April 27, 2013
SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State wide receiver Brice Butler was selected in the seventh round of the National Football League Draft on Saturday afternoon by the Oakland Raiders. Butler, who spent one season with the Aztecs after transferring from USC, was the third pick of the seventh round (No. 209 overall).
Butler was the third SDSU player selected in the NFL Draft, joining tight end Gavin Escobar (second round, No. 47 overall) and cornerback Leon McFadden (third round, No. 68 overall), who were picked by the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns, respectively, on Friday.
San Diego State has now had three or more players selected in the NFL Draft in two consecutive years for the first time since 1997-98. Additionally, the Aztecs have had nine players picked in the draft over the past three years and 27 since 2000.
SDSU's three draft picks were the most in the Mountain West. Nevada had two picks, while Boise State and Fresno State had one player taken apiece.
In his lone season with San Diego State in 2012, Butler played in all 13 games with eight starts, recording 24 catches for 347 yards and four touchdowns. Butler had at least one catch in the final 11 contests, including a season-high four grabs at Nevada (Oct. 20) and vs. UNLV (Oct. 27) in back-to-back games. He had a season-high 66 receiving yards on three catches vs. North Dakota on Sept. 15 with a career-long 44-yard touchdown reception.
In his three years at USC from 2009-11, Butler had 41 receptions for 554 yards and three touchdowns.
Butler became the second Aztec taken by Oakland in as many years as Miles Burris went in the fourth round in last year's draft. He's the 10th SDSU player to be drafted by the Raiders and the fifth since 2002. Butler is the 32nd San Diego State wide receiver picked in the NFL Draft.
In the last three seasons on the field, the Aztecs have gone 26-13, advanced to three consecutive bowl games for the first time in program history and last year claimed their first football conference championship since 1998.
2013 NFL Draft (San Diego State selections) (Saturday only)
Name, Pos. Round Pick Overall TeamBrice Butler, WR 7th 3 209 Oakland Raiders