April 28, 2007

BERKELEY - It doesn't look like longtime teammates Brandon Mebane and Daymeion Hughes will be playing together in 2007 - for the first time in close to a decade. Defensive stalwarts for the California Golden Bears for the past four years, the duo also played together at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles. On Saturday, both were selected in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft, but by different teams.

In addition, linebacker Desmond Bishop was snagged in the sixth round by the Green Bay Packers. The trio join Marshawn Lynch as Golden Bear draft picks this year. Lynch was taken in the first round with the No. 12 overall pick.

This year marks the first time since 1996 that California has had three players taken in the first three rounds of the draft. That year, Regan Upshaw (Tampa Bay, first round, No. 12), Duane Clemons (Minnesota, first round, No. 16) and Je'Rod Cherry (New Orleans, second round, No. 40) were selected in the first two rounds.

Mebane was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the 22nd pick in the third round. Throughout his career, the two-time first team All-Pac-10 selection drew double teams which opened up holes for Cal's linebackers to pile up big numbers. In addition to be selected to play in the 2007 Senior Bowl, he was a third team All-American by Rivals.com. In 2006, he recorded a career-best 52 tackles, including 10 for losses and was named Cal's Most Valuable Defensive Lineman. He collected a career-high nine tackles, including four for losses in the Big Game against Stanford while also recording six tackles, including a safety against USC.

Hughes, who was snagged by the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts with the 32nd pick of the third round, was an exceptional lock-down cornerback and the defensive star of the Golden Bears all season. The Defensive Player of the Year in the Pac-10, he also was awarded the Ronnie Lott IMPACT Trophy for the top defensive player in the nation who exhibits leadership and integrity on and off the field. A first-team All-American by the Associated Press, Walter Camp Foundation, the American Football Coaches Association, SI.com, The Sporting News and Rivals.com, he closed his career second all-time at Cal with 15 interceptions and also had four career interception returns for touchdowns. Hughes was also selected to play in the 2007 Senior Bowl.

Bishop, the 18th pick of the sixth round, was the heart and voice of the Golden Bear defense in 2006. He led the Pac-10 with 126 tackles and 9.7 tackles per game (14th in the nation) and was a first team All-Pac-10 selection and a third-team All-American by Rivals.com. Bishop tallied 19 games with seven or more tackles in his career, including eight double-figure tackle games and was selected to play in the East-West Shrine All-Star game. The active backer recorded a game-high 12 tackles to earn Defensive MVP honors in the Holiday Bowl, a 45-10 Cal win over Texas A&M.