Irish in the NFL draft
One and possibly two Irish players will be selected in the first round Thursday night during the annual NFL draft in New York's Radio City Music Hall - wide receiver Michael Floyd and safety Harrison Smith. Here's a quick recap of Irish players in the draft through the years.
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Number of first-round NFL draft choices in Notre Dame history: 60
Last overall No. 1 selection: DE-Walt Patulski by the Buffalo Bills in 1972.
Overall No. 1 selections: In addition to Patulski…QB/RB-Paul Hornung by the Green Bay Packers in 1957, E-Leon Hart by the Detroit Lions in 1950, QB-Frank Dancewicz by the Boston Yanks in 1946, QB-Angelo Bertelli by Boston in 1944.
We're No. 2: Notre Dame has had seven players selected as the No. 2 overall pick. The last one was QB-Rick Mirer by the Seattle Seahawks in 1993. Prior to that, it was DT-Steve Niehaus by Seattle in 1976, DT-Mike McCoy by Green Bay in 1970, OT-George Kunz by the Atlanta Falcons in 1969, QB-George Izo by the Chicago Cardinals in 1960, T-Art Hunter by Green Bay in 1954, and QB-Bob Williams by the Chicago Bears in 1951.
Most first-round selections: Four in 1993 - Rick Mirer (No. 2) by the Seattle Seahawks, RB-Jerome Bettis (No. 10) by the Los Angeles Rams, CB-Tommy Carter (No. 17) by the Washington Redskins, and TE-Irv Smith (No. 20) by the New Orleans Saints.
Four in 1946 -- QB-Frank Dancewicz (No. 1) by the Boston Yanks, QB-Johnny Lujack (No. 4) by the Chicago Bears, T-George Connor (No. 5) by the New York Giants and RB-Emil Sitko (No. 10) by the Los Angeles Rams.
Last player selected in the first round: QB-Brady Quinn by the Cleveland Browns (No. 22) in 2007.
Last time Notre Dame had at least two players selected in the first round: 1994 - DL-Bryant Young (San Francisco, No. 7), OG-Aaron Taylor (Green Bay, No. 16) and FS-Jeff Burris (Buffalo, No. 27).
Last top 10 pick: DL-Bryant Young by San Francisco (No. 7) in 1994.
Last wide receiver selected in the first round: Tim Brown, by the Los Angeles Raiders (No. 6) in 1988.
Last safety selected in the first round: Jeff Burris, by the Buffalo Bills (No. 27) in 1994.
Last offensive lineman drafted in the first round: C-Jeff Faine, by the Cleveland Browns (No. 21) in 2003.
Last defensive lineman drafted in the first round: Renaldo Wynn, by the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 21) in 1997.
Last running back drafted in the first round: Jerome Bettis, by the Los Angeles Rams (No. 10) in 1993.
Last tight end drafted in the first round: Irv Smith, by the New Orleans Saints (No. 20) in 1993.
Last linebacker drafted in the first round: Bob Crable, by the New York Jets (No. 23) in 1982.
Last linebacker drafted: Courtney Watson, second round (No. 60), by the New Orleans Saints in 2004.
Last running back drafted: Julius Jones, second round (No. 43) by the Dallas Cowboys in 2004.
Most players drafted in first seven rounds since Lou Holtz: Seven in 2007, 2003 and 1999.
Most players drafted in first seven rounds during the Holtz era: Ten in 1994.
Last time Notre Dame didn't have a player drafted: 1977.
