NEW YORK - Two BIG EAST Conference football players were chosen in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft Saturday, with Pittsburgh offensive tackle Jeff Otah and USF cornerback Mike Jenkins earning early selections.

Nineteen BIG EAST players were chosen in this year's draft, marking the conference's highest total since 28 players went in the 2004 draft.

Otah was taken with the 19th overall selection by the Carolina Panthers, while Jenkins went six spots later to the Dallas Cowboys, who had the 25th selection.

Otah and Jenkins were both All-BIG EAST First Team selections in 2007.

BIG EAST players went back-to-back in the second round when Rutgers All-America running back Ray Rice was taken by the Baltimore Ravens with the 55th overall pick. Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm went next when he was chosen by the Green Bay Packers with the 56th overall selection.

The third round again saw back-to-back BIG EAST selections as Rutgers guard Jeremy Zuttah was chosen by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers one spot ahead of Louisville receiver Harry Dougals, who was tabbed by the Atlanta Falcons. West Virginia running back Steve Slaton went to Houston with the 89th pick.

Connecticut cornerback Tyvon Branch was chosen by the Oakland Raiders with the first pick of the fourth round (100th overall). Pittsburgh offensive guard Mike McGlynn became the second Panther lineman to be chosen when he went to the Philadelphia Eagles with the 109th overall selection.

Two Louisville players were taken in the fifth round as tight end Gary Barnidge went to Carolina with the 141st overall pick and offensive tackle Breno Giacomini went to Green Bay with the 150th selection. USF cornerback Trae Williams didn't stray too far from his campus as he was taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 159th pick. West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt went later in the fifth round as he was taken by Seattle with the 163rd pick.

The sixth round produced back-to-back BIG EAST selections in West Virginia safety Ryan Mundy (194th, Pittsburgh) and Connecticut guard Donald Thomas (195th, Miami). Cincinnati safety Haruki Nakamura went to Baltimore in the sixth round as well (206th overall)

The seventh round saw three BIG EAST players selected. Cincinnati linebacker Angelo Craig won't have far to go as he was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 244th pick. Louisville wide receiver Mario Urrutia went two picks later, also to the Bengals, while Pittsburgh cornerback Kennard Cox was tabbed by the Buffalo Bills.