Last 12 months, WVU’s Rasul Douglas (1/3 round) and Shelton Gibson (fifth) had been both taken by what became out to be the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. This season? Well, it may not be a bumper crop for the Mountaineers. Safety Kyzir White is projected to be decided on everywhere from the second one to the fourth spherical. Other than that, no WVU player is a lock to be drafted, and to try and speculate who or wherein is futile. Still, it’s a fun time for each professional and college football fan. In that vein, it’s a super time to appearance returned at preceding NFL drafts regarding West Virginia University. Exactly what is the great typical magnificence to emerge from Morgantown? What’s one of the maximum underrated classes?
Our selections of a path are enormously subjective. Also, there need to be parameters. For instance, one can’t factor to 1983, even though it protected four-time Super Bowl participant and -time All-Pro Darryl Talley of the Buffalo Bills. The best different teammate to be taken was tight given up Mark Raugh within the eleventh round. (Quiz: By which group? Answer: Pittsburgh Steelers.) “Jumbo Joe” Stydahar, Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 1967, changed into taken in the first round of the 1936 draft — in conjunction with no different Mountaineers. Hinton native Dick Leftridge became the 0.33 basic pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1966 but didn’t pan out, nor did the opposite in his magnificence.
Also, one has to hold in mind some famous figures weren’t drafted in any respect, like Charleston’s very own Walt Easley, who was a Super Bowl champ with the San Francisco 49ers. Ditto Jerry Holmes, who played 9 years in the league as a cornerback. Anyway, allow’s get to it. Here are our alternatives on the answers — and extra — as we method the 2018 model of the NFL choice procedure. Largest WVU instructions: Both the 1954 and 1989 classes had 8 Mountaineers decided on. One would assume that would mechanically place each in the walking for the first-class ever. But one would be incorrect. The 1954 magnificence became led by Tommy Allman, but he wasn’t taken till the fourth round by way of the Green Bay Packers. And returned then groups have been nevertheless taking gamers inside the twenty-ninth spherical, as Jack Stone located out.
Meanwhile, Bo Orlando –– who had a tremendous nine-season run in the NFL — paced the 1989 magnificence. But he and Craig Taylor (3 years) weren’t drafted until the sixth spherical. Avoid Mays did play for 6 years, but the only other one of the organization to have a coffee cup inside the league becomes Undra Johnson. Short and incredibly candy class: In case you’ve forgotten, 3 of WVU’s maximum popular gamers — Tavon Austin, Geno Smith, and Stedman Bailey — went in the first, second, and 1/3 rounds, respectively, in 2013. There had been no different Mountaineers taken that 12 months.
Most rather regarded by means of the NFL class: Considering the dimensions of the class, one has to look at that of 1999. Six players have been taken that yr and five have been either within the second or third spherical: Charles Fisher, Solomon Page, John Thornton (2d), Gary Stills, and Amos Zereoue (1/3). Also, Kevin Landolt changed into selected inside the fourth spherical. That turned out to be a completely exceptional magnificence because Thornton performed 10 years for Cincinnati and Tennessee, and Stills performed 10, frequently in Kansas City. (He also produced what might be -thirds of WVU’s 2018 defensive line.) Zereoue, meanwhile, played for seven years, normally with Pittsburgh.
Small however athletically proficient elegance: That needs to be 2005. Tremendous athletic capability becomes found in two players, Adam “Pac-Man” Jones and Chris Henry. Jones has led an afflicted but very lengthy 12-12 months profession, whilst a completely gifted Henry’s life become tragically cut short in 2009. Quarterback Rasheed Marshall become additionally decided on in the 5th spherical that year. Underrated class: Class of 1996, rise and take a bow. There had been 5 Mountaineers taken that year and all five players in the NFL for at the least 4 years.
Aaron Beasley (third round) played 9 years in the main for Jacksonville. John Browning (third) is one in every of WVU’s maximum underrated gamers ever after gambling 12, desirous about Kansas City. Canute Curtis (sixth) turned into the league for 6 seasons, all with Cincy. And then there have been a pair names Mountaineer lovers may have forgotten. Both Kantroy Barber and Lovett Purnell performed 4 years in the NFL.
And eventually
The quality WVU draft magnificence of all-time: Give it up for the 1956 magnificence.
Surprised? Understandable.
Yet test it out. Joe Marconi was taken inside the first spherical with the aid of the Los Angeles Rams. Not a terrible pick out thinking about he performed for 11 seasons with the Rams and Chicago Bears and became a Pro Bowl selection in 1964. Bruce Bosley changed into decided on within the second spherical by the San Francisco 49ers. Another sturdy select thinking about the lineman played a whopping 14 seasons and became a 4-time All-Pro pick before completing Atlanta. Included in the class is Fred Wyant, who only performed one year in the NFL however later became the face of NFL officiating.
Oh, after which, there has been a fellow named Sam Huff inside the class. All the man did be become the face of the NFL as a New York Giant and Washington Redskin, win a championship, emerge as a 5-time Pro Bowl selection, have his range retired at WVU, and be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982. He changed into the first NFL participant to make the duvet of Time mag. He turned into the concern of a CBS special called “The Violent World of Sam Huff” as provided with the aid of Walter Cronkite.
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