Former KU first-rounder Aqib Talib revisits draft night 10 years later

By Matt Tait     Apr 26, 2018

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib smiles at his introductory news conference. Talib, a former Kansas University All-American, met the media Monday in Tampa, Fla.

[It’s been 10 years since a Kansas football player was drafted in the first round][1] of the NFL Draft. And there’s no telling how long it will be until the Jayhawks achieve that feat again.

But while we wait, why not take a quick trip down Memory Lane with the player who, in 2008, was the first pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 20 overall.

Former KU cornerback Aqib Talib, one of the most electric players and personalities in program history, was the Bucs’ selection that year.

And earlier today, which also happens to be the first night of this year’s NFL Draft, Talib jumped on Twitter and revisited the moments before the Bucs made that pick with the following video put together by NFL films.

Although Talib spent just the first four-plus seasons of his 10-year-and-counting NFL career with the franchise that drafted him, the all-pro cornerback who turned 32 in February, has had one heck of a career with the three franchises he has played for to this point.

Traded this offseason to the Los Angeles Rams by Denver, with whom he won a Super Bowl in 2016, Talib is set to begin play with his fourth team. And in doing so he will be reunited with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who coordinated the Broncos’ defense during that Super Bowl run, and former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters, who, in so many ways, has reminded people throughout the league of Talib during the first three years of his career.

Talib enters Year 11 with 34 career interceptions, which includes six pick-sixes during his four seasons in Denver.

Talib’s Jayhawks do figure to get some good news this draft season, [with defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., slated to be selected somewhere in the third-to-fifth rounds.][2] And while the experience for Armstrong might not quite live up to the thrill felt by Talib a decade ago, there’s no doubt that Armstrong’s family, friends, teammates and KU coaches will have a reaction similar to Talib’s in that video when the former KU D-End’s name is called this weekend.

[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/keegan-lunch-break/2018/apr/25/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-abo_/
[2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2018/apr/18/tom-keegan-long-time-scout-projects-driven-dorance/

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.