The Oakland Raiders selected UTEP wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr. with the 36th and final pick of the third round of Saturday's NFL Draft. It marks the second year in a row that UTEP has had a player chosen on day one of the draft.

Higgins was the 99th overall selection. The Sweeny, Texas native ended his UTEP career as the school's all-time leader for receiving yards (3,218) and touchdown receptions (32). He is second in school annals in receptions (190) and all-purpose yards (4,745), third in 100-yard receiving games (11) and punt return average (15.0), tied for third in punt return touchdowns (two), seventh in kickoff return yards (1,033) and tied for seventh in punt return yards (451). Higgins is tied for 20th on the all-time NCAA list with 32 touchdown catches.

The 6-0, 180-pound Higgins ranked second nationally in receiving as a senior in 2006, averaging 109.9 yards per game. He was also third in the country in all-purpose yardage (156.1 ypg) and tied for sixth in receptions (6.8 per game). He was named to the AFCA and Associated Press All-America Teams. He was also appointed the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year and first team all-league. Higgins led Conference USA in all-purpose yards, receiving yards and punt return average. His punt return average set a new league record.

He will join former Miner teammate Thomas Howard in Oakland. Howard was a second round pick by the Raiders a year ago.

It marks the fourth year in a row that a UTEP player has been picked in the NFL Draft. Trey Darilek was chosen by Philadelphia in 2004, Adrian Ward by Minnesota in 2005 and Howard by Oakland in 2006.

The last time UTEP had a player chosen in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft in back-to-back years was 1968-69. In 1968, four Miners (Fred Carr, George Daney, Billy Stevens, Bob Wallace) went in the first three rounds. In 1969, three Miners (Grady Cavness, Eugene Epps, Volley Murphy) were taken in the second round.