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Oklahoma Football: Five Highest Sooner NFL Draft Picks

By Chip Rouse

Oct 15, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; The Oklahoma Sooners finish warmups prior to action against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; The Oklahoma Sooners finish warmups prior to action against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2017 NFL Draft is less than a week away, and like in most years, several Oklahoma football players are expected to be among the 224-plus players lucky enough to be selected.

In the 81 years since the first NFL Draft was conducted, in 1936, 377 players from the University of Oklahoma have been selected and a number of other Sooner players who were undrafted have found there way into football’s highest level as free agents.

Jan 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) passes against the Chicago Bears in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 38-10. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) passes against the Chicago Bears in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 38-10. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /

For three days beginning next Thursday night in Philadelphia, the 2017 NFL Draft will take center stage as general managers and other personnel of the 32 teams take calculated aim at the best players coming out of the college football world.

Although it is highly unlikely that any Oklahoma player will be among the first 32 players selected as first-day, first-round picks this year, several Sooners are expected to come off the board on Day 2 and 3, including running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, wide receiver Dede Westbrook and defensive tackle Charles Walker.

Forty-three of the 377 Sooners who have been taken in the NFL Draft were selected in the first round. On three different occasions, an Oklahoma player was the first player selected overall in that year’s draft.

This got us wondering who would be considered the five highest Oklahoma draft picks of all time? Under Bud Wilkinson? Under Barry Switzer? In the Bob Stoops era?

Five Highest OU NFL Draft Selections of All-Time

(Draft position in parentheses)

  1. Billy Sims (1st overall), RB, Heisman Trophy winner, drafted by Detroit Lions, 1980
  2. Lee Roy Selmon (1st Overall), DE, drafted by Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1976
  3. Sam Bradford (1st overall), QB, Heisman Trophy winner, drafted by St. Louis Rams, 2010
  4. Billy Vessels (2nd overall), RB, drafted by Baltimore Colts, 1953
  5. Max Boydston (2nd overall), E, drafted by Chicago Cardinals, 1955

Five Highest NFL Draft Picks Under Bud Wilkinson

  1. Billy Vessels (RB), selected No. 2 overall by the Baltimore Colts in the 1953 NFL Draft
  2. Max Boydston (E), selected No. 2 overall by the Chicago Cardinals in the 1955 NFL Draft
  3. Leon Heath (RB), selected No. 4 overall by the Washington Redskins in the 1951 NFL Draft
  4. Dave Baker (QB), selected No. 5 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1959 NFL Draft
  5. George Thomas (RB), selected No. 6 overall by the Washington Redskins in the 1950 Draft

Five Highest NFL Draft Picks Under Barry Switzer

  1. Billy Sims (RB), selected No. 1 overall by the Detroit Lions in the 1980 NFL Draft
  2. Lee Roy Selmon (DE), selected No. 1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1976 Draft
  3. Tony Casillas (DT), selected No. 2 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1986 NFL Draft
  4. Joe Washington (RB), selected No. 4 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1976 Draft
  5. Ricky Dixon (CB), selected No. 5 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1988 NFL Draft

Five Highest NFL Draft Picks (So Far) Under Bob Stoops

  1. Sam Bradford (QB), selected No. 1 overall by the St. Louis Rams in the 2010 NFL Draft
  2. Gerald McCoy (DT), selected No. 3 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2010 Draft
  3. Trent Williams (OT), selected No. 4 overall by the Washington Redskins in the 2010 Draft
  4. Adrian Peterson (RB), selected No. 7 overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2007 Draft
  5. Roy Williams (S), selected No. 8 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2002 NFL Draft
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