The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team, representing the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, has had 69 American football players drafted into the National Football League (NFL) since the first draft in 1936. The highest that a Warrior has ever been drafted is 19th overall, which occurred when Ashley Lelie was drafted in 2002. The St. Louis Rams have drafted the most Warriors with six.
Each NFL franchise seeks to add new players through the annual NFL Draft. The draft rules were last updated in 2009. The team with the worst record the previous year picks first, the next-worst team second, and so on. Teams that did not make the playoffs are ordered by their regular-season record, with any remaining ties broken by strength of schedule. Playoff participants are sequenced after non-playoff teams, based on their round of elimination (wild card, division, conference, and Super Bowl).
Before the merger agreement in 1966, the American Football League (AFL) operated in direct competition with the NFL and held a separate draft. This led to a massive bidding war over top prospects between the two leagues, along with the subsequent drafting of the same player in each draft. As part of the merger agreement on June 8, 1966, the two leagues held a multiple round "Common Draft". Once the AFL officially merged with the NFL in 1970, the "Common Draft" simply became the NFL Draft.
The most Warriors selected in a single NFL Draft is five, in 2007. Of the Warriors selected in the NFL Draft, two have been selected to a Pro Bowl: Jason Elam and Jesse Sapolu. Nine have been a member of a Super Bowl winning team, including Sapolu and Elam. One Warrior, Jim Mills, is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Key B Back K Kicker NT Nose tackle C Center LB Linebacker FB Fullback DB Defensive back P Punter HB Halfback DE Defensive end QB Quarterback WR Wide receiver DT Defensive tackle RB Running back G Guard E End T Offensive tackle TE Tight end
* Selected to a Pro Bowl † Won a Super Bowl championship ‡ Selected to a Pro Bowl and won a Super Bowl
Players selected
+ Hawaii Warriors selected in the NFL/AFL DraftsYearRoundPickOverallPlayerTeamPositionNotes 19681620428†Dallas CowboysDE Super Bowl champion (VI, XII) 196985186Cincinnati BengalsLB—107241New Orleans SaintsRB— 19701222308Los Angeles RamsQB— 1971105239New Orleans SaintsRB—1613403San Diego ChargersC— 19721023257Kansas City ChiefsT—1315327Atlanta FalconsTE— 197322046†Golden Richards is listed in sources as being from BYU when drafted, but transferred to Hawaii his senior year of college.Dallas CowboysWR Super Bowl champion (XII)1620410Dallas CowboysTE— 197422652†Miami DolphinsDB Super Bowl champion (XVII)179425San Francisco 49ersG— 197631676Detroit LionsDT—917254Washington RedskinsG— 1977422106†Pittsburgh SteelersT Super Bowl champion (XVI) 1979818210San Diego ChargersRB— 198091222Detroit LionsWR—92223Detroit LionsDT— 198269148Houston OilersRB—79176Atlanta FalconsRB—84199Cleveland BrownsDB—1018269†San Francisco 49ersDB Super Bowl champion (XIX) 198376174Philadelphia EaglesRB—91225Baltimore ColtsT—1110289‡San Francisco 49ersC Pro Bowl (1993, 1994) Super Bowl champion (XIX, XXIII, XXIV, XXIX) 1984726194Miami DolphinsG—85201St. Louis CardinalsLB— 1985510122Washington RedskinsDB—626166New York JetsDB—72170Houston OilersWR— 198621845Washington RedskinsWR—96227St. Louis CardinalsDB—924245New York JetsRB— 198731470St. Louis CardinalsDT—4387Tampa Bay BuccaneersTE—611151Dallas CowboysG—920243Seattle SeahawksLB— 198831671Minnesota VikingsDE—1022271Houston OilersWR— 19903760San Diego ChargersG— 1992620160Philadelphia EaglesWR— 199331470‡Denver BroncosK Pro Bowl (1995, 1998, 2002) Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII)813209†Los Angeles RamsDT Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII)824220Tampa Bay BuccaneersWR— 1994419122Pittsburgh SteelersDE— 200021546†New England PatriotsT Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX)32486San Francisco 49ersLB—410104St. Louis RamsG— 2001719219Atlanta FalconsG— 200211919Denver BroncosWR— 200321143St. Louis RamsLB—3872Jacksonville JaguarsG—3973Seattle SeahawksT— 200421042Tennessee TitansDE—48104San Francisco 49ersDT— 2005611185Jacksonville JaguarsWR— 200722658Detroit LionsDE—22860Miami DolphinsC—67181Miami DolphinsFB—626200Cleveland BrownsDE—726236Philadelphia EaglesRB— 2008620186Washington RedskinsQB— 200922052Cleveland BrownsDE—33094Tennessee TitansDB—625198New England PatriotsLS— 201133296Green Bay PackersRB—415112St. Louis RamsWR—51132Carolina PanthersWR— 201272209St. Louis RamsLB— 2015714231Tampa Bay BuccaneersFB— 201921143Detroit LionsLB—722236Seattle SeahawksWR— 2020710224Tennessee TitansQB—
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