for Philadelphia. “My mom and dad were both born in Pennsylvania, so it feels like this very cool circle of life. I can’t stop thinking about how the Pac-12 gave me my start, and now I will be able to keep playing for a coach that I respected since I started at Stanford. Thank you all for your support,” Ertz said.

“I’m beyond excited right now. I’m looking forward to being a part of the Falcons organization,” said Toilolo. “I can’t wait to get out there to Atlanta, get to work and be a part of this team.”

Find out what's happening in Palo Altowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

For his part, Taylor called it a blessing to be a part of the Arizona Cardinals’ organization. “This is the perfect situation for me. I want to thank the Stanford family for the last four years, all of their support and best wishes.”

In addition, six players will get their chance to play professionally after being signed to free agent or rookie minicamp contracts with NFL teams.

Read more on gostanford.com.

Courtesy of Stanford News Service


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here