4/29/2017 football Edit

A Look At The Five Best Draft Classes In Michigan Football History

Austin Fox • Maize&BlueReview

Staff Writer

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Jabrill Peppers was the first player selected in Michigan's record-setting 2017 NFL draft. (AP)

When former Michigan cornerback Jeremy Clark heard his name called by the New York Jets during the sixth round of the NFL draft on Saturday, he became the 11th Wolverine to come off the board. Throughout their illustrious and storied history, the Maize and Blue had never seen that many players taken in a single draft – until this year.

When it comes to players being drafted, the 1970’s were a golden age for the Michigan program. In both 1972 and 1974, the Wolverines had 10 players drafted and in 1975, nine were selected. Before this year’s crew, those three draft classes stood as the three best in Michigan history.

Granted, the rules and procedures of the NFL draft have been changed and altered immensely over the years, with as many as 32 rounds occurring back in the 1940’s. With that being said, though, that just makes what the Wolverines accomplished this year all the more impressive.

To get a better sense of how extraordinary this year’s feat is, consider this statistic – as mentioned above, Michigan had seen 10 players drafted in a single year just twice (1972 and 1974), nine players just once (1975), and eight players also once (1948). Those four classes, along with this year’s, make up the five best classes in U-M NFL draft history.

2017 – 11 Players Selected

Round	Player (Pos.)	Team (Pick No.)
1	Jabrill Peppers (LB)	Cleveland Browns (25)
1	Taco Charlton (DE)	Dallas Cowboys (28)
3	Chris Wormley (DL)	Baltimore Ravens (74)
3	Jourdan Lewis (CB)	Dallas Cowboys (92)
3	Delano Hill (S)	Seattle Seahawks (95)
3	Amara Darboh (WR)	Seattle Seahawks (106)
4	Ben Gedeon (LB)	Minnesota Vikings (120)
4	Ryan Glasgow (DT)	Cincinnati Bengals (138)
4	Jehu Chesson (WR)	Kansas City Chiefs (139)
5	Jake Butt (TE)	Denver Broncos (145)
6	Jeremy Clark (CB)	New York Jets (197)

1972 – 10 Players Selected

Round	Player (Pos.)	Team (Pick No.)
1	Thom Darden (DB)	Cleveland Browns (18)
1	Mike Taylor (LB)	New York Jets (20)
2	Reggie McKenzie (OL)	Buffalo Bills (27)
2	Glenn Doughty (WR)	Baltimore Colts (47)
3	Tom Beckman (DE)	St. Louis Cardinals (57)
3	Mike Keller (LB)	Dallas Cowboys (64)
5	Billy Taylor (RB)	Atlanta Falcons (109)
10	Mike Oldham (WR)	Washington Redskins (255)
16	Guy Murdock (OL)	Houston Oilers (396)
17	Fritz Seyferth (RB)	New York Giants (419)

1974 – 10 Players Selected

Round	Player (Pos.)	Team (Pick No.)
1	Dave Gallagher (DL)	Chicago Bears (20)
2	Paul Seal (TE)	New Orleans Saints (36)
2	Ed Shuttlesworth (RB)	Baltimore Colts (37)
4	Clint Haslerig (WR)	San Francisco 49ers (83)
7	James Coode (OL)	Atlanta Falcons (173)
10	Doug Troszak (DT)	Green Bay Packers (246)
11	Bob Thornbladh (RB)	Kansas City Chiefs (275)
14	Walt Williamson (DE)	San Francisco 49ers (347)
15	Larry Cipa (QB)	New Orleans Saints (373)
16	Don Coleman (LB)	New Orleans Saints (398)

1975 – 9 Players Selected

Round	Player (Pos.)	Team (Pick No.)
1	Dave Brown (DB)	Pittsburgh Steelers (26)
6	Dennis Franklin (QB/WR)	Detroit Lions (144)
7	Gil Chapman (RB)	Buffalo Bills (166)
7	Harry Banks (DB)	Buffalo Bills (175)
8	Greg Denboer (TE)	Baltimore Colts (187)
9	Steve Strinko (LB)	Detroit Lions (219)
10	Chuck Heater (RB)	New Orleans Saints (241)
11	Tom Drake (DB)	Buffalo Bills (279)
13	Carl Russ (LB)	Atlanta Falcons (315)

1948 – 8 Players Selected

Round	Player (Pos.)	Team (Pick No.)
6	Jack Weisenburger (B)	Washington Redskins (38)
12	Jim Brieske (OL)	New York Giants (97)
14	Dick Kempthorn (B)	Philadelphia Eagles (123)
15	Pete Elliott (B)	Detroit Lions (127)
15	Dick Rifenburg (E)	Philadelphia Eagles (132)
17	Quentin Sickels (OL)	Detroit Lions (147)
17	Ralph Kohl (OL)	Philadelphia Eagles (153)
30	Bruce Hilkene (OL)	Pittsburgh Steelers (283)