List of Memphis Tigers in the NFL draft

This is a list of Memphis Tigers football players in the NFL Draft.

Key

[edit]
B Back K Kicker NT Nose tackle
C Center LB Linebacker FB Fullback
DB Defensive back P Punter HB Halfback
DE Defensive end QB Quarterback WR Wide receiver
DT Defensive tackle RB Running back G Guard
E End T Offensive tackle TE Tight end

Selections

[edit]

As of 2023, the Memphis football program has produced 138 NFL & AFL Draft picks. An additional 44 Memphis players have gone on to be signed by teams as undrafted free agents. In 2020, Isaac Bruce became the first Memphis player inducted in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Pro Football Hall of Fame currently ranks former Tiger Stephen Gostkowski as the sixth-best kicker in NFL history.[1] Other notable former Memphis players include Andy Nelson, Dick Hudson, Harry Schuh, Tim Harris, DeAngelo Williams, and Dontari Poe.

Since 2019, the Memphis program has become known for producing a number of successful NFL running backs, including four drafted from 2019 to 2021 and a fifth signed as a free agent in 2020. In September 2021, sportscaster Dan Patrick dubbed Memphis the new "Running Back U".[2] Of the five NFL running backs Memphis produced in this period, four played as starters: Darrell Henderson for Los Angeles, Antonio Gibson for Washington, Kenneth Gainwell for Philadelphia, and Tony Pollard for Dallas. Pollard was selected to the 2022 Pro Bowl in his fourth season.

currently active players are in bold

Year Round Pick Overall Player Team Position Professional achievements
1951 16 10 193 Bill Robertson Los Angeles Rams E
1953 22 4 257 Wayne Wood Chicago Bears T
1954 24 7 284 Will Renfro Washington Redskins E
1956 22 10 263 Joe Billings Chicago Bears T
1957 11 5 126 Andy Nelson Baltimore Colts QB Pro Bowl (1960), First Team All-Pro (1959), Second Team All-Pro (1958), 2× NFL Champion (1958, 1959)
14 11 168 Bob Schmidt Chicago Bears B
1958 25 3 292 Hal Divine Philadelphia Eagles T
26 4 305 Bob Lyles Chicago Bears B
1961 3 8 36 James Earl Wright Philadelphia Eagles QB
14 2 106 James Earl Wright Boston Patriots QB
12 10 164 Donald Coffey San Francisco 49ers E
25 7 199 Donald Coffey San Diego Chargers E
1962 2 8 16 Dick Hudson San Diego Chargers T AFL All-Star (1965), 2× AFL Champion (1964, 1964), Bills All-1960s Team
15 8 120 Fred Moore San Diego Chargers DT
10 13 135 Fred Moore Baltimore Colts T
18 8 144 Dennis Biodrowski San Diego Chargers G AFL Champion (1966)
16 11 221 Dennis Biodrowski Cleveland Browns G
1963 4 1 43 John Griffin Los Angeles Rams B
8 5 61 John Griffin Denver Broncos B
27 4 212 Dick Quast Buffalo Bills G
16 5 215 Dick Quast Baltimore Colts G
16 12 222 Charlie Killett New York Giants B
29 4 228 Charlie Killett Buffalo Bills B
1964 5 9 65 Charley Brooks St. Louis Cardinals E
14 3 107 Charley Brooks New York Jets E
18 3 139 Bill Scott New York Jets G
13 6 174 Russ Vollmer Minnesota Vikings B
23 5 181 John Evans Buffalo Bills T
17 9 233 John Evans St. Louis Cardinals T
1965 1 3 3 Harry Schuh Oakland Raiders DT Pro Bowl (1970), 2× AFL All-Star (1967, 1969), All-AFL (1969), AFL Champion (1967), Raiders All-Time Team
5 13 65 Doug Woodlief Los Angeles Rams E
11 13 153 Olie Cordill Cleveland Browns B
1966 5 8 41 Bob Sherlag Buffalo Bills WR
6 4 84 Bob Sherlag Philadelphia Eagles WR
12 4 104 Harry Day Houston Oilers DE
15 4 219 Harry Day Philadelphia Eagles T
17 13 258 Dave Hathcock Green Bay Packers DB Super Bowl champion (I), NFL champion (1966)
1968 5 26 137 Francis Winkler Green Bay Packers DE
7 21 168 Dale Brady Cleveland Browns RB
11 16 289 Rich Coady Chicago Bears TE
14 5 359 Herb Covington New Orleans Saints RB
14 7 361 Chuck DeVeliegher Buffalo Bills DT
15 19 400 Bob Baxter Cleveland Browns WR
1969 17 16 432 Joe Rushing San Francisco 49ers LB
1970 5 17 121 Danny Pierce Washington Redskins RB
5 19 123 Bob Parker Detroit Lions G
9 9 217 Preston Riley San Francisco 49ers WR
10 6 240 Steve Jaggard Philadelphia Eagles DB
16 19 409 Jerry Todd Detroit Lions DB
1971 12 15 301 James Hayden Cincinnati Bengals DE
14 21 359 David Vaughn Miami Dolphins TE
17 24 440 John Bomer Dallas Cowboys C
1972 5 25 129 Charlie Babb Miami Dolphins DB
7 17 173 Ray Jamieson Oakland Raiders RB
13 16 328 John Kirschner Detroit Lions TE
1973 11 8 268 Jay Douglas San Diego Chargers C
13 3 315 Stan Davis Philadelphia Eagles WR
1974 3 10 62 Cliff Taylor Chicago Bears RB
1975 9 16 224 Everett Taylor New York Jets DB
17 21 437 Carl Taylor Washington Redskins DE
1976 15 10 413 Jerry Dandridge Green Bay Packers LB
16 18 449 Mike Fuhrman Baltimore Colts TE
1977 1 24 24 Bob Rush San Diego Chargers C
3 24 80 Terdell Middleton St. Louis Cardinals RB Pro Bowl (1978)
4 20 104 Eric Harris Kansas City Chiefs DB
4 23 107 Earl Jones Los Angeles Rams DE
6 4 143 Bob Jordan New York Giants T
1978 1 9 9 Keith Simpson Seattle Seahawks DB
2 8 36 Keith Butler Seattle Seahawks LB Super Bowl champion (XL, XLIII)
5 12 122 Keith Wright Cleveland Browns WR
1979 2 8 36 Earnest Gray New York Giants WR
2 26 54 Eddie Hill Los Angeles Rams RB
7 12 177 Judson Flint New England Patriots DB
1980 12 5 310 James Stewart Green Bay Packers DB
1981 12 22 326 Keith Clark Buffalo Bills LB
1983 2 28 56 Richard Williams Washington Redskins RB
1984 1 24 24 Derrick Crawford San Francisco 49ers WR
1985 1 14 14 Derrick Burroughs Buffalo Bills DB
3 10 66 Tim Long Minnesota Vikings T
3 11 67 Donnie Elder New York Jets DB
6 19 159 Jack Oliver New York Giants G
10 28 280 James Bowers Seattle Seahawks DB
11 8 288 Punkin Williams Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB
1986 3 15 70 Jeff Walker San Diego Chargers T
4 2 84 Tim Harris Green Bay Packers LB Pro Bowl (1989), 2× First-Team All-Pro (1988, 1989), Super Bowl champion (XXIX)
6 14 152 Gary Hunt Cincinnati Bengals DB
8 4 198 Trell Hooper Indianapolis Colts DB
1987 3 4 60 David Brandon Buffalo Bills LB
1988 7 12 177 Tim Borcky Buffalo Bills T
9 12 233 Scott Dill Phoenix Cardinals T
1989 7 17 184 Mike Nettles Seattle Seahawks DB
10 24 275 Greg Ross Miami Dolphins DT
12 2 309 James Cribbs Detroit Lions DE
12 21 328 Marlon Brown Cleveland Browns LB
1990 5 23 132 Charles Wilson Green Bay Packers WR
8 2 195 Tory Epps Atlanta Falcons DT
1991 5 15 126 Reggie Jones New Orleans Saints DB
5 24 135 Jeff Fite Green Bay Packers P
6 5 144 Eduardo Vega Phoenix Cardinals T
1993 4 27 111 Russell Copeland Buffalo Bills WR
8 10 206 Jeff Buffaloe Los Angeles Rams P
1994 2 4 33 Isaac Bruce Los Angeles Rams WR Pro Bowl (1996, 1999—2001), Second-Team All-Pro (1999), Super Bowl champion (XXXIV), NFL Receiving Yards Leader (1996), Pro Football Hall of Fame
5 23 154 Tony Semple Detroit Lions G
7 5 199 Steve Matthews Kansas City Chiefs QB
1995 4 11 109 Ken Irvin Buffalo Bills DB
1996 1 28 28 Jerome Woods Kansas City Chiefs DB Pro Bowl (2003)
1997 5 21 151 Tony Williams Minnesota Vikings DT
6 37 200 Richard Hogans Chicago Bears LB
7 32 233 Marvin Thomas Chicago Bears DE
1999 3 26 87 Mike McKenzie Green Bay Packers DB Super Bowl champion (XLIV)
2001 2 6 37 Idrees Bashir Indianapolis Colts DB
2 23 54 Michael Stone Arizona Cardinals DB
4 28 123 Marcus Bell Arizona Cardinals DT
2003 3 14 78 Wade Smith Miami Dolphins T Pro Bowl (2012)
7 46 260 Travis Anglin Detroit Lions WR
2004 7 11 212 Eric Taylor Pittsburgh Steelers DT
2006 1 27 27 DeAngelo Williams Carolina Panthers RB Pro Bowl (2009), Second-Team All-Pro (2008), 2× NFL Rushing Touchdowns leader (2008, 2015)
4 21 118 Stephen Gostkowski New England Patriots K Pro Bowl (2008, 2013—2015), 2× First-Team All-Pro (2008, 2015), NFL Record 479 Consecutive Extra Points made, 3× Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII)
2007 5 3 140 Brandon McDonald Cleveland Browns CB
2009 7 40 249 Clinton McDonald Cincinnati Bengals DE Super Bowl champion (XLVIII)
2012 1 11 11 Dontari Poe Kansas City Chiefs DT Pro Bowl (2013, 2014), Second-Team All-Pro (2013)
2014 7 41 256 Lonnie Ballentine Houston Texans DB
2015 5 9 145 Bobby McCain Miami Dolphins CB
7 10 227 Martin Ifedi St. Louis Rams DE
2016 1 26 26 Paxton Lynch Denver Broncos QB
2017 5 9 153 Jake Elliott Cincinnati Bengals K Pro Bowl (2021), Super Bowl champion (LII)
2018 2 19 51 Anthony Miller Chicago Bears WR
5 13 150 Genard Avery Cleveland Browns LB
2019 3 6 70 Darrell Henderson Los Angeles Rams RB Super Bowl champion (LVI)
4 26 128 Tony Pollard Dallas Cowboys RB Pro Bowl (2022)
2020 3 2 66 Antonio Gibson Washington Redskins RB
7 9 223 Chris Claybrooks Jacksonville Jaguars DB
7 16 230 Dustin Woodard New England Patriots C
2021 5 6 150 Kenneth Gainwell Philadelphia Eagles RB
2022 3 26 90 Dylan Parham Las Vegas Raiders OG
4 33 138 Calvin Austin Pittsburgh Steelers WR

[3]

Undrafted Free Agents

[edit]
Draft Year Player First Team Position Professional achievements
1960 Dave Strickland Denver Broncos G
1965 John Bramlett Denver Broncos LB AFL All-Star
1966 Billy Fletcher Denver Broncos DB
1978 James Thompson New York Giants WR
William Cesare Tampa Bay Buccaneers DB
1980 Ken Dunek Philadelphia Eagles TE
1982 Rick Ackerman San Diego Chargers DT
1984 Darrell Nelson Pittsburgh Steelers TE
Stan Adams Los Angeles Raiders LB
1985 Derrick Burroughs Buffalo Bills DB
1986 Eric Fairs Houston Oilers LB
1987 Jeff Womack Minnesota Vikings RB
Edwin Lovelady New York Giants WR
Enis Jackson Cleveland Browns DB
David Brandon San Diego Chargers LB
Don Bramlett Minnesota Vikings DT
Dennis Borcky New York Giants NT
1991 Glenn Rogers Tampa Bay Buccaneers DB
1995 James Logan Cincinnati Benglas LB
1996 Marcus Holliday St. Louis Rams RB
1999 Mac Cody Indianapolis Colts WR
2000 Darrius Blevins St. Louis Rams WR Super Bowl champion (XXXIV)
Reggie Howard Oakland Raiders DB
2003 Artis Hicks Philadelphia Eagles G/T
Dante Brown Pittsburgh Steelers RB
2004 Tony Brown Carolina Panthers DE
2007 Robert Douglas Tennessee Titans RB
2010 Duke Calhoun New York Giants WR
2011 Kellen Heard Oakland Raiders DT
2012 Ronald Leary Dallas Cowboys G
2013 Robert Steeples St. Louis Rams CB
2014 Akeem Davis Washington Redskins S
Marcus Ball New Orleans Saints S
Jordan Devey Baltimore Ravens T Super Bowl champion (XLIX)
2016 Alan Cross Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE
Wynton McManis San Francisco 49ers LB
2017 Mose Frazier Denver Broncos WR
Arthur Maulet New Orleans Saints CB
2019 Tevin Jones Houston Texans WR
2020 Bryce Huff New York Jets LB
Patrick Taylor Green Bay Packers RB
2021 Riley Patterson Detroit Lions K
2022 J.J. Russell Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB
Cobi Francis Houston Texans CB
2023 Quindell Johnson Los Angeles Rams S
2024 Joseph Scates Jacksonville Jaguars WR
Blake Watson Denver Broncos RB

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Top 10 Kickers | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  2. ^ "Dan Patrick named Memphis football the new "Running Back U"". Saturday Blitz. September 25, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  3. ^ DraftHistory.com