MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Three West Virginia University football players were taken in today’s NFL draft.

Running back Steve Slaton was the 89th overall pick in the third round by the Houston Texans. Fullback Owen Schmitt was taken in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks (163rd overall) and safety Ryan Mundy was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round (194th overall).

Slaton is going to a Texans team that has a pair of 30-year-old running backs in Ahman Green and Ron Dayne, as well as 27-year-old Chris Brown. Houston’s offensive line coach is Alex Gibbs, whose zone blocking principles were copied at West Virginia by former offensive line coach Rick Trickett.

Schmitt goes to a Seattle team that drafted another Schmitt in San Diego State long snapper Tyler Schmitt. One of the college scouts for Seattle is former Mountaineer standout cornerback Charles Fischer.

Ryan Mundy was the final player drafted by the Steelers. Mundy is a Woodland Hills native and will be playing for his hometown team.

A pair of WVU underclassmen, defensive end Johnny Dingle and wide receiver Darius Reynaud, slipped through the draft.

The three players taken this year were the most since 2005 when Pacman Jones, Chris Henry and Rasheed Marshall were drafted. Since 2003, West Virginia has had 10 players selected.

Among West Virginia players not drafted, strong safety Eric Wicks signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks, according to a report in this evening’s Seattle Times.