List of UConn Huskies in the NFL draft

Last updated

Donald Brown was the first player in UConn Huskies football history to be drafted in the first round. Donald Brown.JPG
Donald Brown was the first player in UConn Huskies football history to be drafted in the first round.

The University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies football team has had 43 players selected in the National Football League (NFL) Draft. [Note 1] Two of those selections were in the first round of the draft, both with the 27th overall pick: running back Donald Brown in 2009 and cornerback Byron Jones in 2015. [1] [4] [ General ] A Connecticut football alumnus had been selected in every NFL draft from 2007 to 2015 and in fourteen of the last eighteen NFL drafts.

Contents

Each NFL franchise seeks to add new players through the annual NFL draft. The draft rules were last updated in 2009. The team with the worst record the previous year picks first, the next-worst team second, and so on. Teams that did not make the playoffs are ordered by their regular-season record with any remaining ties broken by strength of schedule. Playoff participants are sequenced after non-playoff teams, based on their round of elimination (wild card, division, conference, and Super Bowl). [5]

Before the merger agreements in 1966, the American Football League (AFL) operated in direct competition with the NFL and held a separate draft. This led to a 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] [3]

The first Connecticut player to be taken in the NFL draft was Walt Trojanowski in the sixth round of the 1946 NFL draft. From 1946–1994, the Huskies had fourteen players drafted into the NFL over the span of forty-eight years. The rate at which UConn alumni were selected would significantly increase following the Huskies' upgrade from Division I-AA to Division I-A in 2000. [6] [Note 2] Beginning in 2005 and continuing through 2015, Connecticut has had twenty-five players picked over eleven NFL drafts. In 2009 four UConn alumni were taken in the first two rounds of the draft. The most Connecticut players to be selected in a single NFL draft was five in 2013, including three in the third round, one in the fourth round, and one in the sixth round.

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

Will Beatty was the first UConn draftee to play for a Super Bowl-winning team: the 2011 New York Giants. Will Beatty Training Camp 2009.jpg
Will Beatty was the first UConn draftee to play for a Super Bowl-winning team: the 2011 New York Giants.
Quarterback Dan Orlovsky was drafted in the 5th round in the 2005 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions. Dan Orlovsky.JPG
Quarterback Dan Orlovsky was drafted in the 5th round in the 2005 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions.
Darius Butler was the first UConn alumnus to be selected in the second round of the NFL draft, in 2009. Darius butler patriots 09camp.jpg
Darius Butler was the first UConn alumnus to be selected in the second round of the NFL draft, in 2009.

American Football League

YearRoundPickOverallPlayerTeam [Note 5] PositionNotesReferences
1963 4327 John Contoulis New York Jets T– [12] [13]

National Football League

YearRoundPickOverallPlayerTeamPositionNotesReferences
1946 6949Walt Trojanowski Washington Redskins B––
9474 Walt Dropo Chicago Bears E [Note 6] [Note 7] [16]
1947 249224Bill Moll New York Giants B––
284259Milt Dropo Washington Redskins C [Note 7] –
1958 185210Lenny King Washington Redskins B––
1962 1113153Dave Bishop New York Giants B––
163213 John Contoulis New York Giants T– [12] [13]
1971 424102 Vince Clements Minnesota Vikings RB– [17] [18]
1974 1112272 Eric Torkelson Green Bay Packers RB– [19] [20]
1980 828221Ted Walton Pittsburgh Steelers DB––
1984 41599 John Dorsey Green Bay Packers LB– [21] [22]
1989 915238David Franks Seattle Seahawks G––
1992 1210318Cornelius Benton Seattle Seahawks G––
1994 629190Paul Duckworth Green Bay Packers LB––
2005 31882 Alfred Fincher New Orleans Saints LB– [23] [24]
59145 Dan Orlovsky Detroit Lions QB– [25] [26]
2007 621195 Deon Anderson Dallas Cowboys RB– [27] [28]
2008 41100 Tyvon Branch Oakland Raiders DB– [29] [30]
629195 Donald Thomas Miami Dolphins G– [31] [32]
2009 12727 Donald Brown Indianapolis Colts RB– [1] [33] [34]
2941 Darius Butler New England Patriots DB– [35] [36]
22860 Will Beatty New York Giants TSuper Bowl champion (XLVI) [8] [Note 3] [8] [37] [38] [39]
23163 Cody Brown Arizona Cardinals LB– [40] [41]
2010 49107 Marcus Easley Buffalo Bills WR– [42] [43]
742249 Robert McClain Carolina Panthers DB– [44] [45]
2011 55136 Anthony Sherman Arizona Cardinals FBSuper Bowl champion (LIV) [46] [47] [48] [49]
61166 Lawrence Wilson Carolina Panthers LB– [50] [51]
618183 Jordan Todman San Diego Chargers RB– [52] [53]
734237 Greg Lloyd Philadelphia Eagles LB– [54] [55]
2012 21749 Kendall Reyes San Diego Chargers DT– [56] [57]
2013 3264 Dwayne Gratz Jacksonville Jaguars DB– [58] [59]
3466 Sio Moore Oakland Raiders LB– [60] [61]
3870 Blidi Wreh-Wilson Tennessee Titans LB– [62] [63]
427124 Trevardo Williams Houston Texans DE– [64] [65]
633201 Ryan Griffin Houston Texans TE– [66] [67]
2014 75220 Shamar Stephen Minnesota Vikings DT– [68] [69]
738253 Yawin Smallwood Atlanta Falcons LB– [70] [71]
2015 12727 Byron Jones Dallas Cowboys DB– [72] [73]
610186 Geremy Davis New York Giants WR– [74] [75]
2017 22456 Obi Melifonwu Oakland Raiders DB––
2018 66180 Folorunso Fatukasi New York Jets DT––
2020 33599 Matt Peart New York Giants T––
2022 31276 Travis Jones Baltimore Ravens DT––
2024 31781 Christian Haynes Seattle Seahawks G––

Notes

  1. ↑ Because of the NFL–AFL merger agreement, the history of the AFL is officially recognized by the NFL and therefore this list includes the AFL draft (1960–1966). The AFL and NFL held a common draft from 1967–1969; UConn had no players selected during that period. [2] [3]
  2. ↑ In August 2006 the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) changed the name of Division I-A to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Division I-AA to Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). [7]
  3. 1 2 Beatty played the first ten games for the Giants during the 2011 season but after that was placed on injured reserve due to a detached retina. He did not play in Super Bowl XLVI. [8]
  4. ↑ While Beatty was the first Connecticut draftee to play on a Super Bowl-winning team, he was not the first alumnus to be a Super Bowl champion. Nick Giaquinto went undrafted and subsequently won Super Bowl XVII with the Washington Redskins. [9] [10]
  5. ↑ This is the team that drafted the player, not the player's most recent team.
  6. ↑ Walt Dropo was also selected 4th overall in the 1947 Basketball Association of America (BAA) draft by the Providence Steamrollers. [14] He elected to play in neither league and instead signed a free agent contract with Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox. He would be named American League Rookie of the Year in 1950. [15]
  7. 1 2 Walt and Milt Dropo were brothers. [15]

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References

General

Specific

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  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 September 17, 2009.
  3. 1 2 "NFL History by Decade: 1961–1970". NFL. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  4. ↑ Conner, Desmond (May 1, 2015). "UConn's Byron Jones Goes No. 27 To Dallas Cowboys". Hartford Courant. Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  5. ↑ Clayton, John (March 26, 2009). "Draft order to change for playoff teams". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010.
  6. ↑ Elsberry, Chris (December 30, 2010). "UConn's quick move to D-I success 'incomprehensible'". Connecticut Post. Hearst. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  7. ↑ Albright, Dave (December 15, 2006). "NCAA misses the mark in Division I-AA name change". espn.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Archived from the original on August 19, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 Borden, Sam (January 30, 2012). "Giants Leave the Injured Back at Home, for Now". New York Times. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  9. ↑ Conner, Desmond (April 29, 2015). "UConn Football: Top 10 Players Drafted". Hartford Courant. Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on October 22, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  10. ↑ Paxton, William S. (February 1, 2012). "Giaquinto savors his Super back-page moment". Connecticut Post. Hearst. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  11. ↑ Conner, Desmond (October 4, 2014). "Former QB Orlovsky Not Pleased With How Far UConn Has Fallen". Hartford Courant. Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  12. 1 2 "John Contoulis NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  13. 1 2 "John Contoulis, DT at NFL.com". NFL. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  14. ↑ "1947 BAA Draft". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  15. 1 2 Amore, Don (December 18, 2010). "Walt Dropo Dies". Hartford Courant. Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  16. ↑ Mayer, Larry (April 25, 2013). "These Bears draft picks gained fame in other areas". Chicago Bears. Archived from the original on April 28, 2013. Walt Dropo (1946, 9th round), Walt Dropo, who declined to sign a contract with the Bears to pursue a baseball career...
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  19. ↑ "Eric Torkelson NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
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  21. ↑ "John Dorsey NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
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  23. ↑ "Alfred Fincher NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
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  33. ↑ "Donald Brown NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Donald Brown, RB for the San Diego Chargers at NFL.com". NFL. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  35. ↑ "Darius Butler NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Darius Butler, CB for the Indianapolis Colts at NFL.com". NFL. Archived from the original on October 11, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
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