In the last 25 years of the NFL Draft, 111 Oklahoma football players have been selected. Eighty-three of those draft picks have come during Bob Stoops’ 18 seasons as the Sooners’ head coach.
According to the Oklahoma athletic department, the Sooners’ 83 draft picks in the Stoops era are 21 more than the next closest Big 12 school over the same time period (Texas with 62) and 40 more than the third closest (Kansas State with 43).
Only Oklahoma and LSU have produced at least four draft picks in each of the last 10 years.
In the 2017 NFL Draft held in late April, four Oklahoma players were selected: two running backs (Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine), a wide receiver (Dede Westbrook) and a linebacker (Jordan Evans).
Over the past 25 years, only nine OU running backs have been taken in the draft, and that includes the two selections this year plus a couple of other former Oklahoma running backs who have made big names for themselves in the NFL, Adrian Peterson (2007) and DeMarco Murray (2011).
The names of 13 OU wide receivers have been called out in NFL Drafts from 1992 to the present and 16 linebackers.
The most popular position, however, among the 111 NFL Draft selections over the past quarter-century who played their college ball at Oklahoma is defensive lineman, specifically defensive end. Oklahoma has delivered 21 defensive linemen to the NFL Draft in the past 25 years.
The more notable of the Sooner D-linemen who fall within the 25-year draft window are Tommie Harris (2004, 1st round, 14th overall), Gerald McCoy (2010, 1st round, 3rd overall), Dan Cody (2005, 2nd round, 53rd overall) and Geneo Grissom (2015, 3d round, 97th overall).
The next most popular position among players from Oklahoma taken in the draft during the past 25 years is defensive back. Nineteen Sooner defensive backs have been taken in the draft since 1992. This list includes Roy Williams (2002, 1st round, 8th overall), Derrick Strait (2004, 3rd round, 76th overall), Brodney Pool (2005, 2nd round, 34th overall).
Position breakdown of Oklahoma Sooner NFL Draft selections of the past 25 years (1992-2017)
Defensive linemen – 21
Defensive back – 19
Offensive linemen – 17
Linebacker – 17
Wide receiver – 13
Running back – 9
Tight end – 8
Fullback – 3
Quarterback – 3