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Big 12 Conference Making Moves in Saturday NFL Draft;
Four in 1st Round; Eight-Year NFL Draft Total Now 242
DALLAS-Big 12 Conference teams copped eight of the first 60 selections in the 35th annual NFL "common" draft (66th overall) Saturday and added a total of 25 for the complete picks over two days.
The 2002 NFL draft, which continued through an all-time-fewest seven rounds Sunday, raised the number of Big 12 standouts to 242 from 1995-02. In addition, 62 Big 12 alumni signed free agent contracts after the 2000 and '01 drafts, and the projected 2002 free agent signings' number is again 30-plus. Three of the first eight standouts in the 2002 draft were Texas OT Michael Williams (fourth), UT cornerback Quentin Jammer (fifth player overall) and Oklahoma SS Roy Williams (eighth).
Three Big 12 standouts from the 2000 season, which included Oklahoma's national championship team, were among the first 20 selections for the 2001 draft. Texas' Leonard Davis and Missouri's Justin Smith were the second and fourth picks, respectively, in Apr., 2001.
Colorado, Nebraska and Florida State paced all schools nationally in the 1995-97 era with 21 NFL draft choices apiece. Eleven Big 12 schools also had at least one youngster chosen in the eight-round draft during 1998. Over the last five (1998-02) NFL postings, there were 57 Big 12 Conference selections among the Top 100.
There were 190 Big 12 schools' grid representatives on 2001 NFL opening day rosters from all 12 members after an all-time-high 279 standouts from league members. Texas A&M (34 alumni) led all Division I-A schools in 2001 opening day roster men in the highest professional football configuration.
Big 12 Players in the 2002 NFL Draft (25)
| Player
|
Round (Selection)
|
Pos.
|
School
|
NFL Team
|
| Mike Williams
|
1 (4)
|
OT
|
Texas
|
Buffalo Bills
|
| Quentin Jammer
|
1 (5)
|
CB
|
Texas
|
San Diego Chargers
|
| Roy Williams
|
1 (8)
|
SS
|
Oklahoma
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
| Daniel Graham
|
1 (21)
|
TE
|
Colorado
|
New England Patriots
|
| Andre Gurode
|
2 (37)
|
OG
|
Colorado
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
| Toniu Fonoti
|
2 (39)
|
OG
|
Nebraska
|
San Diego Chargers
|
| Jon McGraw
|
2 (57)
|
FS
|
K-State
|
New York Jets
|
| Michael Lewis
|
2 (59)
|
SS
|
Colorado
|
Philadelphia Eagles
|
| Ben Leber
|
3 (71)
|
OLB
|
K-State
|
San Diego Chargers
|
| Rocky Calmus
|
3 (77)
|
OLB
|
Oklahoma
|
Tennessee Titans
|
| Seth McKinney
|
3 (90)
|
C
|
Texas A&M
|
Miami Dolphins
|
| Eric Crouch
|
3 (95)
|
WR/QB
|
Nebraska
|
St. Louis Rams
|
| Nate Dwyer
|
4 (113)
|
DT
|
Kansas
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
| Keyuo Craver
|
4 (125)
|
CB
|
Nebraska
|
New Orleans Saints
|
| Kevin Curtis
|
4 (127)
|
FS
|
T-Tech
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
| Justin Bannan
|
5 (139)
|
DT
|
Colorado
|
Buffalo Bills
|
| Rocky Bernard
|
5 (146)
|
DT
|
Texas A&M
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
| DeMarcus Faggins
|
6 (173)
|
CB
|
K-State
|
Houston Texans
|
| Josh Scobey
|
6 (185)
|
RB
|
K-State
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
| Justin Hartwig
|
6 (187)
|
OG
|
Kansas
|
Tennessee Titans
|
| Mike Banks
|
7 (223)
|
TE
|
Iowa State
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
| Tracey Wistrom
|
7 (245)
|
TE
|
Nebraska
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
| Aaron Lockett
|
7 (254)
|
WR
|
K-State
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
| Rock Cartwright
|
7 (257)
|
FB
|
K-State
|
Washington Redskins
|
| Victor Rogers
|
7 (259)
|
OG
|
Colorado
|
Detroit Lions
|
|
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