Defensive end Alex McCalister was the last of seven Gators selected in the 2016 NFL Draft, going in the seventh round (240th overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles.
UF Tops SEC (Easily) in Consecutive Drafts With Player Taken
Monday, May 2, 2016 | Chris Harry
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Florida has had at least one player taken in every draft since 1952, a run of 64 years
By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
Harry Fodder
CHARTING THE GATORS Florida's draft run approaching senior citizenry.
The below tweet went out at the conclusion of the 2016 NFL Draft:
Tennessee had no players drafted in NFL for 2nd straight year. Before that, Vols had a pick every year since 1964.
Not only did that stat surprise me, it got me thinking.
Which Southeastern Conference program has the longest active streak for having at least one player taken in the draft?
So I went toDraftHistory.comto find the answer and it was an absolutely resounding one for the Florida Gators, whose run of 64 straight drafts with representation began in 1952 (during the Korean War), is nearly three times longer than the league's next-best school -- not to mention 56 years longer than Alabama's -- and rates the fifth-longest in the nation behind only Notre Dame (79), Michigan and USC (78) and Michigan State (76).
Miami's current run of at least player taken dates to 1975. Florida State's to 1984.
In 1952, Detroit selected UF center Carroll McDonald in the 13th round. Yes, that counts. Just as tackle Charlie LaPradd to Green Bay and running back Billy ReddellCharlie LaPraddto Cleveland in the 25th round counts, as well. Drafts were marathons back in the day. Over the next six-plus decades, the closest the Gators got to being shut out was in 1979, months before kicking off an 0-10-1 season, when tackle Don Stafford was taken by Philadelphia in Round 7 and linebacker Mike Dupree went to Kansas City in the 10th. In 1993, it wasn't until the sixth round that safety Lawrence Hatch went to New England in the sixth round and safety Will White to the Cardinals in the seventh in what was the first draft cut from 12 rounds to eight. In '94, the event went to seven rounds, which is where it stands now.
Three times in school history, only one Gator has been drafted, but there was no danger of a UF shutout in any of those years. Richard Trapp, one of Steve Spurrier's favorite receiving targets,went to the Bills in the third round of '68; linebacker Jack Youngblood, one of two future UF Pro Football Hall of Famers, went in Round 1 to the Los Angeles Rams in '71; linebacker Scot Brantley was a third-round selection by Tampa Bay in 1980.
In 2012, defensive tackle Jaye Howard waited until the fourth round to be taken by Seattle and running back Chris Rainey went in the fifth to Pittsburgh, but since then the Gators have had 27 players drafted over the last four years, including eight in 2013.
Here's how this stunning (and, frankly, dominant) Florida run compares to the rest of the SEC.
Years
School
Last Without
Comment
64
Florida
1951
The 64 straight included seven draftees total in 2016, including two first-rounders in CB Vernon Hargreaves III and safety Keanu Neal.
24
Georgia
1992
Before that Ray Goff blip, the Bulldogs had a streak that dated to 1941.
23
LSU
1993
During the Coach Curley Hallman era, the Tigers actually went three years ('92-94) without a first-round pick.
21
Arkansas
1995
The following fall, the Razorbacks won the SEC West to break Alabama's 3-year strangle hold on the division title.
15
South Carolina
2001
The Steve Spurrier era with the Gamecocks (10 1/2 years) yielded 38 total draft picks; the previous 11 yielded 22.
13
Auburn
2003
Two years after that '03 goose egg, the Tigers had four taken in Round 1: Ronnie Brown, Cadillac Williams, Carlos Rogers, Jason Campbell.
12
Missouri
2004
The Tigers kept their streak doing with a trio of Day 3 picks Saturday.
9
Kentucky
2007
OK, for kicks: Wildcats were last skunked in the NBA Draft in 2007, but have 19 first-round picks in nine drafts since. [Note: Cats went '06-7 minus a NFL choice.]
Texas A&M
2007
Aggies have 12 draftees since entering the SEC, with half of them first-rounders (yes, Johnny Manziel counts).
8
Alabama
2008
Remarkably, no draft picks after Nick Saban's first season; a mere 55 since, including 18 in Round 1.
7
Mississippi State
2009
Greatest Bulldog in program history, QB Dak Prescott, went in the 6th round to Dallas Saturday and was the third MSU player selected.
3
Ole Miss
2013
Rebels had just one player taken in the '12-15 drafts, but six in '16, including three in the first round.
1
Vanderbilt
2015
LB Stephen Weatherly went to Minnesota in Round 7 Saturday -- with pick No. 227 -- to keep Commodores off the bottom of this chart.
0
Tennessee
2016
Volunteers had three players selected in '14 (and none in '15), with DT Daniel McCullers, a sixth-rounder to the Steelers, the last to go.
