List of Memphis Tigers in the NFL draft

Last updated

This is a list of Memphis Tigers football players in the NFL draft.

Contents

Key

BBackK Kicker NT Nose tackle
C Center LB Linebacker FB Fullback
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

Selections

As of 2025, the Memphis football program has produced 139 NFL & AFL Draft picks. In 2020, Isaac Bruce became the first Memphis player inducted in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Pro Football Hall of Fame currently ranks former Tiger Stephen Gostkowski as the sixth-best kicker in NFL history. [1] Other notable former Memphis players include Andy Nelson, Dick Hudson, Harry Schuh, Tim Harris, DeAngelo Williams, and Dontari Poe.

Since 2019, the Memphis program has become known for producing a number of successful NFL running backs, including four drafted from 2019 to 2021 and two more signed as free agents in 2020 and 2024. In September 2021, sportscaster Dan Patrick dubbed Memphis the new "Running Back U". [2] Of the five NFL running backs Memphis produced in this period, four played as starters: Darrell Henderson for Los Angeles, Antonio Gibson for Washington, Kenneth Gainwell for Philadelphia, and Tony Pollard for Dallas and Tennessee. Pollard was selected to the 2022 Pro Bowl in his fourth season.

currently active players are inbold

YearRoundPickOverallPlayerTeamPositionProfessional achievements
19511610193 Bill Robertson Los Angeles Rams E
1953224257 Wayne Wood Chicago Bears T
1954247284 Will Renfro Washington Redskins E
19562210263 Joe Billings Chicago Bears T
1957115126 Andy Nelson Baltimore Colts QB Pro Bowl (1960), First Team All-Pro (1959), Second Team All-Pro (1958), 2× NFL Champion (1958, 1959)
1411168 Bob Schmidt Chicago Bears B
1958253292 Hal Divine Philadelphia Eagles T
264305 Bob Lyles Chicago Bears B
19613836 James Earl Wright Philadelphia Eagles QB
142106 James Earl Wright Boston Patriots QB
1210164 Donald Coffey San Francisco 49ers E
257199 Donald Coffey San Diego Chargers E
19622816 Dick Hudson San Diego Chargers T AFL All-Star (1965), 2× AFL Champion (1964, 1964), Bills All-1960s Team
158120 Fred Moore San Diego Chargers DT
1013135 Fred Moore Baltimore Colts T
188144 Dennis Biodrowski San Diego Chargers GAFL Champion (1966)
1611221 Dennis Biodrowski Cleveland Browns G
19634143 John Griffin Los Angeles Rams B
8561 John Griffin Denver Broncos B
274212 Dick Quast Buffalo Bills G
165215 Dick Quast Baltimore Colts G
1612222 Charlie Killett New York Giants B
294228 Charlie Killett Buffalo Bills B
19645965 Charley Brooks St. Louis Cardinals E
143107 Charley Brooks New York Jets E
183139 Bill Scott New York Jets G
136174 Russ Vollmer Minnesota Vikings B
235181 John Evans Buffalo Bills T
179233 John Evans St. Louis Cardinals T
1965133 Harry Schuh Oakland Raiders DT Pro Bowl (1970), 2× AFL All-Star (1967, 1969), All-AFL (1969), AFL Champion (1967), Raiders All-Time Team
51365 Doug Woodlief Los Angeles Rams E
1113153 Olie Cordill Cleveland Browns B
19665841 Bob Sherlag Buffalo Bills WR
6484 Bob Sherlag Philadelphia Eagles WR
124104 Harry Day Houston Oilers DE
154219 Harry Day Philadelphia Eagles T
1713258 Dave Hathcock Green Bay Packers DB Super Bowl champion (I), NFL champion (1966)
1968526137 Francis Winkler Green Bay Packers DE
721168 Dale Brady Cleveland Browns RB
1116289 Rich Coady Chicago Bears TE
145359 Herb Covington New Orleans Saints RB
147361 Chuck DeVeliegher Buffalo Bills DT
1519400 Bob Baxter Cleveland Browns WR
19691716432 Joe Rushing San Francisco 49ers LB
1970517121 Danny Pierce Washington Redskins RB
519123 Bob Parker Detroit Lions G
99217 Preston Riley San Francisco 49ers WR
106240 Steve Jaggard Philadelphia Eagles DB
1619409 Jerry Todd Detroit Lions DB
19711215301 James Hayden Cincinnati Bengals DE
1421359 David Vaughn Miami Dolphins TE
1724440 John Bomer Dallas Cowboys C
1972525129 Charlie Babb Miami Dolphins DB
717173 Ray Jamieson Oakland Raiders RB
1316328 John Kirschner Detroit Lions TE
1973118268 Jay Douglas San Diego Chargers C
133315 Stan Davis Philadelphia Eagles WR
197431062 Cliff Taylor Chicago Bears RB
1975916224 Everett Taylor New York Jets DB
1721437 Carl Taylor Washington Redskins DE
19761510413 Jerry Dandridge Green Bay Packers LB
1618449 Mike Fuhrman Baltimore Colts TE
197712424 Bob Rush San Diego Chargers C
32480 Terdell Middleton St. Louis Cardinals RB Pro Bowl (1978)
420104 Eric Harris Kansas City Chiefs DB
423107 Earl Jones Los Angeles Rams DE
64143 Bob Jordan New York Giants T
1978199 Keith Simpson Seattle Seahawks DB
2836 Keith Butler Seattle Seahawks LBSuper Bowl champion (XL, XLIII)
512122 Keith Wright Cleveland Browns WR
19792836 Earnest Gray New York Giants WR
22654 Eddie Hill Los Angeles Rams RB
712177 Judson Flint New England Patriots DB
1980125310 James Stewart Green Bay Packers DB
19811222326 Keith Clark Buffalo Bills LB
198322856 Richard Williams Washington Redskins RB
198412424 Derrick Crawford San Francisco 49ers WR
198511414 Derrick Burroughs Buffalo Bills DB
31066 Tim Long Minnesota Vikings T
31167 Donnie Elder New York Jets DB
619159 Jack Oliver New York Giants G
1028280 James Bowers Seattle Seahawks DB
118288 Punkin Williams Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB
198631570 Jeff Walker San Diego Chargers T
4284 Tim Harris Green Bay Packers LB Pro Bowl (1989), 2× First-Team All-Pro (1988, 1989), Super Bowl champion (XXIX)
614152 Gary Hunt Cincinnati Bengals DB
84198 Trell Hooper Indianapolis Colts DB
19873460 David Brandon Buffalo Bills LB
1988712177 Tim Borcky Buffalo Bills T
912233 Scott Dill Phoenix Cardinals T
1989717184 Mike Nettles Seattle Seahawks DB
1024275 Greg Ross Miami Dolphins DT
122309 James Cribbs Detroit Lions DE
1221328 Marlon Brown Cleveland Browns LB
1990523132 Charles Wilson Green Bay Packers WR
82195 Tory Epps Atlanta Falcons DT
1991515126 Reggie Jones New Orleans Saints DB
524135 Jeff Fite Green Bay Packers P
65144 Eduardo Vega Phoenix Cardinals T
1993427111 Russell Copeland Buffalo Bills WR
810206 Jeff Buffaloe Los Angeles Rams P
19942433 Isaac Bruce Los Angeles Rams WRPro Bowl (1996, 1999–2001), Second-Team All-Pro (1999), Super Bowl champion (XXXIV), NFL Receiving Yards Leader (1996), Pro Football Hall of Fame
523154 Tony Semple Detroit Lions G
75199 Steve Matthews Kansas City Chiefs QB
1995411109 Ken Irvin Buffalo Bills DB
199612828 Jerome Woods Kansas City Chiefs DB Pro Bowl (2003)
1997521151 Tony Williams Minnesota Vikings DT
637200 Richard Hogans Chicago Bears LB
732233 Marvin Thomas Chicago Bears DE
199932687 Mike McKenzie Green Bay Packers DB Super Bowl champion (XLIV)
20012637 Idrees Bashir Indianapolis Colts DB
22354 Michael Stone Arizona Cardinals DB
428123 Marcus Bell Arizona Cardinals DT
200331478 Wade Smith Miami Dolphins T Pro Bowl (2012)
746260 Travis Anglin Detroit Lions WR
2004711212 Eric Taylor Pittsburgh Steelers DT
200612727 DeAngelo Williams Carolina Panthers RB Pro Bowl (2009), Second-Team All-Pro (2008), 2× NFL Rushing Touchdowns leader (2008, 2015)
421118 Stephen Gostkowski New England Patriots KPro Bowl (2008, 2013–2015), 2× First-Team All-Pro (2008, 2015), NFL Record 479 Consecutive Extra Points made, 3× Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII)
200753140 Brandon McDonald Cleveland Browns CB
2009740249 Clinton McDonald Cincinnati Bengals DE Super Bowl champion (XLVIII)
201211111 Dontari Poe Kansas City Chiefs DTPro Bowl (2013, 2014), Second-Team All-Pro (2013)
2014741256 Lonnie Ballentine Houston Texans DB
201559145 Bobby McCain Miami Dolphins CB
710227 Martin Ifedi St. Louis Rams DE
201612626 Paxton Lynch Denver Broncos QB
201759153 Jake Elliott Cincinnati Bengals KPro Bowl (2021), Super Bowl champion (LII)
201821951 Anthony Miller Chicago Bears WR
513150 Genard Avery Cleveland Browns LB
20193670 Darrell Henderson Los Angeles Rams RB Super Bowl champion (LVI)
426128 Tony Pollard Dallas Cowboys RB Pro Bowl (2022)
20203266 Antonio Gibson Washington Redskins RB
79223 Chris Claybrooks Jacksonville Jaguars DB
716230 Dustin Woodard New England Patriots C
202156150 Kenneth Gainwell Philadelphia Eagles RB
202232690 Dylan Parham Las Vegas Raiders OG
433138 Calvin Austin Pittsburgh Steelers WR
2025741257 Kobee Minor New England Patriots DB

[3]

Undrafted Free Agents

Draft YearPlayerFirst TeamPositionProfessional achievements
1960Dave Strickland Denver Broncos G
1965 John Bramlett Denver Broncos LBAFL All-Star
1966Billy Fletcher Denver Broncos DB
1978James Thompson New York Giants WR
William Cesare Tampa Bay Buccaneers DB
1980 Ken Dunek Philadelphia Eagles TE
1982 Rick Ackerman San Diego Chargers DT
1984 Darrell Nelson Pittsburgh Steelers TE
Stan Adams Los Angeles Raiders LB
1985 Derrick Burroughs Buffalo Bills DB
1986 Eric Fairs Houston Oilers LB
1987 Jeff Womack Minnesota Vikings RB
Edwin Lovelady New York Giants WR
Enis Jackson Cleveland Browns DB
David Brandon San Diego Chargers LB
Don Bramlett Minnesota Vikings DT
Dennis Borcky New York Giants NT
1991 Glenn Rogers Tampa Bay Buccaneers DB
1995 James Logan Cincinnati Benglas LB
1996 Marcus Holliday St. Louis Rams RB
1999 Mac Cody Indianapolis Colts WR
2000 Darrius Blevins St. Louis Rams WR Super Bowl champion (XXXIV)
Reggie Howard Oakland Raiders DB
2003 Artis Hicks Philadelphia Eagles G/T
Dante Brown Pittsburgh Steelers RB
2004 Tony Brown Carolina Panthers DE
2007 Robert Douglas Tennessee Titans RB
2010 Duke Calhoun New York Giants WR
2011 Kellen Heard Oakland Raiders DT
2012 Ronald Leary Dallas Cowboys G
2013 Robert Steeples St. Louis Rams CB
2014 Akeem Davis Washington Redskins S
Marcus Ball New Orleans Saints S
Jordan Devey Baltimore Ravens T Super Bowl champion (XLIX)
2016 Alan Cross Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE
Wynton McManis San Francisco 49ers LB
2017 Mose Frazier Denver Broncos WR
Arthur Maulet New Orleans Saints CB
2019 Tevin Jones Houston Texans WR
2020 Bryce Huff New York Jets LB
Patrick Taylor Green Bay Packers RB
2021 Riley Patterson Detroit Lions K
Damonte Coxie Green Bay Packers WR2× CFL Grey Cup champion (2022, 2024)
2022 J.J. Russell Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB
Cobi Francis Houston Texans CB
2023 Quindell Johnson Los Angeles Rams S
2024 Joseph Scates Jacksonville Jaguars WR
Blake Watson Denver Broncos RB
2025 Seth Henigan Jacksonville Jaguars QB
Chandler Martin Baltimore Ravens WR
Roc Taylor Pittsburgh Steelers WR

References

  1. "Top 10 Kickers | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  2. "Dan Patrick named Memphis football the new "Running Back U"". Saturday Blitz. September 25, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  3. DraftHistory.com