The family and friends who watched the NFL draft with Levi Brown became so excited about the possibility of the offensive lineman being selected No. 5 overall by the Arizona Cardinals that when it actually happened, Brown couldn't hear his name called on the television at his Virginia home.

"They started screaming, and my mom started crying before my name was called -- when they started mentioning maybe I would be taken," Brown said at an introductory press conference in Arizona yesterday morning.

Brown, who started 45 games during four Penn State seasons, was among five former Nittany Lions selected during this weekend's draft held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Linebacker Paul Posluszny, who many projected to be a middle to late first-round pick, slipped into the early second round and was selected No. 34 overall by the Buffalo Bills.

Defensive lineman Jay Alford and running back Tony Hunt were taken in the third round. The New York Giants selected Alford with the No. 81 pick, and the Philadelphia Eagles took Hunt No. 90 overall.

Linebacker Tim Shaw was the last Penn State player selected this weekend when Carolina Panthers selected him in the middle of yesterday's fifth round.

The number of Lions selected this year was one less than last April, but last year only one player, defensive end Tamba Hali, was selected on the draft's first day, when rounds one through three are held.

Brown became the first Penn State player taken in the draft's top five since 2000, when Courtney

Brown and LaVar Arrington were selected with the first two overall picks by the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, respectively.

Entering the draft, Brown said he didn't expect to be selected as high as he was. But after the Cleveland Browns took Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas at No. 3, the opportunity for Brown to be selected by Arizona opened up. The Cardinals were looking for offensive line help and sought Brown to fill the need when Thomas was no longer available.

"I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that I like the physical mentality or the physical nature of the way [Brown] plays," Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt said during a press conference Saturday. "It's a good fit for what we are trying to do and what we are trying to establish with this football team."

While Brown went higher than expected, Posluszny was selected slightly later than some thought he would.

Posluszny was the fourth linebacker taken this weekend, but said in a conference call with Bills reporters on Saturday that he was pleased where he ended up.

Posluszny follows the path of Shane Conlan, another former All-America Penn State linebacker. Conlan started his career with the Bills when they made him the eighth overall pick in the 1987 draft. The two also shared jersey No. 31 at Penn State, which Posluszny selected in honor of Conlan.

"It's definitely ironic," Posluszny said of being selected by the Bills. "Especially after all the comparisons at Penn State. Now I go to the team he played for. It's funny it worked out that way, but I like it that way."