Former Evergreen High School football standout Senio Kelemete was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL draft this week, going to the Arizona Cardinals as the 151st pick overall.

According to Evergreen Athletic Director Dr. Phil Willenbrock, Kelemete is the first Evergreen graduate to make it to the NFL since the well known Jack Thompson. Thompson was a first-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1979.

Kelemete led Evergreen to a 9-2 record during his senior season in 2007, helping the Wolverines make the state playoffs for the first time since 2001. He was also honored as the Seamount League’s Lineman of the Year on both offense and defense.

"I'm very proud of Senio for accomplishing this, "said Willenbrock, "It just shows you that you don't have go to a private school or a school with a 10-0 record. If you put your mind to the academics, put your mind to the weight room, and put your mind into being a good citizen good things are going to happen."

As a University of Washington Husky, Kelemete started all 13 games at left tackle this past season and was named a team captain for the second straight year. He earned All-Pac-12 honors for the second time in his career and was awarded the Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award at the Valero Alamo Bowl in December.

Another coach, Chris Humphries, who coaches wrestling said, "He stayed with it and kept working with it. He had good work ethics and I never heard a complaint about how much work he had to do. Either in the classroom or on the wrestling mat. That kind of attitude got him where he is today."

Humphries said that Kelemete as a wrestler went to the state tournament but did not place. His athleticism was however, "outstanding for 300 lbs and 6 foot 5 he makes that body move like a 200 pounder. He's got tremendous agility for a big man."

Kelemete, "started out as a basketball player though at that time he was only 280 lbs," said Humprhries