ASHBURN, VA – The
Washington Redskins selected guard Josh LeRibeus (luh-REE-bus) in the
third round (No. 71 overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. The Redskins
acquired the 71st and 217th selections from the Buffalo
Bills in exchange for the 69th overall choice.
LeRibeus (6-2, 311) played
in 36 games with 28 starts in three seasons at Southern Methodist, where
he blocked for 2011 Conference USA leading rusher Zach Line (1,224
rushing yards).
Last season, LeRibeus, 22,
started all 13 games at left guard. He was a member of a Mustangs
offense that averaged 274.8 passing yards per game (third in C-USA).
As a sophomore in 2009, LeRibeus started all 13 games at left guard
and was named an honorable mention All-C-USA selection by the league's
coaches. He blocked for an offense that set single-season school records
in total offense (5,093), passing yards (3,666)
and points (380). He helped lead the Mustangs to their first bowl
appearance since 1984, defeating Nevada, 45-10, in the 2009 Hawaii Bowl.
In 2008, following a redshirt year, LeRibeus played in 10 games with
two starts, blocking for an offense that passed for a
school-record-tying 29 touchdowns.
LeRibeus was born on July 2, 1989 and attended Berkner H.S. in Richardson, Texas, where he was named an All-Area selection by
The Dallas Morning News.
NOTES ON THE SELECTION OF JOSH LERIBEUS
· LeRibeus
is the fourth pick selected all-time by the Redskins at No.71 overall,
joining end Art Porter (1945), guard Gene Pepper (1950) and linebacker
Rick Hamilton
(1993).
·LeRibeus is the 417th selection made by the Redskins in the Common Draft era (since 1967) and the 19th third-round selection in that time
frame. He is the 58th third-round selection by the Redskins all-time since the institution of the draft in 1936.
·
LeRibeus'
selection is the highest the team has selected a guard since selecting
Tré Johnson with the No. 31 overall pick in 1994. Before Johnson's
selection,
the last time the Redskins had taken a guard that high was in 1981,
when the Redskins drafted future Pro Football Hall of Famer Russ Grimm
with the No. 69 overall pick.
·
Including
the Redskins' selection of QB Robert Griffin III with the No. 2 overall
pick, 2012 marks the first time the Redskins have selected a
quarterback and
an offensive lineman with the first two picks since selecting QB Heath
Shuler and Johnson with the team's first two selections of the 1994 NFL
Draft.
·
LeRibeus
is the sixth SMU product to be drafted by the Redskins. The following
is a list of SMU players selected by the Redskins in team history:
DRAFT ROUND OVERALL PLAYER
1945 21 216 T Sid Halliday
1945 23 236 E Gabby Martin
1952 4 43 C Dick Hightower
1952 27 319 E Ben White
2011 6 178 WR Aldrick Robinson
2012 3 71 G Josh LeRibeus
·
Including
receiver Aldrick Robinson's selection in 2011, LeRibeus' selection
marks the first time the Redskins have drafted SMU products in
consecutive years.
However, the Redskins have picked two SMU players and a single draft on
two occasions (1945 and 1952).
·
LeRibeus is the second SMU player drafted by a team coached by Mike Shanahan, joining Robinson (2011).
·
LeRibeus
is the highest-drafted SMU player by any NFL team since the Chicago
Bears selected WR Ron Morris with the No. 54 overall pick of the 1987
draft.
·
LeRibeus
is the fifth Conference USA player selected by a Shanahan-coached team,
joining WR Chad Plummer (1999 NFL Draft, University of Cincinnati), WR
Adrian
Madise (2003, TCU), WR Brandon Marshall (2006, Central Florida) and
Robinson.
