Draft Week: How Bethune-Cookman Has Fared In The NFL Draft - Bethune-Cookman University Athletics

Bethune-Cookman University Athletics

Bethune-Cookman

Tab Scoreboard

Draft Week: How Bethune-Cookman Has Fared In The NFL Draft

April 22, 2020

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Will there be a Wildcat called this week in the NFL draft? We'll leave that to Mel Kiper Jr. and the rest of the sports blogosphere's "experts" whose sole reason for existence revolves around the upcoming weekend. In the meantime, celebrate with us Bethune-Cookman's storied history in the NFL draft.

IN ALL: Thirty-two Wildcats have received a phone call from NFL teams on draft weekend, including Lee Williams and the late Dewey Forte, who were selected in the 1984 supplemental draft of USFL and CFL players.

BY TEAM: Sixteen of the present 32 teams have selected at least one Wildcat during the draft. The Chiefs lead the way with four, followed by the Cowboys, Jets and Packers and Dolphins with three. The Bucs, Eagles, Steelers, Raiders and Chargers have two apiece. The Bengals, Bills, Cardinals, Jaguars, Saints and Patriots all have selected one.

BY POSITION: Seven defensive backs, four defensive ends, three defensive tackles, two tight ends, two linebackers, six running backs one offensive lineman. No quarterbacks. Yet.

THE FIRST AND THE LATEST: If you know ANYTHING about Bethune-Cookman, then this is a reminder. The legendary Cy McClairen (pictured above) was the first Wildcat to be selected when he went in the 26th round of the 1953 draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he would go on to a Pro Bowl appearance. The last Wildcat to go was Nick Collins in 2005 to Green Bay in the second round.

HIGHS: B-CU has never had a player drafted in the first round, even though Williams was the sixth pick of that 1984 supplemental draft, Four have gone in the second round, including Collins and Rashean Mathis with Jacksonville. Both made the Pro Bowl, as did Williams.

The earliest pick was Booker Reese, who went with the 32nd pick to Tampa Bay in 1982. Terry Williams, now the B-CU defensive backs coach, was drafted 37th by the Jets in 1988 and had his career shortened by a knee injury his second season.

LATE ROUNDS: McClairen might have gone in the 26th round, but there were only 12 NFL teams back in the day and "Cy" went out as the 306th selection that year. We can take pride that we've had one "Mr. Irrelevant" (the last player to be drafted) in 1972 when the Cowboys took Alphonso Cain.

WILDCAT PACKS: Multiple Wildcats have been selection in the same draft four times: In 1972 when Cain and Nathaniel Ross (Packers) were picked; 1976 was the all-time high with four (the late Willie "Foots" Lee to the Chiefs, Bernard Coleman to the Patriots, the late Randy "Sweetback" Walker to the Cardinals and Andre Robinson to the Bills). 1977 saw three Bethune-Cookman players go (Terry Anderson to the Dolphins, Charlie White to the Jets and Andre Samuels to the Chiefs) while 1982 was the last multi-Wildcat year with Reese and Charles Riggins (Packers).

Print Friendly Version