The 2019 NFL draft has come and gone, and Michigan saw five of its players come off the board (linebacker Devin Bush at No. 10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, defensive end Rashan Gary at No. 12 to the Green Bay Packers, defensive end Chase Winovich at No. 77 to the New England Patriots, cornerback David Long at No. 79 to the Los Angeles Rams and tight end Zach Gentry at No. 141 to the Steelers).
As is always the case, there were plenty of interesting occurrences the U-M football program hadn't necessarily seen in several years, and we've rounded up the most notable ones.
With that in mind, the 2019 NFL draft marked the first time…
• Michigan had two of its players go within the first 12 picks since 1945. In '45, wide receiver/tight end Elroy Hirsch went No. 5 overall to the Cleveland Rams, while running back Don Lund went No. 7 to the Chicago Bears.
Two Wolverines were actually chosen in the top-12 of the 1941 draft as well (running back Tom Harmon went first to the Bears, while quarterback Forest Evashevski was taken 10th overall by the Washington Redskins), making 2019 just the third time it has ever occurred.
• U-M had a player selected in the top-10 since offensive tackle Jake Long went No. 1 overall to the Miami Dolphins in 2008. Both offensive tackle Taylor Lewan (No. 11 to the Tennessee Titans) in 2014 and defensive end Brandon Graham (No. 13 to the Philadelphia Eagles) in 2010 both came close to cracking the top-10, but neither could stop U-M from enduring a decade-long drought of no top-10 selections.
• The Maize and Blue saw a defensive player chosen in the top-10 since cornerback Charles Woodson was taken No. 4 overall by the Oakland Raiders in 1998. Since Woodson in '98, the Wolverines have seen three offensive players go in the top-10 (David Terrell to the Bears in 2001, wideout Braylon Edwards to the Cleveland Browns in 2005 and Long to the Dolphins in 2008), but oddly enough no defensive athletes until Bush in 2019.
• The Wolverines saw one of their defensive linemen (end or tackle) chosen within the first 12 selections since Curtis Greer went No. 6 to the Cardinals in 1980.
