Indiana tight end Ian Thomas and linebacker Chris Covington were selected on the final day of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Thomas kicked off day three as the first pick of the fourth round (101st overall) by the Carolina Panthers, while the Dallas Cowboys selected Covington with the 19th pick of the sixth round (193rd overall).
Thomas is the highest drafted tight end in program history, the first IU tight end to be drafted since Ted Bolser in 2014 (Washington, round 7), and the first Hoosier ever taken by Carolina.
The Baltimore native finished second among Big Ten tight ends with 15.0 yards per reception (4th nationally, 11th overall in the Big Ten), tied for third with five receiving touchdowns (T-12th nationally), and was fourth in receiving yardage (37.6) and catches per game (2.5) in 2017. His TDs rank second and yardage seventh on Indiana’s single-season tight ends lists.
Covington is the first IU linebacker drafted since Van Waiters in 1988 (Cleveland, round 3). He became the fifth Hoosier to hear his name called by the Cowboys and the first since defensive back Mike Middleton in 1993 (round 3).
The Chicago native finished 2017 with 85 tackles (3rd on the team, T-17th in the Big Ten), 50 solo (3rd, 16th), 12 for loss (2nd, T-13th), three sacks (22 yards), one fumble recovery, five pass breakups (T-3rd) and five quarterback hurries (2nd). Covington led the team in stops twice and recorded seven-plus on six occasions.
He started 13 times at linebacker and played in 38 overall games at linebacker (33) and quarterback (5).
Indiana has had nine standouts drafted since 2014.
