Small-school players who became top-10 NFL draft picks

A Division I-FCS dynasty, North Dakota State despatched three straight beginning quarterbacks to the NFL. Easton Stick’s successor went nearly as excessive as Carson Wentz, rising to the No. 3 general choose. The 49ers traded up from No. 12 and have been constantly related to Alabama’s Mac Jones, and later reporting had Kyle Shanahan preferring Jones. Nonetheless, San Francisco landed on Lance, a traditionally uncommon prospect. Lance dropped a 28-0 TD-INT ratio as a freshman earlier than COVID-19 nixed the Bison’s 2020 season. He’s positioned to steer a contender in 2022, as soon as the 49ers conclude their Jimmy Garoppolo exit saga.

The Mid-American Convention has just lately seen a number of of its stars land within the high 10, however it is a current phenomenon. Davis grew to become the newest MACtion participant to rise into the highest 10, going fifth general to the Titans. Davis was the primary wideout off the board that 12 months, previous top-10 decisions Mike Williams and John Ross. The trio has delivered inconsistency. However Davis dominated at Western Michigan, eclipsing 1,400 yards in every of his last three seasons. The eventual Jets signee has been a productive professional however has but to high 1,000 yards in a marketing campaign.

One of the crucial memorable pre-draft risers, Wentz grew to become the primary non-Division I-FBS quarterback taken within the high 10 in 21 years. The D-I-FCS nationwide championship-winning QB impressed the Eagles to the purpose they despatched the Browns a bounty (5 picks, together with a 2017 first-rounder) to maneuver from No. 8 to No. 2. The Eagles traded 2015 starter Sam Bradford to make room for Wentz as a rookie, and the teenager was on monitor for the 2017 MVP award. However Wentz has not recaptured that kind because the ACL tear that ended his second season and led to Nick Foles’ glory montage. Changing into more and more unpopular, Wentz is now on his third NFL group in three years.

South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney was the consensus high choose in 2014; Mack loomed as a comfort prize. The latter quickly proved a far superior move rusher. The Raiders took Mack fourth general, with GM Reggie McKenzie starting a cornerstone draft that included Derek Carr and Gabe Jackson. Mack produced one 10-plus-sack slate at Buffalo however ripped off 4 straight in Oakland starting in 2015. The Raiders sported the Twenty sixth-ranked protection in 2016, but Mack’s dominance nonetheless gained him Defensive Participant of the 12 months honors. After three Professional Bowls with the Bears, Mack will play alongside 2016 No. 3 general choose Joey Bosa with the Chargers.

Not not like the 2022 draft, 2013’s lacked a high quarterback and a surefire elite expertise. This caught the Chiefs with a mid-major sort out. Whereas 2013’s high 10 produced a number of memorable busts, the Chiefs taking Fisher first general finally turned out nicely. The scrutinized blocker lasted eight seasons in Kansas Metropolis and proved pivotal throughout Patrick Mahomes’ rise. Fisher’s Achilles tear within the 2020 AFC title sport modified Tremendous Bowl LV’s trajectory and the way forward for Kansas Metropolis’s offensive line. The sort out chosen second general, Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, lasted 5 NFL seasons. 

The Jaguars have used 4 top-10 picks on quarterbacks of their 27-draft historical past. Leftwich was the primary. The Vikings’ notorious snafu with their choose clock led to a number of groups — together with the Jags — leaping them in line. The No. 7 general choose, Leftwich changed Mark Brunell early, with the ninth-year starter taking place with an damage early in 2003. Leftwich, who threw 68 landing passes for newly Division I Marshall from 2001-02, entered the NFL after breaking his leg as a senior. The present Buccaneers OC didn’t pan out as a starter however did play 10 seasons. He’ll in all probability be higher remembered as a coach.

The Oilers traded Warren Moon for a modest haul in 1994 and plunged to the NFL’s basement. A 12 months later, they chose their subsequent franchise centerpiece. After a 2-14 season, Houston drafted McNair third general. Regardless of taking part in in what was then Division I-AA, McNair completed third within the Heisman voting. “Air McNair” wore out his arm in 1994, compiling 5,799 yards of complete offense (4,863 passing) and throwing 44 TD passes. The twin-threat took the Oilers’ reins in 1996 and stored them for the Titans till 2005. The Titans have taken three QBs within the high 10 since; none has lasted greater than 5 seasons with the group. 

The Saints acquired 1993’s No. 8 general choose from the Lions in a commerce for former Defensive Participant of the 12 months Pat Swilling. They drafted a good higher participant, choosing their left sort out of the long run. Louisiana Tech had moved to Division I since Terry Bradshaw’s days however performed as an off-grid impartial throughout Roaf’s tenure. Roaf grew to become a Day 1 starter in New Orleans and stored the blindside gig till 2000, making seven straight Professional Bowls as a Saint. After Roaf helped the Saints again to the playoffs in 2000, he landed with the Chiefs by way of commerce. Paving lanes for Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson ended up securing Roaf Corridor of Fame entry.

The strangest case on this listing, Swann managed to be the sixth general choose in 1991 regardless of having not performed school soccer. He’s the one participant within the widespread draft period to go within the first spherical with out doing so. A top-tier recruit, Swann noticed tutorial points derail his entrance to the school ranks. The defensive sort out as a substitute performed semipro ball in Massachusetts. Regardless of this obvious anonymity, Swann participated on the scouting mix and caught the Cardinals’ eye after operating a 4.7-second 40-yard sprint at 307 kilos. Swann performed 10 seasons, 9 with the Playing cards, and made two Professional Bowls. 

Morehead State (Kentucky) moved from Division II to Division I-AA earlier than Simms’ senior season. His school numbers nonetheless didn’t impress, however he shined in pre-draft exercises. This led a Giants franchise with a brand new GM (future Corridor of Famer George Younger) and head coach (Ray Perkins) to draft him seventh general. Boos emerged on the 1979 draft after Simms’ identify was known as, and the Giants staffer charged with writing Simms’ identify on the draft card initially misspelled his school. The small-school passer’s identify was known as 4 spots after QB Jack Thompson’s; the Giants draftee lasted 15 years in New York and picked up two Tremendous Bowl rings.

Small-school draft decisions occurred extra continuously at this level. A number of high athletes grew to become first-round picks from traditionally Black faculties due largely to restricted collegiate choices for gamers of colour within the NFL’s first a number of a long time. Hunter is the newest HBCU alum to be drafted within the high 10, going tenth general to the Lions. Future Corridor of Fame Lions cornerback Lem Barney mentored Hunter, a 6-foot-2 nook. The latter intercepted seven passes as a rookie and bounced between nook and security as a professional. Hunter intercepted 27 passes in seven seasons with the Lions earlier than a 1982 neck damage ended his profession.

Payton blazed to the NFL by way of the HBCU route, thriving for a loaded Jackson State (Mississippi) program to catch the Bears’ consideration. The Division I-AA famous person went to Chicago because the fourth general choose, lastly giving the Bears their Gale Sayers alternative. A do-it-all again with a punishing fashion and historic sturdiness, Payton achieved nearly everything possible for a back. He set single-game and career-rushing information, earned MVP popularity of carrying a flawed 1977 Bears group to the playoffs, and later gained a Tremendous Bowl (after dropping “Tremendous Bowl Shuffle” bars by way of green-screen). The Corridor of Famer is likely one of the most celebrated soccer gamers ever. 

The Division I-AA faculty produced two top-six picks in 1975, with the Oilers drafting Brazile shortly after Payton’s identify was known as. Brazile later joined Payton and Jackson State O-lineman Jackie Slater, a 1976 third-round choose, within the Corridor of Fame. A feared move rusher from the linebacker spot nicely earlier than Lawrence Taylor made such a task commonplace, Brazile joined an Oilers group housing two different Canton-bound defenders — D-linemen Elvin Bethea and Curley Culp — to assist key a late-’70s rebound. The ’75 draft noticed three of the primary six picks (Bethea, Payton, and Randy White) safe Corridor of Fame entry.

On Chargers groups identified for defensive letdowns, Johnson did his half to assist these Don Coryell-coached squads. The Chargers drafted Johnson earlier than their Air Coryell offense shaped, taking the defensive sort out eighth general throughout the Tommy Prothro-Harland Svare regime. Retroactively credited with three double-digit sack seasons, Johnson achieved acclaim throughout the Air Coryell years of the late Nineteen Seventies and early ’80s. His 17.5 sacks in 1980 alongside Corridor of Fame-bound D-end Fred Dean are among the many most ever by a D-tackle in a season. Johnson later joined Dean on the 49ers in 1984, amassing a Tremendous Bowl ring.

The newest HBCU star to be chosen first general, Jones rewarded the Cowboys with a 15-year profession. As soon as on monitor to play baseball at Arizona State, the 6-foot-9 athlete selected Division I-AA Tennessee State after his father died throughout his senior 12 months of highschool. The uncooked expertise blossomed right into a coveted move rusher and delivered as a professional. Jones began for 3 Tremendous Bowl-bound Dallas groups and has been credited with 106 sacks. Jones managed to play 15 years regardless of retiring to pursue boxing in 1979, resuming his partnership with Randy White and Harvey Martin a 12 months later.

The Bears went the small-school route on a number of events to begin Nineteen Seventies drafts. They drafted Jones’ barely much less heralded teammate fourth general in 1974. Six linebackers went off the board in Spherical 1 of the 26-team first spherical that 12 months; Bryant heard his identify known as first. The Tennessee State standout began 4 seasons with the Bears, the final of which was a playoff squad, however missed the whole 1978 season resulting from a shoulder damage. Bryant, whose sort out on Joe Namath ended his profession in 1977, didn’t play once more after his personal damage shortly after.

The Bears hit massive on their 1973 small-school funding. By going eighth general, Chambers grew to become the best drafted participant in Ohio Valley Convention historical past. Chicago’s defensive sort out choose grew to become the Defensive Rookie of the 12 months and, in 1976, completed second within the Defensive Participant of the 12 months voting (behind solely Jack Lambert) after a 14-sack season. Chambers tallied 37 sacks in his first 4 seasons, however a knee damage sustained on the 1976 Professional Bowl bothered him throughout the remainder of his profession. The Bears traded Chambers to the Buccaneers in 1978, in a deal that led Dan Hampton to Chicago, and his profession was over by 1980.

Like Chambers, Antoine didn’t land within the high 10 by way of the HBCU path, however he started the Bears’ Nineteen Seventies run of small-school first-rounders. A good finish with the Salukis, Antoine grew to become a left sort out with the Bears. Antoine’s prospects as a sort out led to him changing into the No. 3 general alternative in 1972, however the 6-foot-6 blocker didn’t find yourself a long-term fixture in Chicago’s lineup. Not a first-string common till 1974, Antoine battled a knee damage throughout his profession — one which triggered him to overlook the entire 1978 season. The Bears moved on after the ’79 slate. Of their 4 straight small-school first-rounders, solely Payton remained on the group by then.

Rating final in passing in 1971, the Jets took a hybrid pass-catcher ninth general. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound Barkum entered the early-’70s NFL as a supersized large receiver however later moved to tight finish. As a younger participant, Barkum stepped in for a Jets group that noticed Don Maynard’s adorned Massive Apple run finish after the 1972 season. The ex-HBCU standout dropped an 810-yard season in 1973, making the Professional Bowl regardless of Joe Namath taking part in simply 5 video games resulting from damage. Barkum managed to play 12 seasons, serving to the Jets to the 1981 and ’82 playoffs as a veteran tight finish. He completed his profession behind solely Maynard in Jet receptions.

The Santa Clara soccer group ceased operations in 1992, however the faculty greatest identified for late-night Gonzaga matchups as soon as was a part of a historic quarterback draft. The 1971 draft was the primary to begin QB-QB-QB when it started with Stanford’s Jim Plunkett, Ole Miss’ Archie Manning, and Pastorini. Every went to horrible groups, and whereas Manning drew the shortest straw (the perennially woeful Saints), the Oilers went 2-26 between Pastorini’s second and third seasons. Pastorini nonetheless lasted 9 years in Houston and teamed with Earl Campbell to take the group to 2 AFC championship video games — each losses to the Steelers. 

No draft featured extra small-school expertise go within the high 10. A defensive finish, Harris went fifth general to the Eagles. The ex-Eddie Robinson cost wowed groups with a 4.7-second 40-yard sprint at 265 kilos, an attention grabbing show for the period. However Harris landed with the Eagles at a foul time. Philadelphia completed underneath .500 in every of Harris’ three years with the group, and, regardless of a 7.5-sack rookie season, he was moved to defensive sort out throughout his tenure. Harris wound up with the Bears’ steady of small-school first-rounders by 1974, by way of commerce, and completed his seven-year profession as a starter for the growth Seahawks. 

The Jets took John Riggins sixth general, and the Falcons resumed the small-school portion of that 12 months’s high 10 by taking one other operating again at 7. Revenue blazed a path at Northeast Louisiana (later renamed Louisiana-Monroe), changing into the primary Black participant to compete within the Warhawks’ convention (the Gulf States Convention). A knee damage as a rookie hampered Revenue’s NFL profession, which lasted simply three years. Revenue, who later performed within the short-lived World Soccer League, rushed for simply 471 yards within the NFL. 

Eddie Robinson’s group had 5 gamers drafted within the first two rounds in 1971. The No. 8 general alternative, Lewis lasted the longest. Beating Lynn Swann and John Stallworth to Pittsburgh by three years, Lewis stored his beginning gig for each the Steelers’ 1974 and ’75 Tremendous Bowl-winning groups. After Stallworth and Swann grew to become Terry Bradshaw’s go-to targets within the mid-Nineteen Seventies, Lewis loved a resurgence in Buffalo. Traded to the Payments in 1978, Lewis posted two 1,000-yard seasons and helped Buffalo mount a mini-run within the early ’80s. This included a 1981 Professional Bowl season he capped with a 158-yard displaying in a Bills shootout playoff win over the Jets.

Robertson later joined Lewis on Chuck Knox’s playoff-bound Payments groups, however the speedy linebacker starred with the Rams first. The Rams selected “Butch” Robertson tenth general from Grambling’s high rival. He grew to become among the finest linebackers of the Nineteen Seventies, making six straight Professional Bowls from 1972-77 and doing lots to put in the Rams as perennial NFC West champions. Robertson’s pick-six on future Corridor of Famer Sonny Jurgensen sealed a Rams 1974 playoff win. Knox traded for his former Rams cost in 1979, and Robertson completed his 12-year profession as a full-time Payments starter. 

Not a Division I program at this level, Louisiana Tech however noticed its quarterback taken first general. Bradshaw practically went to the Bears, with a coin toss between the 1-13 groups figuring out who earned 1970’s high choose. The Bears’ “heads” name failed, and Bradshaw performed the following 14 seasons with the Steelers. Chicago traded out of the No. 2 spot however didn’t clear up its quarterback concern till the early Nineteen Eighties. Throughout Jim McMahon’s childhood, Bradshaw helped rework a Steelers franchise that had been one of many NFL’s worst. 4 Tremendous Bowl wins and the 1978 MVP award adopted for the gregarious QB.

The youthful brother of all-time nice Merlin Olsen arrived within the NFL eight years later. The Patriots drafted the All-American defensive sort out fourth general, however a rookie-year damage prevented him from taking part in in a sport for the franchise. The youthful Olsen grew to become a uncommon Nineteen Seventies free agent when a contract technicality allowed him to signal with one other group. He selected the Rams, with whom Merlin nonetheless starred, resulting in the Patriots receiving compensation for the defection. Phil Olsen began 15 video games in 4 Rams seasons, earlier than ending his six-year profession in Denver.

A part of the 49ers’ Gold Rush defensive position within the Nineteen Seventies, Hardman first teamed with “Imply” Joe Greene on North Texas’ D-line within the late ’60s. After Greene’s 1969 transfer to the professionals, North Texas credited Hardman with an absurd 38 sacks as a senior. The 49ers took the defensive finish ninth general, and Hardman performed 10 seasons in San Francisco. He led the NFL with 18 sacks in 1971 and completed his profession because the 49ers’ all-time sack chief, with an unofficial complete of 108. The 2-time Professional Bowler helped the 49ers to a few playoff berths and later collected a Tremendous Bowl ring as a Raider in 1980. 

The final NFL participant to put on 00, Burrough went one choose after Hardman in 1970. The tenth general choose started his profession with the Saints however was traded to the Oilers after only one season. Houston was set to pick out the Texas Southern alum in 1970 however landed him a 12 months later. Burrough is the longest-tenured large receiver in Oilers/Titans historical past, taking part in 11 years with the group. The 6-foot-4 deep risk led the NFL in receiving in 1975 and made two Professional Bowls, later serving to the “Luv Ya Blue” Oilers teams to back-to-back AFC title video games. Burrough was later inducted into the Black School Soccer Corridor of Fame.

The Metal Curtain’s foundational piece, Greene grew to become the primary Imply Inexperienced soccer participant to be a first-round choose when he went fourth general to the Steelers. The primary of the Steelers’ Chuck Noll-era Corridor of Famers to reach, being Noll’s first choose as head coach, “Imply Joe” anchored the Metal Curtain’s defensive position and have become one of many best gamers in NFL historical past. Steelers followers have been initially disenchanted a small-school D-tackle led off the group’s draft. Greene grew to become a game-wrecking presence on the heart of Pittsburgh’s famed protection, taking part in 13 seasons and amassing each accolade potential.

Regardless of rostering All-AFL quarterback John Hadl, the Chargers drafted Domres ninth general. The Ivy Leaguer by no means factored in prominently in San Diego, sitting behind Hadl for many of his three-year tenure with the Bolts. The second quarterback chosen in 1969, going 4 picks behind Bengals alternative Greg Cook dinner, Domres later fetched a first-round choose in a 1972 commerce with the Colts. He ended up changing Johnny Unitas in Baltimore, resulting in the legendary passer’s commerce to San Diego in 1973. However the Colts’ 1973 Bert Jones choose relegated Domres again to the bench. He performed 9 NFL seasons. 

Already rostering top-flight linebacker Tommy Nobis, the Falcons paired the previous No. 1 general choose with 1968’s third alternative. Whereas the Nobis-Humphrey tandem couldn’t overcome different Falcons’ deficiencies, each gamers grew to become on the spot sensations. Humphrey adopted Nobis by changing into NFL Defensive Rookie of the 12 months, and the defensive finish reeled off 4 straight double-digit sack seasons to begin his profession. The longer term Corridor of Famer completed with 130, amassing 15.5 of these for the Tremendous Bowl-bound Eagles in 1980.