The University of Kansas Jayhawks football team has had 175 players drafted into the National Football League (NFL). KU has seen nine players taken in the first round, including six top-10 picks: Gale Sayers, John Riggins, Ray Evans, Mike Butler, John Hadl, and David Verser. Sayers, a College and Pro Football Hall of Famer, was the highest pick from KU as the fourth overall pick in the 1965 NFL draft. Nine different Jayhawks have been drafted in the first round, Aqib Talib, who was drafted with the 20th overall selection in the 2008 NFL draft is the most recent Jayhawk to be drafted in the first round.

Through the annual NFL draft each NFL franchise gets the chance to add new players to their teams. The current draft rules were established in 2009. The team with the worst record the previous year gets to pick first, then the next-worst team picks second, and so on. Teams that were not in the playoffs receive their draft order by their regular-season record. If 2 or more non-playoff teams have the same record the tie breaker used is their strength of schedule. Playoff teams receive their draft order after all the non-playoff teams, based on their round of elimination (wild card, division, conference, and Super Bowl).

In 1944 the All-America Football Conference was established and it began play in 1946 in direct competition with the NFL. From 1946 to 1949 the two leagues fiercely competed for the top college football prospects with each league holding their own drafts, before the AAFC finally merged with the NFL at the end of the 1949 season.

Like the AAFC earlier, 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. As part of the merger agreement on June 8, 1966, the two leagues would hold a multiple round "common draft". Once the AFL officially merged with the NFL in 1970, the common draft simply became the NFL draft.

Sixteen former Jayhawks who were drafted have been selected to a Pro Bowl or AFL All-Star Game. Twelve former Jayhawks who were drafted have won a championship with their respective teams, one was named MVP, John Riggins in Super Bowl XVII.

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Key B Back K Kicker NT Nose tackle C Center LB Linebacker 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 FB Fullback

* Selected to a Pro Bowl or AFL All-Star Game † Won an NFL championship ‡ Selected to a Pro Bowl or AFL All-Star Game and won an NFL championship ! College Hall of Famer ± NFL Hall of Famer

Selections

YearFrom 1960 through 1966, teams with a superscript AFL denotes a player drafted in the AFL draft and teams with a superscript NFL denotes a player drafted in the NFL draft.From 1946 through 1949, teams with a superscript AAFC denotes a player drafted in the All-America Football Conference and teams with a superscript NFL denotes a player drafted in the NFL draft. Round Pick Overall Player Team Position Notes19389676Detroit LionsB—1939181161Pittsburgh PiratesE—1935175Brooklyn DodgersG—194014 3123Philadelphia EaglesB—19429272Cleveland RamsE—167147Brooklyn DodgersBHall of fame basketball coach1944199|Chicago BearsBCollege Football Hall of Fame91187Boston YanksG—261264Chicago CardinalsT—303310Detroit LionsE—1945275276Chicago CardinalsB—2711285Green Bay PackersB—1947236211*Chicago CardinalsNFLDBPro Bowl (1950, 1951)295270Green Bay PackersNFLB—1948191166New York GiantsNFLG—2010185Chicago CardinalsNFLC—1949228219Chicago BearsNFLB—237228Washington RedskinsNFLB—19505 659New York GiantsB—212263New York BulldogsB—217268Pittsburgh SteelersG—275344Washington RedskinsT—19513834‡±New York YanksTPro Football Hall of FameNFL Champion (1954, 1955)Pro Bowl (1951, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962)5252Green Bay PackersB—293342San Francisco 49ersT—19522011240Cleveland BrownsB—258297San Francisco 49ersB—19532619Green Bay PackersB—4845Philadelphia EaglesG—61273Detroit LionsT—125138Pittsburgh SteelersB—1310155‡Cleveland BrownsBNFL Champion (1964)Pro Bowl (1962, 1963)221254Baltimore ColtsC—2610311Cleveland BrownsB—19545655San Francisco 49ersG—148165Philadelphia EaglesB—1810215San Francisco 49ersE—2611312Cleveland BrownsG—1955218249Philadelphia EaglesE—1956132147San Francisco 49ersB—268309New York GiantsB—1957119130Chicago CardinalsG—144161Cleveland BrownsB—166187Baltimore ColtsT—209238Chicago CardinalsT—226259Baltimore ColtsT—269310Chicago CardinalsB—308357Chicago CardinalsT—1958126139Los Angeles RamsT—1812217Detroit LionsB—1959147163Pittsburgh SteelersE—2611311Cleveland BrownsB—19608 1296New York GiantsNFLC—102110†‡Los Angeles RamsNFLRB Super Bowl Champion (IV)AFL All-Star Game (1962, 1966, 1967) (Offensive MVP in 1962)1961146110†‡Dallas TexansAFLRBSuper Bowl Champion (IV)AFL All-Star Game (1962, 1966, 1967) (Offensive MVP in 1962)143185Washington RedskinsNFLB—19621 1010*|Detroit LionsNFLQBCollege Football Hall of FameAFL All-Star Game (1964, 1965, 1968, 1969) (1969 MVP)Pro Bowl (1972, 1973)3824*San Diego ChargersAFLQB College Football Hall of FameAFL All-Star Game (1964, 1965, 1968, 1969) (1969 MVP)Pro Bowl (1972, 1973)7185Washington RedskinsNFLRB—141105San Diego ChargersAFLRB—208274San Francisco 49ersNFLRB—231177Oakland RaidersAFLG—277215Houston OilersAFLRB—19637690Dallas CowboysNFLG—1965144*±Chicago BearsNFLRBCollege Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FamePro Bowl (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969)Pro Bowl MVP (1967. 1968, 1969)155*±Kansas City ChiefsAFLBCollege Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FamePro Bowl (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969)Pro Bowl MVP (1967. 1968, 1969)83101Chicago BearsNFLT—810108Green Bay PackersNFLE—161121Denver BroncosAFLT—191145Denver BroncosAFLRB—196611697Kansas City ChiefsAFLDB—147125Oakland RaidersAFLDB—157134Oakland RaidersAFLFB—196761134New Orleans SaintsG—1725444Green Bay PackersTE—19681020266Dallas CowboysWR—196921541Chicago BearsQB—3860New York GiantsDE—42199*Los Angeles RamsDEPro Bowl (1973)513117New Orleans SaintsT—109243Philadelphia EaglesRB—143341Atlanta FalconsDB—1619409St. Louis CardinalsRB—197021844Baltimore ColtsDT—611141Denver BroncosTE—1013247Atlanta FalconsDB—1124284Oakland RaidersLB—1712428Atlanta FalconsK—19711 66‡±New York JetsFBPro Football Hall of FameSuper Bowl Champion (XVII)Super Bowl MVP (XVII)Pro Bowl (1975)21541Cincinnati BengalsG—52106‡Pittsburgh SteelersTE Super Bowl Champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV)Pro Bowl (1982)824206*Dallas CowboysWR Pro Bowl (1976)1972516120Los Angeles RamsG—72158Cincinnati BengalsRB—142340Buffalo BillsDT—1516380Detroit LionsLB—1517381Los Angeles RamsLB—197332476Pittsburgh SteelersG—4583Baltimore ColtsT—925233Washington RedskinsLB—1515379Buffalo BillsRB—197411515San Diego ChargersLB—22349*San Francisco 49ersRB Pro Bowl (1976, 1978)31163Philadelphia EaglesDT—31466Kansas City ChiefsQB—1619409Oakland RaidersWR—197521440Houston OilersWR—425103Minnesota VikingsWR—525129Minnesota VikingsRB—613143Miami DolphinsLB—619149New Orleans SaintsLB—197621543Los Angeles RamsDB—2 2957San Francisco 49ersDB—31171Atlanta FalconsG—610166Kansas City ChiefsDB—94241Buffalo BillsLB—1977199Green Bay PackersDE—2331*Los Angeles RamsDB Pro Bowl (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983)21341Seattle SeahawksLB—41599Pittsburgh SteelersRB—57119Philadelphia EaglesDB—710177Kansas City ChiefsDB—820215Kansas City ChiefsWR—197832682Oakland RaidersT—516126Cincinnati BengalsLB—520130Philadelphia EaglesRB—1110288Philadelphia EaglesRB—197932581Los Angeles RamsC—19802 331Cincinnati BengalsLB—31470*Los Angeles RamsDBPro Bowl (1985, 1986)513123New York JetsLB—1116293New England PatriotsP—198111010Cincinnati BengalsWR—111277New Orleans SaintsWR—1982717184Kansas City ChiefsDT—98231Detroit LionsDB—198322452Pittsburgh SteelersWR—1120299Green Bay PackersP—1984512124New England PatriotsG—716184New England PatriotsK—719187Detroit LionsT—1984s32076Seattle SeahawksQB—32278Denver BroncosT—198632075†Washington RedskinsDBSuper Bowl champion (XXII)622160Los Angeles RamsRB—78174Cleveland BrownsQB—719185Dallas CowboysWR—19871110289Pittsburgh SteelersC—199110 17267Houston OilersLB—1992512124Miami DolphinsT—99233Cleveland BrownsDB—199312626‡San Francisco 49ersDTSuper Bowl Champion (XXIX)Pro Bowl (1994, 1995, 1997)32379†Minnesota VikingsDTSuper Bowl Champion (XXXI)1994425128New York GiantsDT—199576214St. Louis RamsDB—720228Detroit LionsG—199631879Miami DolphinsDB—710219Cincinnati BengalsT—717226†Denver BroncosGSuper Bowl Champion (XXXIII)726235Denver BroncosRB—199733393Miami DolphinsRB—533163Kansas City ChiefsRB—632195Kansas City ChiefsWR—1998750239†New Orleans SaintsLBSuper Bowl Champion (XXXVII)20014 20115New Orleans SaintsFB—2002415113Arizona CardinalsDT—615187†Tennessee TitansC Super Bowl Champion (XLIII)2004436132New York JetsT—200553139Cleveland BrownsDE—200812020‡Tampa Bay BuccaneersDBSuper Bowl Champion (50)Pro Bowl (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)413112Cincinnati BengalsT—433132Buffalo BillsTE—65171New York JetsWR—20104 12110*San Diego ChargersDBPro Bowl (2014)534165Atlanta FalconsWR—622191Cincinnati BengalsWR—2013523156Cincinnati BengalsT—201554140Oakland RaidersLB—615191Philadelphia EaglesDB—725242Oakland RaidersDB—2018416116Dallas CowboysDE—202061180Cincinnati BengalsT—202262181Philadelphia EaglesLB—202432286San Francisco 49ersG—59144Chicago BearsDE—202568184New Orleans SaintsRB—616192Seattle SeahawksG—2026539179San Francisco 49ersT—618199Seattle SeahawksWR—

Notable undrafted players Below are players who played at least two seasons in the NFL.

Note: No drafts held before 1936 Year Player Position Debut Team Notes 1981 DB New Orleans Saints — 1984 WR New York Giants Super Bowl champion (XXI) † DB New York Giants Super Bowl champion (XXI, XXVIII) 1987 LB Cleveland Browns — 1992 S Kansas City Chiefs — 1995 DB Arizona Cardinals — 1998 DB San Francisco 49ers — 1999 T San Francisco 49ers — 2006 DB Minnesota Vikings — 2010‡ S Denver BroncosSuper Bowl Champion (50)Pro Bowl (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018) 2013 S Kansas City Chiefs — 2017 S Washington Redskins — 2019 WR Washington Redskins —

See also List of University of Kansas people

Notes

References