Sports Trivia and Other Musings: June 2015

Wow, this took long enough to complete. By now, there's been a wealth of articles and blog posts with tons of analysis about the NFL Draft. Not here. You're getting a different take. This post focuses more on the selection number than the round number and what happened with those picks. For example, the17th pick is in the first round, but in 1959, it was in the second round. The players chosen with these picks, even if it's in lower rounds in earlier years, are mentioned here. Also, there are players from the 1960's selected in the NFL and AFL drafts. Both drafts are mentioned for those players.

So instead of figuring out if Winston/Mariotta are star level QB's or busts, let's see what history the picks in the first round show us...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - No surprise here. The Bucs picked Florida State QB Jameis Winston and even have him signed to a contract. This is the fifth time Tampa Bay had the first overall pick and it's been a hit or miss proposition. In their inaugural season of 1976, they picked Hall of Fame DE Lee Roy Selmon. Then again, in 1986, Tampa Bay picked Bo Jackson with the first pick and he didn't play a down with the team. The last quarterback they drafted with the first pic, 1987 first pick Vinny Testaverde, had a respectable career, but not with the Bucs. Winston is the first Florida State player the Bucs selected with the first overall pick and the first Seminole player ever drafted first.
Tennessee Titans - Again, no surprise. Tennessee drafted QB Marcus Mariotta from Oregon. This is the third time Tennessee/Houston had the second overall pick. They're 1-1 at this point. The Houston Oilers picked Baylor WR Larry Elkins with the second pick of the 1965 AFL draft. He was also the 10th overall pick by the Green Bay Packers. Opting for the AFL, Elkins only played for two seasons. However, they fared much better in 1984, drafting T Dean Steinkuhler of Nebraska. Mariotta is the first Oregon player Tennessee drafted with the second pick and as with Winston, he's the first Duck selected with the second pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Didn't they have the third pick last year? More on that in a bit. The Jags selected DE Dante Fowler, Jr. from Florida. This is only the second time the Jags had this pick. Last year, they drafted QB Blake Bortles. It's too early to gauge his career. Although this is the second time Jacksonville had this pick, this is the fourth time someone from Florida was selected here. Although the San Francisco 49ers picked Heisman winner and NFL bust Steve Spurrier with this pick in the 1966 draft, the other picks fared better. My New Orleans Saints picked WR Wes Chandler with this pick in 1978 and had a respectable career with multiple teams, as DT Gerard Warren had when Cleveland picked him here in 2001.
Oakland Raiders - For the first time since 2009, the Raiders picked a wide receiver with their first pick, this one WR Amari Cooper from Alabama. This is the fourth time Oakland had the number four pick and had fairly good luck with it. In 1998, they selected DB Charles Woodson, who had a great NFL career and is still playing. In 2008, the Raiders picked RB Darren McFadden, who just signed to play with the Cowboys this offseason. Oakland also had this pick in the AFL. In 1961, they picked DT Joe Rutgens, but he chose to play in the NFL (Washington), never playing a down for the Raiders. Cooper is the fifth player from Alabama selected with this pick. In 1989, the Kansas City Chiefs used this pick to select Hall of Famer LB Derrick Thomas, but Tampa Bay's choice of Keith McCants didn't pan out so well. Indianapolis chose DE Jon Hand here in 1986, who played his nine seasons with the team. The New England Patriots chose Hall of Famer OT John Hannah in 1973. Some lagniappe trivia, future Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was drafted with the fourth pick of the fourth round by the Brooklyn Tigers.
Washington Redskins -The Skins selected OT Brandon Scherff from Iowa, who was the second tackle they selected with their first pick since 2010. This is the second time they had the 5th overall pick. In 2004, Washington took DB Sean Taylor, whose life was tragically cut short. This is also the second time that a player from Iowa was selected with this pick. In 1966, the Dallas Cowboys picked G John Niland (also picked in the 13th round by Oakland), who played for 10 seasons in the NFL.
New York Jets - The Jets picked DE Leonard Williams from Southern Cal. This is the first time since 2008 that the Jets had this pick, when they picked another DE Vernon Gholston, who only played for three seasons. This is the fifth time the Jets had this pick. They first used the sixth pick in 1971 to draft Hall of Fame RB John Riggins. The other picks were DT Carl Barzilauskas (1974) and QB Richard Todd (1976). Williams is the fourth USC player taken with this pick. Doyle Nave was the first Trojan taken with this pick in 1940, but didn't play a down in the NFL. However, the next two USC alums taken with this pick had decent NFL careers. In 1973, the Philadelphia Eagles picked TE Charle Young, who ended up winning a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers. In 1990, the Chicago Bears selected DB Mark Carrier, who had an 11 year career.
Chicago Bears - Speaking of the Bears, Chicago drafted WR Kevin White from West Virginia. This is the eighth time they had this pick. They drafted Hall of Fame C Bulldog Turner in 1940. With a couple of exceptions, Chicago did well with this pick. In 1958, they picked LB Chuck Howley. Unfortunately for the Bears, Howley had his greatest success with the Cowboys. In 1993, the last time Chicago had this pick, they picked another wide receiver, Curtis Conway, who played for 12 seasons. White is the third West Virginia alum to be selected with this pick, along with fellow alum Howley. The third Mountaineer picked was G Brian Jozwiak, taken in 1986 by Kansas City. Jozwiak only played for three seasons.
Atlanta Falcons - The Falcons chose LB Vic Beasley from Clemson. This is the fourth time Atlanta had this pick and they had a history of choosing well here. In 1992, they chose T Bob Whitfield, who played for 15 seasons. The Falcons picked CB DeAngelo Hall in 2004, who is still in the league today, and DE Jamaal Anderson in 2007, who played for six seasons. Beasley is the first Clemson alum selected with this pick.
New York Giants - The G-Men selected G Ereck Flowers from Miami. This is the second time the Giants ever had this pick. The last one was in 1936, when they selected T Art Lewis, who only played for three seasons. Flowers is the third player from The U to be selected with this pick and all were selected by NFC East teams. FB Dan Bosseler was the first Hurricane picked here by Washington in 1957. He played for eight seasons. The last time a Miami player was picked here was in 1987, when the Eagles picked the late great DT Jerome Brown.
St. Louis Rams - The Rams picked RB Todd Gurley from Georgia. This is the eighth time the Rams had this pick, dating back to their Cleveland Rams days. They first used this pick in 1937 to choose Johnny Drake, who played for five seasons. The next four times they had this pick, the Rams selected okay players to busts. However, the last two before Gurley had respectable careers. In 1971, the Los Angeles Rams selected LB Isiah Robertson, who played for 12 seasons. The last time they had this pick, the Rams selected Hall of Fame RB Jerome Bettis in 1993. Gurley is the first player from Georgia selected with this pick.
Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings selected CB Trae Waynes from Michigan State. This is the third time Minnesota had this pick. The first time they had this pick, the Vikings selected DE Derrick Alexander in 1995. He only played for five seasons. They fared better in 1999, when Minnesota chose QB Daunte Culpepper. Waynes is also the second Spartan selected with this pick. In 1963, Chicago drafted C Dave Behrman. However, Berhman never played a down for the Bears and was a bust. He opted for the AFL (4th overall by the Buffalo Bills) and ended up playing for a total of three seasons.
Cleveland Browns - The Browns selected DT Danny Shelton of Washington. This is the fourth time they had this pick. Their first two selection with this pick didn't fare so well. QB Harry Agganis was picked in 1952 and never played a down for the team. The second was a bust. They picked T John Bauer in 1954 and he only played for one season. However, the last time the Browns had this pick, they hit paydirt. In 1978, Cleveland selected LB Clay Matthews, who played for almost two decades, most of them with the team. Shelton is the first Huskie selected with the #12 pick.
New Orleans Saints - The Saints chose T Andrus Peat of Stanford. This is the seventh time New Orleans had this pick. They first had this pick in 1974, when they selected draft bust LB Rick Middleton. WR Lindsey Scott, also a bust, was taken with this pick in 1982. However, the rest of the times the Saints had this pick, they chose well, such as DE Joe Johnson (1994), LB Mark Fields (1995), WR Donte Stallworth (2002), and T Jammal Brown (2005), all playing for at least nine seasons. Peat is the fourth Stanford Cardinal drafted with this pick. The rest were second round picks, starting with C Vic Lindskog, taken by the Eagles in 1942. The other two Stanford alums were busts. B George Quist (1948 by the Detroit Lions) never played a down in the NFL and LB Jack Chapple, taken in the second round in 1965 by the Kansas City Chiefs (3rd round by the 49ers), only played for one season for KC.
Miami Dolphins - The Dolphins drafted WR DeVante Parker of Louisville. This is the second time Miami had this pick. In 1984, they drafted LB Jackie Shipp, who played for six seasons. Parker is the first Louisville Cardinal selected with this pick.
San Diego Chargers - The Chargers selected RB Melvin Gordon from Wisconsin. This is the fifth time San Diego had this pick. They first used the pick in the second round in of 1961 to draft FB Keith Lincoln and chose well. Lincoln played for eight seasons. In 1970, the Chargers picked WR Walter Gillette, who played for seven seasons, but only two of them with San Diego. Their best choice with this pick was in 1988, when they drafted WR Anthony Miller, who played for ten seasons in the league. Gordon is the first Badger to be selected with this pick.
Houston Texans - The Texans picked CB Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest. This is the second time Houston had this pick. They last used this pick in 2005 to select DT Travis Johnson, who played for six seasons in the NFL. Johnson is the first Demon Deacon taken with this pick.
San Francisco 49ers - The Niners drafted DT Arik Armstead from Oregon. This is the fifth time they had this pick. San Francisco first used the pick in 1951 and drafted HB Pete Schabarum in the second round, who only played for three seasons. The Niners fared better with this pick in 1959, when they picked LB Bob Harrison in the second round, who played for nine seasons, six with San Francisco. In 1970 they drafted CB Bruce Taylor, who played for eight seasons. The last time the 49ers had this pick was in 2010, when they selected G Mike Iupati, who is still with the team. Armstead is the third Duck to be selected with this pick. The first was in 1945, when the Boston Yanks drafted C Cecil Gray in the third round. Gray never played a down in the league. The last Duck taken was Hall of Fame DB Mel Renfro, drafted with this pick in 1964 in the second round by the Cowboys.
Kansas City Chiefs - This is the second time the Chiefs had this pick and they used it to select CB Marcus Peters of Washington. The first time was in 1964, when they picked DT Ken Kortas. However, Kortas chose to play with St. Louis Cardinals, who drafted him with the ninth pick. He went on to play for six seasons in the league. Peters is the fourth Huskie taken with this pick. The first Huskie taken with this pick was C Ray Mansfield by the Eagles in the second round in 1963. Mansfield played for 14 seasons, all but his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1992, the 49ers drafted DB Dana Hall, who played for six seasons. The Raiders drafted RB Napoleon Kaufmann in 1995 and he also played for six seasons.
Cleveland Browns - With their second pick in the first round, the Browns chose C Cameron Irving from Florida State. This is the second time Cleveland had this pick. In 1960, the Browns drafted HB Prentice Gautt in the second round, who played for eight seasons, his last seven with the St. Louis Cardinals. Irving is the third Seminole to be drafted with this pick. In 2005, the St. Louis Rams used this pick to draft T Alex Barron, who played for six seasons and the Chargers used this pick in 2006 to choose CB Antonio Cromartie, who now plays for the Arizona Cardinals.
Philadelphia Eagles - The Eagles selected WR Nelson Agholor of USC. This is the seventh time Philly had this pick. The first time they had the #20 pick was in the third round of the 1944 draft. The Eagles chose G Loren LaPrade, who never played a down. The same thing happened when Philly used this pick to draft B Al Conway in the second round in 1953. However, in 1960, the Eagles chose LB Maxie Baughan in the second round and he played for twelve seasons. Another good selection with this pick in the second round was DE-DT Gary Pettigrew, drafted in 1966 (6th round by the Chargers), who opted for the NFL and played for ten seasons in the league. The Eagles also chose a wide receiver with the 20th pick in 1982, Mike Quick of North Carolina State, who played until 1990. Agholor is also the second USC Trojan taken with this pick. In 2004, Minnesota picked DE Kenichi Udeze, who only played for four seasons.
Cincinnati Bengals - Cincy picked OT Cedric Ogbuehi from Texas A&M. This is the fourth time, and the third time in six years, that the Bengals had this pick. They chose offensive players every time. The first time was in 1986, when Cincy picked WR Tim McGee, who played for nine seasons. The other two, both tight ends, are still with the team: Jermaine Gresham (2010) and Tyler Eifert (2013). Ogbuehi is the third Aggie chosen with this pick. In 1975, the St. Louis Cardinals picked DB Tim Gray, who only played for five seasons, one of them with the team that drafted him. The other was RB Roger Vick, the Jets' pick in 1987, who only played for four seasons.
Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steelers chose LB Alvin Dupree from Kentucky. This is the fourth time they had this pick, but only the latter two times was this pick in the first round. Pittsburgh first had this pick in 1946, when the selected E Jack Russell in the third round. The end position in his case was more a receiver than a defensive end. Russell played for five seasons. The Steelers had the 22nd pick again in 1950, which was in the second round, when they chose Hall of Fame DT Ernie Stautner, who played for 14 seasons. The last time they had this pick was in the first round in 1978, when they chose DB Ron Johnson, who played for seven seasons. Dupree is the first Wildcat taken with this pick.
Denver Broncos - The men in orange picked DE Shane Ray out of Missouri. This is the first time the Broncos had this pick. Ray is the second player from Mizzou to be selected here. In 1961 the Lions picked T Dan LaRose in the second round, who played for six seasons. LaRose was also picked in the 3rd round, 18th overall, by the Boston Patriots, but he chose to play with Detroit.
Arizona Cardinals - The Cards selected T DJ Humphries of Florida. This is the second time the Cards had this pick. In 1964, the St. Louis Cardinals also chose a tackle, Herschel Turner in the second round. He was also selected in the 8th round by Oakland. Turner only played for two seasons. Humphries is the second Gator to be selected with this pick. In 2000, the 49ers picked DT Reggie McGrew, who only played for three seasons. Hopefully Humphries will fare better.
Carolina Panthers - The Panthers picked LB Shaq Thompson from Washington. This is the second time Carolina had this pick. In 2007, they picked another LB, Jon Beeson, who is still playing in the NFL. Thompson is the second Huskie to be selected with this pick. In 1962, the Oakland Raiders drafted DT John Meyers in the fourth round, who never played a down with the team. Instead Meyers, also drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round, chose to play for the NFL and played six seasons in the league for the Cowboys and the Eagles.
Baltimore Ravens - Baltimore drafted WR Breshad Perriman of Central Florida. This is the second time the Ravens had this pick. In their inaugural season of 1996, Baltimore's used this pick to draft LB Ray Lewis. Perriman is also the first Knight taken with this pick.
Dallas Cowboys - The Cowboys chose DB Byron Jones of Connecticut. This is the fourth time Dallas had this pick. The first time was in 1970, when they chose T Bob Asher in the second round. Asher played for six season, the last four with the Bears. They had this pick again in 1976, this time in the first round, when they chose DB Aaron Kyle, who played for seven seasons. The last time the Cowboys had this pick was in 1979, when they chose C Robert Shaw, who only played for three seasons. Jones is the third Huskie taken with this pick. In 1963, the Jets drafted DT John Contoulis in the fourth round, but he chose to play with the Giants. However, the joke was on the G-Men, because Contoulis only played for one season. Maybe that's why New York drafted him in the 16th round. The last UConn alum who was taken with this pick was RB Donald Brown by the Colts in 2009. Brown is still in the league today.
Detroit Lions -The Lions picked G Laken Tomlinson from Duke. This is the first time Detroit has ever had this pick. Tomlinson is also the first Blue Devil ever taken with this pick.
Indianapolis Colts - The Colts picked WR Phillip Dorsett of Miami. This is the fourth time Indy had this pick. In 1983, the Baltimore Colts used this pick in the second round to draft LB Vernon Maxwell. This was the Colts next pick after they drafted John Elway. At least Maxwell played for the Colts and he lasted six seasons in the league. In 1992, Indy picked DB Ashley Ambrose in the second round. Ambrose played for 13 seasons in the league. The Colts also used this pick in 2005 to pick DB Marlin Jackson, who played for six seasons in the league. Dorsett is the first Hurricane ever selected with this pick.
Green Bay Packers - The Packers drafted FS Damarious Randall of Arizona State. This is the fourth time Green Bay had this pick. The first had the 30th overall pick in 1950, when they chose DE Gordie Soltau, who played for nine seasons, all with the 49ers. In 1966, Green Bay used this pick in the second round to draft T John Cichowski, who never played a down in the NFL. Although not drafted by the AFL, Cichowski's only two years were with Denver (1967-68). The Packers had better luck in 1997, when they drafted T-G Ross Verba, who played eight years in the league, four in Green Bay. Randall is the second Sun Devil to be selected with this pick. In 1988, Philadelphia picked DB Eric Allen in the second round. Allen played 14 seasons in the league.
New Orleans Saints - The Saints used their second pick in the first round to draft LB Stephone Anthony from Clemson. This is the fourth time the Saints had this pick, but it's the first time in the first round. They first used the 31st pick to choose T Sam Holden in the second round in 1971. Holden, who only played for that season, was the player New Orleans chose after Archie Manning. They had this pick again in 1972 and the Saints used it to choose LB Willie Hall, who played for six seasons, the last four with the Raiders. New Orleans fared better in 1986, when they drafted RB Dalton Hilliard, who played his eight year career with the Saints. Anthony is the second Clemson Tiger to be selected with this pick. In 1987, Atlanta drafted RB Kenny Flowers in the second round. Flowers only played for two seasons.
New England Patriots - The Patriots selected DT Malcolm Brown of Texas. This is the fifth time the Patriots had this pick and none of the previous four were busts. The Boston Patriots first had this pick in 1968 and drafted T Tom Funchess in the second round, who played seven seasons in the league. The Pats had this pick again the next year and selected C Mike Montler, also in the second round, who played for ten seasons in the league. New England had this pick in consecutive years again. In 2004, they picked TE Ben Watson, who is still in the league. In 2005, the Pats chose G Logan Mankins, who played all but last season with the team. Brown is the only Longhorn ever taken with this pick.

There you have it. As you can see, there's a lot of history and it still says the NFL Draft is a total crapshoot. For all we know, there may be a bunch of future Hall of Famers from this draft, legendary busts, or both. Only time will tell. Good luck to all the players, selected or not.

Have a great day!!

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