Utah’s football program enjoyed quite a run in last week’s NFL draft. A team took a Ute player in the second, third, fourth and fifth round — higher than projected, in the cases of safety Marquise Blair, linebacker Cody Barton, punter Mitch Wishnowsky and kicker Matt Gay.
Then came a gap until late in the seventh round, when offensive tackle Jackson Barton was picked. The mystery was why linebacker Chase Hansen went undrafted, but the explanation came after he signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints.
Hansen’s father, Brian, said Saints linebackers coach Mike Nolan told his son the team considered him a draft risk, due to a back injury that was surgically repaired in January.