2014 NFL Draft Notes

The 2014 NFL Draft will be held at Radio City Music Hall May 8-10.

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND:Thirty prospects will be in attendance at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the 2014 NFL Draft.

That includes a 2014-best three players from Alabama: S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, T Cyrus Kouandjio and LB C.J. Mosley – and three players from Texas A&M: WR Mike Evans, QB Johnny Manziel and T Jake Matthews.

ROLL TIDE: If Alabama has a player selected in the top 10 of the 2014 NFL Draft, the Crimson Tide will have the longest consecutive streak of players drafted in the top 10 since the advent of the common draft in 1967. They are currently tied with Southern California (1993-97) with five consecutive top 10 draft picks.

Louisiana State (three) and Texas A&M (three) can tie Southern California (1980-83), Ohio State (1994-97) and Miami (2002-05) for the third-longest consecutive streak of top 10 draft picks since 1967.

AWESOME AGGIES: Texas A&M WR Mike Evans, QB Johnny Manziel and T Jake Matthews all may hear their names called in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Texas A&M has had 11 players drafted in the top 10 since 1967, including T Luke Joeckel, who was the No. 2 overall pick in 2013 by Jacksonville.

Evans can become the first Texas A&M WR to be drafted in the top 10 since 1967, while Manziel would be the second Aggie QB to be selected in the first round of the common draft era (Ryan Tannehill in 2012).

SMALL SCHOOL SUCCESS:Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo and Buffalo LB Khalil Mack are hoping to become the first players from their respective schools to be selected in the first round.

NO. 1 D-LINEMEN:South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney could hear his name called with the first overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. Clowney would become the 14th defensive lineman in NFL history to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick and only the second player from South Carolina to be chosen No. 1 overall (George Rogers, 1981).

DRAFT KNIGHT: Central Florida QB Blake Bortles can become the second player from the University of Central Florida to be drafted in the first round. He would join Daunte Culpepper, who was selected 11th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.

Bortles would also join Culpepper as the only Knight quarterbacks to be drafted.  

TOP TIGER:Clemson WR Sammy Watkins can become the fifth wide receiver in school history to be selected in the first round of an NFL draft. If selected in the top 10, Watkins would become the first Clemson wide receiver since Jerry Butler (1979, 5th overall) to be chosen in the top 10.

Clemson can also become the fifth school to have a wide receiver drafted in the first round in consecutive years. In 2013, WR DE Andre Hopkins was selected 27th overall by the Houston Texans.

Number of times wide receivers from same college have been selected in first round in consecutive years:  FIVE

Ohio State – Joey Galloway (1995) and Terry Glenn (1996)

Ohio State – Santonio Holmes (2006) and Ted Ginn Jr. (2007) and Anthony Gonzalez (2007)

Colorado – Charles Johnson (1994) and Michael Westbrook (1995)

Southern California – Curtis Conway (1993) and Johnnie Morton (1994)

Tennessee – Anthony Hancock (1982), Willie Gault (1983) and Clyde Duncan (1984)

LOUISVILLE SLUGGERS:Louisville has only had eight first-round draft picks all-time, but may have two in 2014. QB Teddy Bridgewater and S Calvin Pryor could hear their names called in the first round. It would mark the first time the school has had multiple players selected in the first round.

MR. IRRELEVANT:The Houston Texans will have the honor of selecting this year's "Mr. Irrelevant" – a tongue-in-cheek title bestowed annually upon the last player chosen in the NFL Draft – with the 256th pick.

Established in 1976 by Paul Salata, a former NFL player and Southern California businessman, Irrelevant Week is a weeklong celebration held annually in Newport Beach, CA, which celebrates the efforts of Mr. Irrelevant and raises funds for charity. Special Olympics Southern California was named as the 2014 charitable recipient. Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities.

In 2014, Irrelevant Week, Inc. announced that it will expand its efforts by becoming The Foundation for the Undefeated (www.theundefeated.org), a nonprofit dedicated to championing stories of perseverance in sports to inspire greatness in others. The Irrelevant Week tradition will continue as the cornerstone within the broader mission and reach of The Foundation for the Undefeated.

Number of times QB and RB from same college have been chosen in top 10:  10 

1942 (QB Frank Albert, RB Pete Kmetovic-Stanford), 1943 (QB Jack Jenkins, RB Bob Steuber-Missouri), 1944 (QB Angelo Bertelli, RB Creighton Miller-Notre Dame), 1946 (QB Frank Dancewicz, QB Johnny Lujack, RB Emil Sitko-Notre Dame), 1947 (QB Ernie Case, RB Cal Rossi-UCLA), 1948 (QB Harry Gilmer, RB Lowell Tew-Alabama), 1983 (QB Todd Blackledge, RB Curt Warner-Penn State), 1993 (QB Rick Mirer, RB Jerome Bettis-Notre Dame), 1995 (QB Kerry Collins, RB Ki-Jana Carter-Penn State), 2006 (QB Matt Leinart, RB Reggie Bush-Southern California).

Most offensive linemen taken in first round:  10

1968 - T Ron Yary, C Robert Johnson, T Russ Washington, T Mike Taylor, C Forrest Blue, G Maurice Moorman, G George Daney, T John Williams, G Bill Lueck, T Doug Crusan.

Colleges with most No. 1 overall draft choices:

Auburn (5)		2011: Cam Newton, QB (Carolina); 1988: Aundray Bruce, LB (Atlanta); 1986: Bo Jackson, RB (Tampa Bay); 1965: Tucker Frederickson, RB (N.Y. Giants); 1961: Ken Rice, G (Buffalo)
Notre Dame (5)		1973: Walt Patulski, DE (Buffalo); 1957: Paul Hornung, HB (Green Bay); 1950: Leon Hart, E (Detroit); 1946: Frank Dancewicz, QB (Boston Yanks); 1944: Angelo Bertelli, QB (Boston Yanks)
Southern California (5)		2003: Carson Palmer, QB (Cincinnati); 1996: Keyshawn Johnson, WR (N.Y. Jets); 1977: Ricky Bell, RB (Tampa Bay); 1969: O.J. Simpson, RB (Buffalo); 1968: Ron Yary, T (Minnesota)

Most first-round selections from one college in single year:  6

2004 - Miami (Sean Taylor, Kellen Winslow, Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams, Vernon Carey, Vince Wilfork).

College with most players taken in single draft: Texas, 17 in 1984.

Consecutive first-round choices from same college that played same position:

1991: Tennessee Ts Charles McRae (#7-Tampa Bay) and Antone Davis (#8-Philadelphia).

1993: Alabama DEs John Copeland (#5-Cincinnati) and Eric Curry (#6-Tampa Bay).

1997: Miami DEs Kenard Lang (#17-Washington) and Kenny Holmes (#18-Tennessee).

Number of  Pro Football Hall of Famers chosen No. 1 overall:  13

1942 – "Bullet" Bill Dudley/Pittsburgh; 1945 – Charley Trippi/Chicago Cardinals; 1949 – Chuck Bednarik/Philadelphia; 1957 – Paul Hornung/Green Bay; 1963 – Buck Buchanan/Kansas City (AFL); 1968 – Ron Yary/Minnesota; 1969 – O.J. Simpson/Buffalo; 1970 – Terry Bradshaw/Pittsburgh; 1976 – Lee Roy Selmon/Tampa Bay; 1978 – Earl Campbell/Houston; 1983 – John Elway/Baltimore Colts; 1985 – Bruce Smith/Buffalo Bills; 1989 – Troy Aikman/Dallas Cowboys.

Pro Football Hall of Famers chosen consecutively in first round by same team in one draft:

1965: Dick Butkus (#3-Illinois/LB) and Gale Sayers (#4-Kansas/RB) by Chicago Bears.

Number of times in past 10 years that two players with same surname were drafted consecutively:  4

2004:  Round 7 – CB Nathan Jones (Dallas/#205) and WR Mark Jones (Tampa Bay/#206)

2006:  Round 1 – G Davin Joseph (Tampa Bay/#23) and DB Johnathan Joseph (Cincinatti/#24)

2006:  Round 4 – LB Leon Williams (Cleveland/#110) and WR Demetrius Williams (Baltimore/#111)

2008:  Round 1 – T Jake Long (Miami/#1) and DE Chris Long (St. Louis/#2)

DRAFT TIMES

NOTE:  The first combined (AFL-NFL) draft in 1967 consisted of 17 rounds.  In 1977, the draft was reduced to 12 rounds.  There were eight rounds in 1993 and seven since 1994.

Longest first round since 1967: 2007 (6 hours, 8 minutes)

Shortest first round since 1967: 1972 (2 hours)

Longest seven-round draft: 2007 (18 hours, 5 minutes)

Shortest seven-round draft: 2012 (14 hours, 5 minutes)

Most rounds on draft day: 30 (1943-1959 drafts)

COLLEGES WITH THREE PLAYERS DRAFTED IN FIRST ROUND

Number of times since 2000 college has had at least 3 players chosen in first round:23

2000:  Florida State (3) – Peter Warrick/Cincinnati; Corey Simon/Philadelphia; Sebastian Janikowski/Oakland.

2001:  Miami (4) – Dan Morgan/Carolina; Damione Lewis/St. Louis; Santana Moss/ N.Y. Jets; Reggie Wayne/Indianapolis.

Michigan (3) – David Terrell/Chicago; Steve Hutchinson/Seattle; Jeff Backus/Detroit.

2002:  Miami (5) – Bryant McKinnie/Minnesota; Jeremy Shockey/N.Y. Giants; Phillip Buchanon/Oakland; Ed Reed/Baltimore; Mike Rumph/San Francisco.      

Tennessee (3) – John Henderson/Jacksonville; Donte' Stallworth/New Orleans; Albert Haynesworth/Tennessee.

2003:  Miami (4) – Andre Johnson/Houston; Jerome McDougle/Philadelphia; Willis McGahee/Buffalo; William Joseph/N.Y. Giants.   

Penn State (4) – Jimmy Kennedy/St. Louis; Michael Haynes/Chicago; Bryant Johnson/Arizona; Larry Johnson/Kansas City.

2004:  Miami (6) – Sean Taylor/Washington; Kellen Winslow/Cleveland; Jonathan Vilma/N.Y. Jets; D.J. Williams/Denver; Vernon Carey/Miami; Vince Wilfork/New England.

Ohio State (3) – Will Smith/New Orleans, Chris Gamble/Carolina, Mike Jenkins/Atlanta.

2005:  Auburn (4) – Ronnie Brown/Miami; Jason Campbell/Washington; Carlos Rogers/Washington; Carnell Williams/Tampa Bay.

2006:  Ohio State (5) – A.J. Hawk/Green Bay; Donte Whitner/Buffalo; Bobby Carpenter/Dallas; Santonio Holmes/Pittsburgh; Nick Mangold/N.Y. Jets.

Florida State (4) – Ernie Sims/Detroit; Kamerion Wimbley/Cleveland; Brodrick Bunkley/Philadelphia; Antonio Cromartie/San Diego.

North Carolina State (3) – Mario Williams/Houston; Manny Lawson/San Francisco; John McCargo/Buffalo.

2007:  Louisiana State (4) – JaMarcus Russell/Oakland; LaRon Landry/Washington; Dwayne Bowe/Kansas City; Craig Davis/San Diego.    

Miami (3) – Brandon Meriweather/New England; Jon Beason/Carolina; Greg Olsen/Chicago.

2008: Southern California (4) – Sedrick Ellis/New Orleans; Keith Rivers/Cincinnati; Sam Baker/Atlanta; Lawrence Jackson/Seattle.

2009: Southern California (3) – Mark Sanchez/N.Y. Jets; Brian Cushing/Houston; Clay Matthews/Green Bay;

2010: Oklahoma (4) – Sam Bradford/St. Louis; Gerald McCoy/Tampa Bay; Trent Williams/Washington; Jermaine Gresham/Cincinnati

Florida (3) – Joe Haden/Cleveland; Maurkice Pouncey/Pittsburgh; Tim Tebow/Denver

2011: Alabama (4) – Marcell Dareus/Buffalo; Julio Jones/Atlanta; James Carpenter/Seattle; Mark Ingram/New Orleans

2012: Alabama (4) – Trent Richardson/Cleveland; Mark Barron/Tampa Bay; Dre Kirkpatrick/Cincinnati; Dont'a Hightower/New England

2013: Alabama (3) – Dee Milliner/New York Jets; Chance Warmack/Tennessee; D.J. Fluker/San Diego

Florida State (3) – E.J. Manuel/Buffalo; Bjoern Werner/Indianapolis; Xavier Rhodes/Minnesota

FIRST ROUND BY POSITION

Most first-round selections by position (one year):

NOTE: Since 1990, 14 of the No. 1 overall picks have been underclassmen (Jeff George – 1990, Steve Emtman – 1992, Drew Bledsoe – 1993, Dan Wilkinson – 1994, Ki-Jana Carter – 1995, Orlando Pace – 1997, Tim Couch – 1999, Michael Vick – 2001, Mario Williams – 2006, JaMarcus Russell – 2007, Matthew Stafford – 2009, Sam Bradford – 2010, Cam Newton – 2011, Andrew Luck – 2012).