HONOLULU - Former University of Hawaii Wide Receiver Ashley Lelie was the 19th overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft when the Denver Broncos called his name Saturday. He is the first UH player ever to be drafted in the first round.

Lelie, listed at 6-foot-3, 187-pounds as a junior, broke 10 school records and two Western Athletic Conference records in 2001. The All-American finished his three-year career as Hawaii's leader in receptions (194) and yards (3,341). He also finished second in the nation in receiving yards per game (142.8) and averaged 7.00 receptions per game. The Radford High School graduate compiled 23 catches for 758 yards and eight touchdowns in his final three games as a Warrior.

Three other former Warriors signed free agent contracts with NFL teams. Safety Nate Jackson is headed to the Tennessee Titans. The 5-foot-10, 163-pounder out of Waianae High School on Oahu was a second-team All-WAC pick and finished third on the team in tackles (114) and fifth in the WAC averaging 9.5 tackles per game in 2001.

Offensive lineman Manly Kanoa has a plane to catch to Atlanta as a free agent with the Falcons where he will reunite with former Warrior Kynan Forney. Kanoa, who is 6-foot-4 and 320-pounds, was a first-team all-WAC pick in 2001 and compiled 30 "pancake" blocks. The Kamehameha Schools graduate finished his four-year career with 35 starts and never missed a single practice or game.

Center Brian Smith reached a deal with the Baltimore Ravens. The 6-foot-2, 284-pounder out of Thousand Oaks, Calif., played in all 48 games of his four-year career as long-snapper. He started at center for the past two seasons.

Wide Receiver Channon Harris is headed to the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders. Harris, a 5-foot-8, 151-pounder, was a three-year starter who compiled 69 catches for 796 yards and eight touchdowns in 2001. He finished his career fourth on the UH career receiving list with 161 catches for 2,186 yards.

In the last three seasons at the Warrior helm, Head Coach June Jones has had at least one player drafted by an NFL team. They include: OL Adrian Klemm (2000, Atlanta Falcons, 2nd Round), LB Jeff Ulbrich (2000, San Francisco 49ers, 3rd Round), OL Kaulana Noa (2000, St. Louis Rams, 4th Round), OL Kynan Forney (2001, Atlanta Falcons, 7th Round), WR Ashley Lelie (2002, Denver Broncos, 1st Round).

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