HONOLULU - Three University of Hawai`i Warrior football players were chosen in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft over the weekend. Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa was the first Warrior chosen, the 43rd overall pick by the St. Louis Rams in the second round. Offensive guard Vince Manuwai went to the Jacksonville Jaguars as the 72nd overall pick in the third round, immediately followed by offensive tackle Wayne Hunter to the Seattle Seahawks.

The trio is the first "official" class recruited by Warrior Head Coach June Jones and marked the fourth straight year at least one player has been drafted since Jones' arrival in 1999.

Tinoisamoa (6-0, 218, Vista, CA) started all 14 games en route to earning first-team all-WAC honors and the Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player Award as a senior in 2002. He led the team with 129 tackles, including 89 solo, a team-high 18 for-a-loss (-67), and a team-high six-and-a-half sacks (-38). The 1999 graduate of Vista High School in California also had two interceptions, one at UTEP on Sept. 21, and the second against San Jose State on Nov. 2, compiled a career-high 19 tackles against Alabama on Nov. 30, blocked a field goal attempt against SMU on Sept. 28 that was returned for a 74-yard touchdown, and had eight quarterback hurries, seven PBUs, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery during his senior season.

Manuwai (6-2, 309, Honolulu) was a three-year starter at UH. He started all 14 games at right guard and earned first-team All-America honors by CNN/SI.com and second-team All-America accolades by the Associated Press as a senior in 2002. He was a first-team all-WAC performer, earned the Warrior Club Award on offense, led the team with 65 pancake blocks, and allowed just one sack all season.

Hunter (6-6, 299, Honolulu) is the second player under Warrior Head Coach June Jones to leave the program as a junior (WR Ashley Lelie left a year early in 2001). The transfer from California started 13 games at left tackle and amassed 31 pancake blocks, second on the team, and allowed four sacks as a in 2002. He graduated from Radford High School in Honolulu in 1999.

Since the draft, two other Warriors have signed free agent contracts with NFL teams including linebacker Chris Brown (Baltimore Ravens) and punter Mat McBriar (Denver Broncos).

NFL Draft Picks Under June Jones

2000
OT, Adrian Klemm (2nd Round, New England Patriots)
LB, Jeff Ulbrich (3rd Round, San Francisco 49ers)
OT, Kaulana Noa (4th Round, St. Louis Rams)

2001
OT, Kynan Forney (7th Round, Atlanta Falcons)

2002
WR, Ashley Lelie (1st Round*, Denver Broncos)

2003
LB, Pisa Tinoisamoa (2nd Round, St. Louis Rams)
OG, Vince Manuwai (3rd Round, Jacksonville Jaguars)
OG, Wayne Hunter (3rd Round, Seattle Seahawks)

* denotes highest draft pick in school history (19th overall)

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