Markus Wheaton Selected by Pittsburgh Steelers in the 3rd Round
April 26, 2013
Former Oregon State wide receiver Markus Wheaton has been selected with the 17th pick in the 3rd round (79th overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday in the 2013 National Football League Draft.
A native of Chandler, Ariz., Wheaton leaves Oregon State as one of the most prolific receivers in school history. A four-year letterman and three-year starter, Wheaton set the OSU record for career receptions with 227 in 2012 including a school-record 12 first half receptions against Nicholls State in December. A first team All-Pac-12 selection and a third team All-American by CBSSports.com, Wheaton finished his career third on OSU's all-time receiving yards list with 2,994 and his 91 receptions as a senior matches the single season record at Oregon State.
Wheaton is the first wide receiver to be taken in the NFL Draft since Sammie Stroughter was taken in the seventh round of the 2009 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Wheaton's selection marks the 13th consecutive year that an Oregon State alum has been taken in the NFL Draft. Since 2001 Oregon State, Oregon, USC, Cal and ASU are the only Pac-12 teams with at least one NFL Draft selection. It is the first selection of a former Beaver by Pittsburgh since Keenan Lewis went to the Steelers in the third round of the 2009 draft.
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