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Dallas -- For the fourth season in succession, Big 12 Conference schools have produced 200-plus alumni with 253 on 2002 National Football League training rosters.
Last summer a record 279 football alumni from Big 12 universities were on the training camp rosters of NFL teams after the league sported 245 standouts on 2000 NFL July preseason worksheets. In 1999 there were a then-record 255 Big 12 stalwarts on NFL lists with a large number of free agent signings. Including several free agent signings each year, the Big 12 has averaged 42 contracts signed with the nation's top pro football organization per annum since 1996.
The 2001 season ended with 189 Big 12 schools' football participants on 29 teams after several retirements and injury-related situations while in 2000 all 31 NFL teams had at least one Big 12 standout on their rosters and an average of 7.2 (most ever from Big 12 schools) on each squad. There were 222 Big 12 alumni on last season's National Football League units, and these continued a 65-year tradition in the official draft of the league. Backs Lloyd Cardwell (Detroit) and Sam Francis (Philadelphia) of Nebraska were NFL draft first round selections in 1937, and every Super Bowl has had a minimum of one Big 12 player, head coach or assistant coach since the unified pro football championship game's inception in 1966. In the 1972 draft Texas set a still-standing record with 17 NFL draft choices, and the Longhorns have had at least one student-athlete selected in every NFL since 1938.
|
Breakdown by Schools | |
|
Nebraska |
45 |
|
Colorado |
37 |
|
Texas A&M |
35 |
|
Kansas State |
27 |
|
Texas |
25 |
|
Oklahoma |
16 |
|
Kansas |
16 |
|
Iowa State |
12 |
|
Oklahoma State |
11 |
|
Missouri |
11 |
|
Baylor |
10 |
|
Texas Tech |
8 |
|
Totals: 253 players on 32 teams | |
Some of the 2002 notables on NFL rosters with Pro Bowl and Hall of Fame credentials include Baylor's DL Daryl Gardener, Colorado's QB Kordell Stewart, Iowa State's OG Oliver Ross, Kansas' DT Dana Stubblefield, Kansas State's LB Mark Simoneau, Missouri's DE Rick Lyle, Nebraska's RB Cory Schlesinger, Oklahoma's RB James Allen, Oklahoma State's DB R.W. McQuarters, Texas' RB Ricky Williams, Texas A&M's CB Aaron Glenn, and Texas Tech's LB Zach Thomas, among others.
Last year Texas A&M (35) led the NFL with most alumni of any university in the highest professional ranks after starting the summer in 2001 with a record 41 roster players. Nebraska sent a Big 12-high 37 Huskers into 2002 NFL training camps while Colorado was next with 37 on first day of camp worksheets ahead of A&M with 35. NU and CU (28 standouts each) were among the Top seven among NFL alumni a year ago and had solid contributions to the 2002 rookie class, including Huskers' Heisman Trophy winner QB Eric Crouch of the St. Louis Rams. Four Big 12 first-year stars were selected in the Apr., 2002, NFL first draft round.
2002 Husker Alumni on NFL Training Camp Rosters (Includes Practice Squads and Injured Reserved Lists)
Dan Alexander, RB, Tennessee
Kris Brown, KS, Houston
Mike Brown, FS, Chicago
Ralph Brown, DB, New York Giants
Correll Buckhalter, RB, Philadelphia
Jamie Burrow, LB, New York Jets
Keyuo Craver, CB, New Orleans
Eric Crouch, WR-QB, St. Louis
Chris Dishman, OG, Arizona
Clint Finley, DB, Kansas City
Toniu Fonoti, OL, San Diego
Jay Foreman, LB, Houston
Scott Frost, S, Green Bay
Aaron Graham, C, Tennessee
Ahman Green, RB, Green Bay
Russ Hochstein, OG, Tampa Bay
Sheldon Jackson, TE, Buffalo
Eric Johnson, DB, Oakland
Bill Lafleur, P, San Diego
Joel Makovicka, RB, Arizona
Mike Minter, FS, Carolina
Johnny Mitchell, TE, New Orleans
Tony Ortiz, LB, Tampa Bay
John Parrella, DE, Oakland
Christian Peter, DT, Chicago
Carlos Polk, LB, San Diego
Dominic Raiola, C, Detroit
Mike Rucker, DE, Carolina
Cory Schlesinger, FB, Detroit
Will Shields, OG, Kansas City
Jeremy Slechta, DT, Philadelphia
Brenden Stai, OG, Detroit
Erwin Swiney, DB, Green Bay
Jared Tomich, DE, Green Bay
Adam Treu, OT, Oakland
Kyle Vanden Bosch, DE, Arizona
Dave Volk, OT, Chicago
Joe Walker, DB, Tennessee
Eric Warfield, CB, Kansas City
Steve Warren, DT, Green Bay
Zach Wiegert, OG, Jacksonville
Tyrone Williams, CB, Green Bay
Jason Wiltz, DL, Chicago
Grant Wistrom, DE, St. Louis
Tracey Wistrom, TE, Tampa