2011 NFL Draft: 50 NFL Draft Facts That May Surprise You
The NFL draft has been an annual occurrence since 1936.
With all that history, it's no surprise that there have been plenty of interesting storylines that have come from past drafts.
There have been plenty of first-round busts and plenty of undrafted superstars.
And, of course, there have been plenty of little nuggets of information that people might not know about or that might have slipped through the cracks.
I'll try to shed some light on some of those interesting facts in this slideshow.
Here are 50 things you might not have known about the NFL draft.
50. 3 Pairs of College Teammates Have Been Selected No. 1 and No. 2
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In 1967, Bubba Smith and Clint Jones of Michigan State were taken with the first two picks.
In 1984, the same thing happened to Nebraska's Irving Fryar and Dean Steinkuhler.
In 2000, Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington of Penn State went No. 1 and No. 2.
Sam Bradford and Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma had a shot to become the fourth pair in 2010, but McCoy was selected No. 3.
49. Randy Duncan Leaves NFL for CFL
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Randy Duncan was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1959 NFL draft.
But instead of playing in the NFL, he went to the Canadian Football League.
His reason was that the CFL would pay him more.
That certainly isn't the case today.
48. Bobby Garrett Stuttered
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Long before Andrew Luck was calling plays at Stanford, Bobby Garrett was leading the Cardinal.
Garrett became the first overall pick in the 1954 NFL draft after the Browns selected him.
But, he had a stuttering problem, making it hard for him to call plays in the huddle.
He was out of the league after playing only one season.
It seems like teams could have tried something to help Garrett overcome his stutter. Some sort of alternative play-calling, perhaps?
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47. Notre Dame Has Produced 4 No. 1 Overall Picks
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But, the last one they produced was Paul Hornung in 1957.
Notre Dame used to be a football powerhouse, but those days are long gone.
Now they are just an average team that makes some noise every once in a while.
I don't see the Irish producing another No. 1 overall pick in the near future.
46. Ki-Jana Carter and Courtney Brown Were No. 1 Picks from Penn State
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Penn State is a great football program.
But it seems their teams have success based on teamwork and not on individual performances.
A lot of highly drafted Nittany Lions have struggled in the NFL (especially Carter and Brown).
45. Bo Jackson Never Played for the Team That Drafted Him
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Now it's time for a few slides on Bo Jackson.
Jackson was drafted No. 1 overall by the Buccaneers in 1986.
But, the Bucs wanted him to choose either baseball or football, so they took him on an illegal flight that cost him his eligibility at Auburn.
That wasn't a very smart move by the Bucs.
Jackson immediately signed with the Kansas City Royals.
44. He Was Selected by the Los Angeles Raiders in the 7th Round in 1987
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Al Davis allowed Jackson to continue his baseball career.
Jackson would join the Raiders only after baseball season was over.
During his limited play, he backed up another excellent running back in Marcus Allen.
They formed a formidable tandem in the backfield until...
43. He Suffered a Career-Ending Hip Injury
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Jackson suffered a devastating hip injury against the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1990 playoffs.
The injury ended his football career.
He would return to baseball, but without his blazing speed, which was his biggest asset.
42. Jim Plunkett Never Made a Pro Bowl
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Plunkett was the first overall pick in the 1971 NFL draft.
He led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories and was the MVP of Super Bowl XV.
But he never made a Pro Bowl and he is not a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
I'm not sure he deserves the Hall of Fame, but one would think there would have been a Pro Bowl spot for him somewhere during his career.
41. Morten Andersen Was Selected in 1982
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After being drafted in the fourth round in 1982, Andersen played in the NFL until 2007.
That's unbelievable longevity.
It's no wonder he's the all-time leading scorer in NFL history.
He's also a member of the All-Decade team for both the 1980s and 1990s.
40. 1977: USC Players Account for 3 of the Top 5 Picks
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Before Lane Kiffin was roaming the sidelines for the Trojans, they produced three of the top five draft picks in the 1977 NFL draft.
Running back Ricky Bell was drafted No. 1 by the Buccaneers.
Then, tackle Marvin Powell and defensive tackle Gary Jeter went No. 4 and No. 5 to the New York Jets and New York Giants, respectively.
39. Quarterbacks Are the First Three Picks in 1971
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Jim Plunkett was selected No. 1 in 1971.
Then came Archie Manning.
Then came Dan Pastorini.
Pastorini made a Pro Bowl, but Plunkett didn't?
That doesn't make sense to me.
38. Two Washington State QBs Selected in the Top 2 Picks
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In the history of Washington State football, two of their QBs have been selected in the top two picks in the NFL draft.
Drew Bledsoe was selected No. 1 in 1993 and went on to have a pretty decent NFL career.
Ryan Leaf was selected No. 2 in 1998 and went on to have one of the worst careers in the history of the NFL.
Those are some pretty mixed results for Cougar QBs.
37. Brett Favre Selected After Dan McGwire and Todd Marinovich in 1991
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Mark McGwire's brother and Marinovich never amounted to much in the NFL.
Brett Favre, on the other hand, became arguably the best QB in the history of the NFL.
I bet the Seahawks and Raiders wish they could redo that draft.
36. Cowboys Turn Herschel Walker into Emmitt Smith in 1990
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The Cowboys traded Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings and received a king's ransom of draft picks in return.
One of those draft picks ended up being Emmitt Smith.
As we all know, he is the NFL's all-time leader in rushing yards.
I'll call that a pretty decent trade for the Cowboys.
35. Vikings Miss Their Pick in 2003
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The Vikings had the No. 8 overall pick in 2003.
They ended up picking No. 9, though, without making a trade.
How did that happen, you ask?
Well, they didn't turn their pick in to the commissioner in time, so they got passed in the draft order.
But...
34. It Worked out Anyway
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The No. 9 overall pick ended up working out for the Vikings, though.
They selected Kevin Williams, who, along with Pat Williams, has been anchoring the Vikings D-line for years.
Maybe more teams should miss their picks.
Or maybe not, that sounds like a bad idea.
33. The Steelers Drafted Both Len Dawson and Johnny Unitas
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Johnny Unitas is in the Hall of Fame as a Colt.
Len Dawson is in the Hall of Fame as a Chief.
But both of them were originally drafted by Pittsburgh.
The Steelers had Bobby Layne, though, so they were fine.
32. Ernie Davis Never Played in the NFL
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Syracuse has had some decent football teams recently after some rough years.
Back in the day, though, they had Ernie Davis, a running back who won the Heisman Trophy in 1961.
Davis was selected No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 1962, the first African-American to be the first overall pick.
Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with leukemia before the season started and never played an NFL game.
31. A Guard Was the First Overall Pick of the AFL
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Jake Long of the Miami Dolphins was the most recent offensive lineman taken No. 1 overall.
Back in 1961, Ken Rice, a guard from Auburn, was the first overall pick in the history of the AFL who actually played in the AFL.
The AFL and NFL would eventually merge in 1970.
30. 13 No. 1 Overall Picks Are in the Hall of Fame
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They are:
- Bill Dudley, 1942
- Charley Trippi, 1945
- Chuck Bednarik, 1949
- Paul Hornung, 1957
- Buck Buchanan, 1963 (AFL)
- Ron Yary, 1968
- O.J. Simpson, 1969
- Terry Bradshaw, 1970
- Lee Roy Selmon, 1976
- Earl Campbell, 1978
- John Elway, 1983
- Bruce Smith, 1985
- Troy Aikman, 1989
29. 1964 Draft Produces 10 Hall of Famers
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They are:
- Bob Brown
- Charley Taylor
- Carl Eller
- Paul Warfield
- Mel Renfro
- Paul Krause
- Dave Wilcox
- Bob Hayes
- Leroy Kelly
- Roger Staubach
28. Steelers Select 4 Future Hall of Famers in 1974
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They are:
- Lynn Swann (Round 1)
- Jack Lambert (Round 2)
- John Stallworth (Round 4)
- Mike Webster (Round 5)
27. No NFL Draft in 1942
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The 1942 NFL draft was held in December of 1941.
The 1943 NFL draft happened in April of 1943.
Therefore, technically, there was no NFL draft in the year 1942.
26. Charlie Gogolak Drafted in 1968
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Sebastian Janikowski was a first-round kicker, but he wasn't the first.
Charlie Gogolak was picked sixth overall by the Redskins in 1968.
He wasn't exactly worth a first-round pick.
25. Sebastian Janikowski Most Recent 1st-Round Kicker
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Janikowski was selected 17th overall by the Oakland Raiders in 2000.
He has one of the most powerful legs I've ever seen.
But you can't tell me he wouldn't have still been available in the fourth or fifth rounds.
Seems like a waste of a pick to me.
24. Ray Guy Was the First and Only Punter Taken in Round 1
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Guy was taken by the Oakland Raiders in the 1973 NFL draft.
He was 23rd overall pick.
He's the only punter ever to be taken in the first round.
I bet it stays that way for a very long time.
23. Bill Dudley Was First No. 1 Overall Pick Inducted into Hall of Fame
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It took six drafts before a team finally nailed the No. 1 pick.
The Steelers grabbed running back Bill Dudley in 1942.
He would eventually be selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
22. Florida Has Never Had a No. 1 Overall Pick
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The University of Florida has produced several first-round picks, but never any No. 1 overall picks.
Schools like USC, Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama and Georgia all have produced No. 1 picks.
Even the University of Tampa has produced one.
Florida just hasn't had that moment yet.
21. The University of Tampa Had a No. 1 Overall Pick
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The University of Tampa doesn't even have a football team anymore.
But back in 1973, they produced a No. 1 overall pick, defensive end John Matuszak.
They won't be producing anymore NFL draft picks for a while.
20. From 1961-1968, There Were Two Drafts Per Year
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The AFL and the NFL each had drafts from 1961-1966.
That made for some confusing situations.
A lot of players were selected in both drafts, having to choose which league they wanted to play in.
Most chose the NFL.
19. Tony Mandarich Is the Only 1989 Top-5 Pick Not in Hall of Fame
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Troy Aikman.
Barry Sanders.
Derrick Thomas.
Deion Sanders.
And...Tony Mandarich.
Tell me who doesn't belong in that group.
18. Mike Ditka and the Saints Traded 8 Picks for Ricky Williams
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The Saints traded eight draft picks for the chance to move up and select Ricky Williams.
That move didn't work out very well for them.
Williams had some good years, but he never led the Saints to the promised land like he was supposed to.
Maybe those eight picks would have helped more.
17. 6 of Those 8 Picks Made Up the Rest of the Saints Draft
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It's not like the Saints traded away a bunch of future picks to take Ricky Williams.
They gave the Redskins the rest of their 1999 draft.
The Redskins would eventually trade most of the picks, but it still remains one of the biggest draft-day trades ever.
16. The Jets Had 4 First-Round Picks in 2000
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In 2000, the Jets had four first-round picks.
That's the most first-round picks a team has ever had in a single draft.
John Abraham and Shaun Ellis highlighted the haul that also included Chad Pennington and Anthony Becht.
15. 6 Miami Hurricanes Were Selected in First Round in 2004
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They were:
- Sean Taylor (fifth overall)
- Kellen Winslow (sixth)
- Jonathan Vilma (12th)
- D.J. Williams (17th)
- Vernon Carey (19th)
- Vince Wilfork (21st)
14. 8 Pro Bowl Wide Receivers Selected in the 1996 NFL Draft
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They were:
- Keyshawn Johnson (first round)
- Terry Glenn (first)
- Marvin Harrison (first)
- Eric Moulds (first)
- Muhsin Muhammad (second)
- Terrell Owens (third)
- Joe Horn (fifth)
- Jermaine Lewis (fifth)
13. Corbett Davis Left NFL to Fight in WWII
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Davis played four seasons in the NFL before leaving to fight in WWII.
He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1938 NFL draft.
We all know another athlete who put his country first...
12. Pat Tillman Selected in the 7th Round in 1998
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Tillman left the Arizona Cardinals to fight in Afghanistan.
He was killed in a friendly-fire accident while serving his country.
But before enlisting in the military, he showed a lot of heart in the NFL.
He was a true team leader for the Arizona Cardinals.
11. Only 19.5 Defensive Players Have Been Taken No. 1 Overall
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In the 75 years of the NFL draft, there have only been 19.5 defensive players selected No. 1 overall.
The .5 was Chuck Bednarik, who was selected as a center and a linebacker.
The most recent defensive No. 1 pick was Mario Williams in 2006.
10. There Have Been 5.5 Offensive Linemen Selected No. 1 Overall
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Left tackles are keys to the offense.
Therefore, one would think several of them would be taken with the No. 1 overall pick.
But only 5.5 offensive linemen have been taken No. 1 overall.
Chuck Bednarik was the .5. He was a center and a linebacker.
Jake Long was the most recent, in 2008.
9. There Have Been Only 4 Wide Receivers Taken No. 1 Overall
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Only four wide receivers have ever been deemed worthy of the No. 1 pick.
Keyshawn Johnson was the most recent selection, in 1996.
A.J. Green has an outside chance of making it five WRs at No. 1 this year.
8. Only 1 Defensive Back Has Been Selected No. 1
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When Gary Glick was selected No. 1 overall in 1956, it marked the first time a DB had been selected No. 1.
It also marked the last time.
Patrick Peterson has an outside chance at being selected No. 1 in this year's draft.
7. There Have Been 29 Quarterbacks Selected No. 1 Overall
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In 75 years, 29 QBs have been taken with the first overall pick.
That's a large percentage.
Lately, a lot of QBs have been going No. 1, which shows how much the game has changed.
Sam Bradford was the most recent QB taken No. 1, but Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert will probably be the 30th QB taken No. 1 this year.
6. Terry Bradshaw Was the First QB Taken No. 1 to Make the Hall of Fame
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Bradshaw was the first overall pick in 1970.
He was the first QB taken No. 1 to make the Hall of Fame.
His generation really started to shift the offensive tactics in the NFL towards more of a passing game.
Now, the Hall of Fame is dominated by QBs.
5. Aaron Rodgers Waited 4.5 Hours to Hear His Name Called
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Aaron Rodgers was in competition to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2005.
But the 49ers went with Alex Smith, and the free-fall began.
He had to sit in the green room for 4.5 hours until the Packers finally called his name.
Now, he's a Super Bowl champion. Well worth the wait if you ask me.
4. USC Is the Only School to Produce Back-to-Back No. 1 Picks
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In 1968, the Minnesota Vikings made Ron Yary, an offensive tackle from USC, the No. 1 pick.
The following year, the Buffalo Bills selected O.J. Simpson with the No. 1 pick.
That's the only time in history that a school has produced back to back No. 1 picks.
3. The 1993 Draft Had 8 Rounds
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The 1993 NFL draft had eight rounds.
It is the only draft in history to have only eight rounds.
I'm not exactly sure why there were eight rounds.
But the last round was actually quite useful...
2. 6 Pro Bowlers Were Selected in the 8th Round in 1993
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They were:
- Troy Brown
- Craig Hentrich
- Jesse Armstead
- Blaine Bishop
- Elvis Grbac
- Trent Green
Maybe the NFL should have eight round drafts more often.
1. Jay Berwanger, the First Pick in NFL History, Never Played in the NFL
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Berwanger was the first winner of the Heisman Trophy.
He then became the first pick in the first-ever NFL draft in 1936.
But he never played in the NFL.
Instead, he chose to be a sportswriter and car manufacturer.
Apparently, he used his Heisman Trophy as a doorstop.
Berwanger certainly was an odd fellow.
I bet the first overall pick this year decides to be a car manufacturer instead.
Or maybe not, since the money is so much better now.
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