UB's Malcolm Koonce taken by Las Vegas Raiders in 3rd round of NFL Draft

BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — For the 15th time in program history, a UB football player has been taken in the NFL Draft.

Defensive end Malcolm Koonce, projected to be a day two pick, was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders Friday night as the 79th overall pick.

"I heard myself going anywhere from 2nd to 7th round," Koonce said about where he'd end up. "I saw my name on the raft keep rising up and I started to get excited."

Koonce played four seasons with UB, developing into a key role for the Bulls defense. Over the last two seasons, he finished with 63 tackles, 14 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He was named the Defensive MVP of the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl his junior season.

"I like to pride myself on making QB's jobs as hard as possible," he said. "The discussions I had with the Raiders were about my pass rush skills and getting off the edge, and being a dude that straps up his helmet, goes forward, and bullies anybody in his way."

Koonce is the first UB draft selection since 2017.