Note: Starting next week, Packers.com will provide readers with NFL Draft preview analysis by NFL.com contributors Gil Brandt and Pat Kirwan.
Here are some interesting notes you might have not known about when it comes to the NFL draft.
HISTORY ...
- The first draft took place on Feb. 5, 1936, and nine teams drafted nine players each for a total of 81.
- In 1937, league president Joe Carr stated at the draft meeting that because there was a possibility of a 10th team joining the league the following season, 10 players should be drafted for that new squad. It was decided the league would draft for the new franchise, selecting the last player in each round. Before the 1937 season, the Cleveland Rams were admitted as the newest team in the NFL. The Rams defeated only Philadelphia that season and finished in last place with a record of 1-10-0. Because of that, they had the first pick in the 1938 draft and took Corbett Davis of Indiana.
PLAYER TIDBITS ...
- Three players selected first overall in the draft have been Super Bowl MVPs -- Troy Aikman, John Elway and Terry Bradshaw.
- Five fathers who were drafted in the first round have sons in the 2004 draft:
Ross Browner, 1978, Cincinnati (Max Starks, Florida)
Archie Manning, 1971, New Orleans (Eli Manning, Ole Miss)
Walter Payton, 1975, Chicago (Jarrett Payton, Miami (Fla.))
Otis Wilson, 1980, Chicago (Quincy Wilson, West Virginia)
Kellen Winslow, 1979, San Diego (Kellen Winslow Jr., Miami (Fla.))
- The most players with the same last name selected in the first round was three, and that happened three times:
1990 -- Smith
1993 -- Smith
2003 -- Johnson
There could be four players with the last name of Williams selected this year: Southern California's Mike (eligibility pending), Miami (Fla.'s) D.J., Washington's Reggie and Texas' Roy.
COLLEGE TIDBITS ...
- The most picks in the first round from one school is five, and it happened twice -- Southern California in 1968 and Miami (Fla.) 2002. Miami could have six this year.
- The Hurricanes also hold the record for most players selected in a seven-round draft (11 in 2002). Ohio State has enough talent to possibly break that record this year.
- The University of Texas set a record with the most players selected by any school in one single draft when the Longhorns saw 17 of their players selected in 1984. At least one Longhorn has been picked in 66 consecutive drafts. None was taken in 1936 and 1937. Ohio State has had at least one played picked in every draft, except for 1998.
DRAFT TIDBITS ...
- In the past five years, 1,276 players have been drafted. A total of 300 of them were on the roster of the team that drafted them this past season and have been starters at some point.
- A total of 432 of the 1,276 players drafted in the past five years were on their original teams' rosters and have not started.
- Fifty-four percent of the players drafted in 1999 are still playing in the NFL.
61 percent from 2000
77 percent from 2001
84 percent from 2002
95 percent from 2003
- Since 2001, 50 players drafted in the first round have been defensive players and 45 have been offensive players. Look for more offensive players to be drafted in the first round this year.
- The most players drafted at one position in the first round over the past 10 years break down like this:
Defensive ends: 44
Wide receivers: 39
Cornerbacks: 38
Offensive tackles: 37
Running backs: 30
Defensive tackles: 28
Outside linebackers: 24
Quarterbacks: 21
Tight ends: 12
Safeties: 12
- The most players picked in the first round at one position in one draft breaks down like this:
Seven defensive ends in 1997
Six defensive tackles in 2003
Six wide receivers in 2001
Six outside linebackers in 1997
Six cornerbacks in 1997
It is possible that seven wide receivers could be selected in Round 1 this year.
- The past seven players selected No. 1 overall are still with the team that picked them:
Carson Palmer, Cincinnati, 2003
David Carr, Houston, 2002
Michael Vick, Atlanta, 2001
Courtney Brown, Cleveland, 2000
Tim Couch, Cleveland, 1999
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis, 1998
Orlando Pace, St. Louis, 1997
DID YOU KNOW ...
- Over the past 10 years, only two teams have not had a pick in the first 10 overall selections -- Denver and Miami.
- The Chicago Bears have had the most draft choices over the past five years (49). The Washington Redskins have had the least over the same time (32).
- Indianapolis has seen 41 percent of its draft picks over the past five years (15 of 37) become starters at some point, the highest percentage of any team in the same time frame.
- No player selected No. 1 overall has played in the Super Bowl in his first season.
