April 16, 2000

Maryland junior Lewis Sanders was chosen Sunday as the 95th pick overall in the 2000 NFL draft, chosen with the first pick the fourth round by the Cleveland Browns. Taken with the first pick of day two in the draft, Sanders joins former Terp Kendall Ogle who was drafted last year as a sixth-round choice of the Browns.

Meanwhile, defensive tackle Delbert Cowsette was chosen in the seventh round by the Washington Redskins, who selected him as the 216th choice overall. Cowsette will be reunited with Redskins assistant coach Rubin Carter, who was his position coach his first two seasons as a Terrapin.

At the close of the two-day draft, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper, Jr., listed Maryland running back LaMont Jordan as the No. 3-rated senior available for the 2001 draft.

Sanders, who declared for the NFL draft after a 1999 season in which he led the nation in takeaways (6 inteceptions, 3 fumble recoveries), was one of the country's most heralded cornerbacks during his junior season. He was among national leaders in kickoff returns and interceptions throughout his junior season.

Sanders was ranked at midseason by ESPN.com as a top-five candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award honoring the nation's best defensive back.

37 Lewis Sanders CB
Staten Island, N.Y. (St. Peter's Prep)
6-1, 200, R-Senior, 3V
Criminology and Criminal Justice

MARYLAND: Would-be candidate for the 2000 Thorpe Award were he to have returned for his senior season... versatile multi-purpose performer who keyed Terps' secondary improvements and was once listed as high as No. 5 among 1999 Thorpe Award candidates by ESPN.com... one of the nation's top cover men and return specialists... sparked the Terps to a No. 2 national ranking in kickoff returns and No. 11 post in turnover margin in his first season back from injury... nationally-ranked all of his junior campaign in interceptions and kickoff returns, recording nine total takeaways to lead the country... excellent size, speed and physical tools at the corner position... has become a student of the game, dedicating numerous hours to film study ... moved to cornerback in 1999 after missing the 1998 season and a post at free safety as a sophomore... can still play safety in nickel situations... sat out the 1998 fall season while recuperating from surgery to repair nerve damage in his shoulder suffered in final game of 1997 season ... returned for his redshirt junior campaign as a significant addition to a young and improved secondary... has made 21 career starts... on pace to threaten Maryland career marks for interceptions and kickoff returns... tied for seventh among Maryland career theft leaders with 10... enters his senior campaign seven interceptions shy of the Terrapins' career mark (17 by Tom Brown, 1960-62)... sixth among Terp career kickoff return leaders with 956 yards (24.5) on 39 returns... 564 yards shy of Maryland's career record (1,520 by Keeta Covington, 1983-86) for kickoff return yards... shares Maryland career mark with two kickoff returns for touchdown. 1999: Third-team All-American by The Sporting News and an honorable mention All-America pick by Football News... ranked among the NCAA leaders in kickoff return average and interceptions for most of the season, finishing 10th nationally in picks (0.55) and 12th nationally in kickoff return average (26.78)... finished the season tied for the national lead in takeaways (6 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries)... led the NCAA for several weeks in interceptions, kickoff returns and takeaways... led the ACC in interceptions and was fourth in pass breakups (13)... posted exactly one interception in each of the Terps' first five games, and had six in his first seven games... returned 18 kickoffs for 482 yards and a 26.8-yard average... average was second-best in Maryland history, total yards were ninth... helped Maryland to No. 2 NCAA ranking in kickoff returns as a team (26.4)... scored a pair of touchdowns, one on a 98-yard kickoff return against Western Carolina and the other just a week later on a 28-yard fumble return against West Virginia... ended Heisman Trophy candidate Joe Hamilton's streak of 94 passes without an interception to begin the season... developed a penchant for big play deflections and interceptions... batted down a third-down pass at the goal line at NC State to force the Wolfpack into a field goal... stopped a potential go-ahead touchdown by Wake Forest with an interception at the 3-yard line... batted down a pass inside the 20-yard line on a fake punt against West Virginia... voted ACC special teams player of the week after returning two kickoffs for 120 yards and a TD against Western Carolina... ACC defensive player of the week a week later after a key deflection, an interception and the fumble recovery for TD against the Mountaineers... first player in five years to earn ACC weekly honors for special teams and offense/defense. 1998: Redshirted due to shoulder injury suffered in final game of 1997 at Georgia Tech. 1997: Appeared in 10 games (all starts) as the Terps' No. 1 free safety ... totaled 74 tackles to rank third on the squad ... had 54 solo stops ... his four interceptions tied for third in the ACC ... had three interceptions (all in the first half) in a non-conference win over Temple ... finished fifth in the ACC in kickoff return average (24.2) ... returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown vs. North Carolina ... responsible for seven takeaways (four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one fumble caused) ... had 10 or more tackles three times, including a career-high 12 vs. Clemson ... also had 10 each vs. West Virginia and North Carolina State. 1996: Played in all 11 games as a true freshman, seeing action in the defensive secondary and on special teams ... totaled six tackles.

HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from St. Peter's Prep in 1996 ... earned BlueChip Illustrated All-America honors and was selected All-East by Tom Lemming and the National Recruiting Advisor ... was an all-star selection by the New York Daily News and Long Island Newsday ... was an all-league choice as a junior and senior ... rushed for 800 yards and scored 10 touchdowns as a senior ... high school coach was Bill Sullivan.

PERSONAL: Lewis Lindell Sanders... born June 22, 1978 ... son of Vanessa and Lewis Sanders ... majoring in criminology and criminal justice.

Sanders' Career Statistics at Maryland

Defense   G-GS   UT   AT     TT     TFL   Sacks    Int
1996     11-0     4    2    6/0.5   1-0   1.0-4    0-0
1997     10-10   54   20   74/7.4   4-19  1.0-12   4-99
1998     injured
1999     11-11   43   13   56/5.1   0-0   0.0-0    6-37
Totals   32-21  101   35  135/4.3   5-19  2.0-16  10-136





Kickoff Returns   G-GS   Ret   Yds   Avg   TD   LP
1996             11-0     2     14    7.0   0   14
1997             10-10   19    460   24.2   1   90
1998   injured
1999             11-11   18    482   26.8   1   98
Totals           32-21   39    956   24.5   2   98

91 Delbert Cowsette DT
Cleveland, Ohio (Central Catholic)
6-1, 274, Senior, 3V
Geography/Art Studio

MARYLAND: Four-year letterwinner... first-team All-ACC as a senior... ended his Maryland career with 33 consecutive starts at nose tackle... honorable mention All-ACC in 1998, and one of the league's top seniors in 1999... Terps' defensive MVP as a senior and an NFL prospect... played in every game of his college career... one of the Terps' most experienced defensive linemen, appearing in all 33 games (25 starts) during his first three seasons, and 44 overall ... named the Terps' lineman of the year as a junior... totaled 280 career tackles... has great range and the ability to make plays outside of his area ... a former standout wrestler who has a great understanding of leverage. 1999: 11-game starter and defensive MVP... first-team All-ACC... senior co-captain and mainstay of Terps' defensive line... tied for team lead with six sacks (-39 yards)... second on team with 11 TFL (-54 yards)... fifth on team in tackles (81)... three sacks and eight tackles vs. North Carolina... 14 tackles at NC State... 10 stops including eight solos vs. Clemson. 1998: Instrumental in Maryland's improved play on the defensive front which produced a significant drop in opponents' rushing yards... Terps' total defense was the 12th-most improved in the country in '98... Maryland's third-leading tackler behind senior linebackers Eric Barton and Kendall Ogle... posted 96 tackles in his junior campaign including 62 solos and six TFL... had three sacks, caused a fumble and recorded one pass breakup... registered back-to-back career tackling highs with 15 stops against Duke and NC State to end his junior year... had 13 solos against the Wolfpack in Maryland's final home game... had 13 tackles vs. Florida State... Tatum Award winner as Maryland's lineman of the year. 1997: Started all 11 games at defensive tackle and was the Terps' fifth-leading tackler (63 stops) as a sophomore ... led the team in tackles for losses (10) in addition to recording a pair of sacks ... of his 63 tackles, 49 were solo efforts ... had five or more tackles in nine of 11 games, including a season-high nine stops vs. Clemson and eight vs. Wake Forest ... both of his sacks came in a seven-tackle outing vs. Virginia. 1996: Appeared in all 11 games, making starts vs. Northern Illinois, West Virginia and NC State ... recovered a fumble and ran it back 54 yards for a touchdown vs. NIU ... had a season-high nine tackles vs. NC State ... finished the season with 40 tackles (including two sacks).

HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1995 ... named all-state and All-Midwest ... totaled 52 tackles, eight sacks and five caused fumbles as a senior ... four-year letterman in wrestling who won a state heavyweight title ... high school coach was Joe Gresock.

PERSONAL: Delbert Ray Cowsette... born Sept. 3, 1977 ... son of Sable Chandler ... majoring in geography... Maryland scholar-athlete in spring 1998...member of Maryland's student-athlete advisory council.

Cowsette's Career Statistics at Maryland

Defense   G-GS   UT   AT     TT     TFL    Sacks    Int
1996     11-3    17   23   40/3.6   4-2    2.0-15   0-0
1997     11-11   49   14   63/5.7  10-37   2.0-12   0-0
1998     11-11   62   34   96/8.7   6-12   3.0-17   0-0
1999     11-11   62   19   81/7.4  11-54   6.0-39   0-0
Totals   44-36   190  90  280/6.4  31-105 13.0-83   0-0