List of Kansas Jayhawks in the NFL draft

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Gale Sayers was drafted 4th overall by the Chicago Bears in the 1965 NFL draft. Gale Sayers.jpg
Gale Sayers was drafted 4th overall by the Chicago Bears in the 1965 NFL draft.

The University of Kansas Jayhawks football team has had 177 players drafted into the National Football League (NFL). [1] [A 1] [A 2] KU has seen nine players taken in the first round, including six top-10 picks: Gale Sayers, John Riggins, Ray Evans, Mike Butler, John Hadl, and David Verser. Sayers, a College and Pro Football Hall of Famer, was the highest pick from KU as the fourth overall pick in the 1965 NFL draft. Nine different Jayhawks have been drafted in the first round, Aqib Talib, who was drafted with the 20th overall selection in the 2008 NFL draft is the most recent Jayhawk to be drafted in the first round.

Contents

Through the annual NFL draft each NFL franchise gets the chance to add new players to their teams. The current draft rules were established in 2009. The team with the worst record the previous year gets to pick first, then the next-worst team picks second, and so on. Teams that were not in the playoffs receive their draft order by their regular-season record. If 2 or more non-playoff teams have the same record the tie breaker used is their strength of schedule. Playoff teams receive their draft order after all the non-playoff teams, based on their round of elimination (wild card, division, conference, and Super Bowl). [3]

In 1944 the All-America Football Conference was established and it began play in 1946 in direct competition with the NFL. From 1946 to 1949 the two leagues fiercely competed for the top college football prospects with each league holding their own drafts, before the AAFC finally merged with the NFL at the end of the 1949 season.

Like the AAFC earlier, the American Football League (AFL) operated in direct competition with the NFL and held a separate draft. This led to a massive bidding war over top prospects between the two leagues. As part of the merger agreement on June 8, 1966, the two leagues would hold a multiple round "common draft". Once the AFL officially merged with the NFL in 1970, the common draft simply became the NFL draft. [2] [4]

Sixteen former Jayhawks who were drafted have been selected to a Pro Bowl or AFL All-Star Game. Twelve former Jayhawks who were drafted have won a championship with their respective teams, one was named MVP, John Riggins in Super Bowl XVII.

Key

B Back K Kicker NT Nose tackle
C Center LB Linebacker DB Defensive back
P Punter HB Halfback DE Defensive end
QB Quarterback WR Wide receiver DT Defensive tackle
RB Running back G Guard E End
T Offensive tackle TE Tight end FB Fullback
*Selected to a Pro Bowl or AFL All-Star Game
†Won an NFL championship
‡Selected to a Pro Bowl or AFL All-Star Game and won an NFL championship
 !College Hall of Famer
±NFL Hall of Famer

Selections

John Riggins was drafted 6th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 1971 NFL draft. JohnRiggins1983TrainingCamp.jpg
John Riggins was drafted 6th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 1971 NFL draft.
Aqib Talib was drafted 20th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2008 NFL draft. Aqib Talib 2014.JPG
Aqib Talib was drafted 20th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2008 NFL draft.
Anthony Collins was drafted 112th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2008 NFL draft. Anthony Collins (American football).JPG
Anthony Collins was drafted 112th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2008 NFL draft.
Darrell Stuckey was drafted 110th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2010 NFL draft. Darrell Stuckey.JPG
Darrell Stuckey was drafted 110th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2010 NFL draft.
Dexter McDonald was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the 2015 NFL draft. Dexter McDonald.JPG
Dexter McDonald was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the 2015 NFL draft.
Moran Norris was selected by the New Orleans Saints as the 115th overall draft pick in the 2001 NFL draft. Moran Norris.jpg
Moran Norris was selected by the New Orleans Saints as the 115th overall draft pick in the 2001 NFL draft.
Year [A 3] [A 4] RoundPickOverallPlayerTeam [A 5] PositionNotes
1938 9676Clarence Douglass Detroit Lions B
1939 181161Dave Shirk Pittsburgh Pirates E
1935175 Ferrell Anderson Brooklyn Dodgers G
1940 14 3123Bill Bunson Philadelphia Eagles B
1942 9272 Hubert Ulrich Cleveland Rams E
167147 Ralph Miller Brooklyn Dodgers B
1944 199 Ray Evans | Chicago Bears B
91187Gene Long Boston Yanks G
261264Warren Hodges Chicago Cardinals T
303310George Dick Detroit Lions E
1945 275276 Don Fambrough Chicago Cardinals B
2711285Bill Chestnut Green Bay Packers B
1947 236211 Otto Schnellbacher * Chicago Cardinals NFLDB
295270Bill Hogan Green Bay Packers NFLB
1948 191166 Don Ettinger New York Giants NFLG
2010185Dick Monroe Chicago Cardinals NFLC
1949 228219Dick Bertuzzi Chicago Bears NFLB
237228 Frank Pattee Washington Redskins NFLB
1950 5 659 Forrest Griffith New York Giants B
212263Bud French New York Bulldogs B
217268 Dick Tomlinson Pittsburgh Steelers G
275344Ed Lee Washington Redskins T
1951 3834 Mike McCormack ౠNew York Yanks T
5252Wade Stinson Green Bay Packers B
293342S. P. Garnett San Francisco 49ers T
1952 2011240Bob Brandenberry Cleveland Browns B
258297Bud Laughlin San Francisco 49ers B
1953 2619Gil Reich Green Bay Packers B
4845 George Mrkonic Philadelphia Eagles G
61273 Ollie Spencer Detroit Lions T
125138Jerry Robertson Pittsburgh Steelers B
1310155 Galen Fiss ‡ Cleveland Browns B
221254Merlin Gish Baltimore Colts C
2610311 Charlie Hoag Cleveland Browns B
1954 5655 Bob Hantla San Francisco 49ers G
148165 Hal Patterson Philadelphia Eagles B
1810215 Morris Kay San Francisco 49ers E
2611312Joe Lundy Cleveland Browns G
1955 218249John Anderson Philadelphia Eagles E
1956 132147Ralph Moody San Francisco 49ers B
268309Bev Butler New York Giants B
1957 119130Bob Kraus Chicago Cardinals G
144161Don Feller Cleveland Browns B
166187Ed Prelock Baltimore Colts T
209238Tom Horner Chicago Cardinals T
226259Chet Vanatta Baltimore Colts T
269310Ted Rohde Chicago Cardinals B
308357Frank Gibson Chicago Cardinals T
1958 126139Ron Clairborne Los Angeles Rams T
1812217Larry Carrier Detroit Lions B
1959 147163John Peppercorn Pittsburgh Steelers E
2611311 Homer Floyd Cleveland Browns B
1960 8 1296 Fred Hageman New York Giants NFLC
102110 Curtis McClinton †‡ Los Angeles Rams NFLRB
1961 146110 Curtis McClinton †‡ Dallas Texans AFLRB
143185 Doyle Schick Washington Redskins NFLB
1962 11010 John Hadl *| Detroit Lions NFLQB
3824 John Hadl *| San Diego Chargers AFLQB
7185 Bert Coan Washington Redskins NFLRB
141105 Bert Coan San Diego Chargers AFLRB
208274Roger McFarland San Francisco 49ers NFLRB
231177Elvin Basham Oakland Raiders AFLG
277215Roger McFarland Houston Oilers AFLRB
1963 7690Marv Clothier Dallas Cowboys NFLG
1965 144 Gale Sayers *|± Chicago Bears NFLRB
155 Gale Sayers *|± Kansas City Chiefs AFLB
83101 Brian Schweda Chicago Bears NFLT
810108Mike Shinn Green Bay Packers NFLE
161121 Brian Schweda Denver Broncos AFLT
191145Ron Oelschlager Denver Broncos AFLRB
1966 11697Willie Ray Smith Kansas City Chiefs AFLDB
147125 Mike Johnson Oakland Raiders AFLDB
157134 Steve Renko Oakland Raiders AFLFB
1967 61134 George Harvey New Orleans Saints G
1725444Jeff Elias Green Bay Packers TE
1968 1020266Ben Olison Dallas Cowboys WR
1969 21541 Bobby Douglass Chicago Bears QB
3860 Vernon Vanoy New York Giants DE
42199 John Zook * Los Angeles Rams DE
513117 Keith Christensen New Orleans Saints T
109243 Donnie Shanklin Philadelphia Eagles RB
143341Billy Hunt Atlanta Falcons DB
1619409Junior Riggins St. Louis Cardinals RB
1970 21844 Jim Bailey Baltimore Colts DT
611141 John Mosier Denver Broncos TE
1013247Jim Hatcher Atlanta Falcons DB
1124284 Emery Hicks Oakland Raiders LB
1712428 Bill Bell Atlanta Falcons K
1971 1 66 John Riggins ౠNew York Jets FB
21541 Stephen Lawson Cincinnati Bengals G
52106 Larry Brown ‡ Pittsburgh Steelers TE
824206 Ron Jessie * Dallas Cowboys WR
1972 516120Bob Childs Los Angeles Rams G
72158 Steve Conley Cincinnati Bengals RB
142340 Karl Salb Buffalo Bills DT
1516380Steve Roach Detroit Lions LB
1517381Kenny Page Los Angeles Rams LB
1973 32476 Roger Bernhardt Pittsburgh Steelers G
4583 Gery Palmer Baltimore Colts T
925233Eddie Sheats Washington Redskins LB
1515379Vince O'Neil Buffalo Bills RB
1974 11515 Don Goode San Diego Chargers LB
22349 Delvin Williams * San Francisco 49ers RB
31163 Mitch Sutton Philadelphia Eagles DT
31466 David Jaynes Kansas City Chiefs QB
1619409Delario Robinson Oakland Raiders WR
1975 21440 Emmett Edwards Houston Oilers WR
425103Bruce Adams Minnesota Vikings WR
525129 Robert Miller Minnesota Vikings RB
613143 Steve Towle Miami Dolphins LB
619149 Mike Lemon New Orleans Saints LB
1976 21543 Kurt Knoff Los Angeles Rams DB
22957 Eddie Lewis San Francisco 49ers DB
31171 Dave Scott Atlanta Falcons G
610166 Steve Taylor Kansas City Chiefs DB
94241Jeff Turner Buffalo Bills LB
1977 199 Mike Butler Green Bay Packers DE
2331 Nolan Cromwell * Los Angeles Rams DB
21341 Terry Beeson Seattle Seahawks LB
41599 Laverne Smith Pittsburgh Steelers RB
57119Skip Sharp Philadelphia Eagles DB
710177Chris Golub Kansas City Chiefs DB
820215 Waddell Smith Kansas City Chiefs WR
1978 32682 Lindsey Mason Oakland Raiders T
516126 Tom Dinkel Cincinnati Bengals LB
520130Norris Banks Philadelphia Eagles RB
1110288 Billy Campfield Philadelphia Eagles RB
1979 32581 Mike Wellman Los Angeles Rams C
1980 2 331 Kirby Criswell Cincinnati Bengals LB
31470 LeRoy Irvin * Los Angeles Rams DB
513123Jim Zidd New York Jets LB
1116293 Mike Hubach New England Patriots P
1981 11010 David Verser Cincinnati Bengals WR
111277Lester Mickens New Orleans Saints WR
1982 717184 Greg Smith Kansas City Chiefs DT
98231 Dan Wagoner Detroit Lions DB
1983 22452 Wayne Capers Pittsburgh Steelers WR
1120299 Bucky Scribner Green Bay Packers P
1984 512124 Paul Fairchild New England Patriots G
716184Bruce Kallmeyer New England Patriots K
719187Renwick Atkins Detroit Lions T
1984s 32076 Frank Seurer Seattle Seahawks QB
32278 Reggie Smith Denver Broncos T
1986 32075 Alvin Walton † Washington Redskins DB
622160Lynn Williams Los Angeles Rams RB
78174 Mike Norseth Cleveland Browns QB
719185 Johnny Holloway Dallas Cowboys WR
1987 1110289 Paul Oswald Pittsburgh Steelers C
1991 10 17267Curtis Moore Houston Oilers LB
1992 512124 Chris Perez Miami Dolphins T
99233Tim Hill Cleveland Browns DB
1993 12626 Dana Stubblefield ‡ San Francisco 49ers DT
32379 Gilbert Brown † Minnesota Vikings DT
1994 425128 Chris Maumalanga New York Giants DT
1995 76214 Gerald McBurrows St. Louis Rams DB
720228 Hessley Hempstead Detroit Lions G
1996 31879 Dorian Brew Miami Dolphins DB
710219 Rod Jones Cincinnati Bengals T
717226 Chris Banks † Denver Broncos G
726235L. T. Levine Denver Broncos RB
1997 33393 Ronnie Ward Miami Dolphins RB
533163 June Henley Kansas City Chiefs RB
632195 Isaac Byrd Kansas City Chiefs WR
1998 750239 Ron Warner † New Orleans Saints LB
2001 4 20115 Moran Norris New Orleans Saints FB
2002 415113 Nate Dwyer Arizona Cardinals DT
615187 Justin Hartwig † Tennessee Titans C
2004 436132 Adrian Jones New York Jets T
2005 53139 David McMillan Cleveland Browns DE
2008 12020 Aqib Talib ‡ Tampa Bay Buccaneers DB
413112 Anthony Collins Cincinnati Bengals T
433132 Derek Fine Buffalo Bills TE
65171 Marcus Henry New York Jets WR
2010 4 12110 Darrell Stuckey * San Diego Chargers DB
534165 Kerry Meier Atlanta Falcons WR
622191 Dezmon Briscoe Cincinnati Bengals WR
2013 523156 Tanner Hawkinson Cincinnati Bengals T
2015 54140 Ben Heeney Oakland Raiders LB
615191 JaCorey Shepherd Philadelphia Eagles DB
725242 Dexter McDonald Oakland Raiders DB
2018 416116 Dorance Armstrong Dallas Cowboys DE
2020 61180 Hakeem Adeniji Cincinnati Bengals T
2022 62181 Kyron Johnson Philadelphia Eagles LB
2024 32286 Dominick Puni San Francisco 49ers G
59144 Austin Booker Chicago Bears DE

Notable undrafted players

Below are players who played at least two seasons in the NFL.

Note: No drafts held before 1936

YearPlayerPositionDebut TeamNotes
1981 Frank Wattelet DB New Orleans Saints
1984 Bobby Johnson WR New York Giants
1984 Elvis Patterson †DB New York Giants
1987 Steve Nave LB Cleveland Browns
1992 Doug Terry S Kansas City Chiefs
1995 Kwamie Lassiter DB Arizona Cardinals
1998 Tony Blevins DB San Francisco 49ers
1999 Dan Dercher T San Francisco 49ers
2006 Charles Gordon DB Minnesota Vikings
2010 Chris Harris Jr. ‡S Denver Broncos
2013 Bradley McDougald S Kansas City Chiefs
2017 Fish Smithson S Washington Redskins
2019 Steven Sims WR Washington Redskins

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The history of the AFL is officially recognized by the NFL and so this list includes the AFL draft (1960–1966) and the common draft (1967–1969). [2]
  2. ↑ The AAFC merged with the NFL at the end of the 1949 season and so this list includes the AAFC draft (1946–1949).
  3. ↑ From 1960 through 1966, teams with a superscript AFL denotes a player drafted in the AFL draft and teams with a superscript NFL denotes a player drafted in the NFL draft.
  4. ↑ From 1946 through 1949, teams with a superscript AAFC denotes a player drafted in the All-America Football Conference and teams with a superscript NFL denotes a player drafted in the NFL draft.
  5. ↑ This is the team that drafted the player, not their most recent team.

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References

  1. ↑ "Kansas Drafted Players/Alumni". Sports Reference LLC. Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Cross, B. Duane (January 22, 2001). "The AFL: A Football Legacy". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 17, 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  3. ↑ Clayton, John (March 26, 2009). "Draft order to change for playoff teams". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Time Changes for 2008 NFL Draft". NFL. April 22, 2008. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
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