The weekend’s biggest buzz in college football was the unexpected slide of Shedeur Sanders in the NFL draft. The highly anticipated player, known for his remarkable performances, slipped down to the fifth round, grabbing headlines. Sanders’ selection by the Browns was particularly noteworthy because they had already selected another quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, two rounds earlier. This event marked a rare occurrence in NFL draft history, as it was the first time since 2012 that a team picked two quarterbacks within the first five rounds. Back then, Washington made headlines by drafting Robert Griffin III second overall and Kirk Cousins in the fourth round.
Instances of similar events are few and far between in the common draft era, which began in 1967. In the past, Green Bay picked Anthony Dilweg in the third round and Jeff Graham in the fourth round in 1989. Graham, despite being traded to Washington, never played an NFL game, while Dilweg started seven games in 1990. The Colts took a similar approach in 1982, selecting Art Schlichter and Mike Pagel in the fourth round; Schlichter’s career was marred by gambling issues, whereas Pagel enjoyed a long career as a backup. In 1971, the Houston Oilers listed Dan Pastorini and Lynn Dickey, both who ended up having long tenures as starting quarterbacks.
There are a couple of other rare instances where one of the quarterbacks transitioned to another position. The Jets drafted Kellen Clemens in the second round and Brad Smith in the fourth round in 2006. Clemens maintained a backup role in the NFL for 12 seasons, while Smith enjoyed a diverse career as a receiver, returner, and occasional wildcat quarterback. In 1968, the Raiders selected Eldrige Dickey, who transitioned to receiver, and Ken Stabler, who moved on to have a Hall of Fame career at quarterback.
Players undertaking journeys to non-quarterback positions within the draft landscape are infrequent, but trading draft picks for top choices isn’t uncommon. In the last 13 drafts before this season, it happened five times. Trading for non-quarterbacks, however, is a rarity. Recently, Jacksonville trading with Cleveland for the opportunity to move from the fifth position to the second to snag Travis Hunter was the first since 1997 for a non-quarterback selection. Back in 1997, the Raiders ascended to the second slot before the Rams secured the first pick, selecting Hall of Famer Orlando Pace. The Raiders then drafted Darrell Russell. No wide receivers had been drafted in the top two since Calvin Johnson in 2007, nor a defensive back since Eric Turner in 1991.
The draft saw the SEC and Ohio State dominant, with 79 players chosen from the SEC and 14 from Ohio State, echoing their standing as top football conferences. With the integration of Texas, Oklahoma, USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, the SEC and the Big Ten commanded the draft, contributing to 58% of selections. Complementing this takeover were the ACC with 42 picks and the Big 12 with 31, accounting for nearly 87% of the draft, excluding the six from Notre Dame.
Outside these power conferences, the Group of Five produced just 18 drafted players as talent flowed upwards, leaving only eight players from non-FBS teams present. A spread of 86 schools featured in the draft, with Ohio State leading with 14 selections, a precedent set only by Georgia in 2022’s seven-round draft era. The Bulldogs, Texas, Oregon, and Ole Miss followed suit in volume, with several consistently top-performing schools like Alabama, Florida, LSU, Miami, and Michigan also having healthy prospects.
This year’s player pool saw a balanced distribution of offense and defense selections. Each side witnessed 126 players picked, excluding two-way player Travis Hunter. Additionally, four specialists were drafted, with Julian Ashby standing out as a rarely chosen long snapper. Defensive linemen led by numbers, followed closely by defensive backs and offensive linemen. The draft saw 30 wide receivers and 25 running backs, contributing to a diverse selection covering quarterbacks, tight ends, and linebackers.
Significantly, the draft marked only the fourth event in the common draft era to witness two tight ends chosen within the top 15 picks. Chicago picked Colston Loveland tenth, followed by Indianapolis selecting Tyler Warren fourteenth. Similar occurrences were recorded back in 1992, 1973, and 1972, showcasing the changing dynamics and strategies within NFL teams as they seek to build multifaceted rosters capable of embracing the demands of contemporary football.