NFL Record Six Miami Hurricanes Selected In First Round

April 24, 2004

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes set a record with six players drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Saturday afternoon. UM has now had 19 players drafted in the first round in the past four seasons.

It marks the 10th year in a row the Hurricanes have produced at least one First Round NFL Draft pick

“Having a record six players chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft is an unbelievable honor for the University of Miamifootball program,” Miami Head Coach Larry Coker said. “The fact that we have had 19 first round selections in the past four years is a reflection of how hard the student-athletes have worked to improve and the guidance provided by the coaching staff.”

The six first-round selections led all schools with Ohio State a distant second with three first-round choices. It marks the fourth consecutive season that Miami has produced the most first-round choices in the NFL Draft. Four UM players were first-round choices in 2003, five were taken in 2002 and four were first-round selections in the 2001 Draft.

The six UM student-athletes – free safety Sean Taylor (5th overall by the Washington Redskins), tight end Kellen Winslow II (6th overall by the Cleveland Browns), linebacker Jonathan Vilma (12th overall by the New York Jets), linebacker D.J. Williams (17th overall by the Denver Broncos), offensive lineman Vernon Carey (19th overall by the Miami Dolphins) and defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (21st overall by the New England Patriots) – selected in the first round Saturday afternoon, gives UM a total of 19 players who have been taken in the first round over the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 drafts. That four-year total is an all-time record for any college football program.

Carey’s selection by the hometown Dolphins marked the first time Miami’s NFL franchise had selected a Hurricane since picking Yatil Green with the 15th overall selection in 1997.

Miami’s 10 first-rounders over the last two years surpasses the mark set by UM in 2001 and 2002 and then again in 2002 and 2003. The previous record was seven set by USC in 1968-69 and matched by Notre Dame in 1993-94. Prior to the last four years, Miami’s previous best two-year total was five, achieved three times (1987-88, 1988-89 and 2000-01). Florida State also produced five first-round selections in 1995-96, as did Tennessee in 1991-92.

Other Hurricanes selected on Saturday:
The most Hurricanes selected in a single NFL Draft were 12 in 1988, followed by 11 in 2002 and 1963, and nine selections in 1993. Miami has produced two No. 1 selections in the draft: Vinny Testaverde (1987 by Tampa Bay) and Russell Maryland (1991 by Dallas). The most players selected in a single NFL Draft from a single school is 14 set by USC in 1975 and duplicated in 1977.

Miami Is Number One In The First Round
Since 1984, Miami has produced more NFL first-round draft picks than any other college. In 2004, UM had a record six players (Sean Taylor, Kellen Winslow II, Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams, Vernon Carey and Vince Wilfork) drafted in the first round. Miami had four first round pickes in 2003, five in 2002, four in 2001, and three first-round picks in 1987 and 1991. In 1991, UM defensive lineman Russell Maryland was the No. 1 overall pick. In 1987, UM quarterback Vinny Testaverde was the No. 1 pick in the draft. The following chart illustrates the top 10 colleges that have turned out the most first-round draft picks since 1984.

*Supplemental Draft