How many Auburn players has the NFL drafted?

aubiefifty · April 9, 2020

Auburn likely will return to the first round of the NFL Draft for the first time since the 2014 selections in two weeks. On April 23, defensive tackle Derrick Brown should become the first first-round draft choice from Auburn since 2014, when offensive tackle Greg Robinson went at No. 2 to the St. Louis Rams and defensive end Dee Ford went at No. 23 to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Beyond Brown, Auburn could be in for a comparative draft bonanza. Last year, NFL teams chose six Tigers. That was the most Auburn players in the draft since six were selected in 1991. In 2019, Auburn could produce its most draft picks since 1989, when a school-record 10 were taken.

The 2020 selections from Auburn will join the 273 Tigers who have been drafted before them:

No. 1 picks

Tucker Frederickson, running back, Giants, 1965; Bo Jackson, running back, Buccaneers, 1986; Aundray Bruce, linebacker, Falcons, 1988; Cam Newton, quarterback, Panthers, 2011.

Only three schools have provided more No. 1 picks in the NFL Draft than Auburn – Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Southern Cal with five apiece. Newton has been the most successful of the Tigers’ top picks in the pros, earning an NFL MVP Award in 2015 to go with his 2010 Heisman Trophy. Frederickson was a Pro Bowler as a rookie, but knee injuries wrecked his career. Bruce played in 11 NFL seasons, but was a starter for only the first two. Jackson pursued football as a “hobby” with the Raiders while playing pro baseball, appearing in 38 games in four seasons before an injury ended his career. (For more on Jackson, see the 183rd pick.)

No. 2 picks

Ronnie Brown, running back, Dolphins, 2005; Greg Robinson, tackle, Rams, 2014.

Brown had a 10-year NFL career that included a 1,000-yard rushing season in 2006, a Pro Bowl invitation in 2008 and a brief stint as a league trendsetter as a "wildcat" quarterback.

Robinson started 70 games for three teams in his first six NFL seasons. But his football future is in doubt after he was arrested in February at the U.S. Border Patrol’s Sierra Blanca immigration checkpoint in Texas and charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to sell, distribute or dispense. The U.S. Justice Department said Robinson’s car was carrying 156.9 pounds of marijuana.

No. 4 pick

Brent Fullwood, running back, Packers, 1987.

Fullwood was one of four Auburn running backs drafted in 1987, along with Tommy Agee, Tim Jessie and Bo Jackson, who was on his second time around in the NFL Draft. Fullwood ran for 274 yards as a rookie and 483 in his second season before producing 821 rushing yards as Green Bay's fullback in 1989. He earned a Pro Bowl invitation. The next season, though, the Packers traded Fullwood to the Cleveland Browns after five games, and he played in only one more game in his NFL career.

No. 5 picks

Jim “Red” Phillips, end, Rams, 1958; Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, running back, Buccaneers, 2005.

Williams ran for 1,178 yards and earned the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2005. Phillips was a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro who led the NFL in receptions in 1961.

No. 7 picks

Travis Tidwell, quarterback, Giants, 1950; Joe Childress, running back, Cardinals, 1956.

The MVP of the first Senior Bowl (and the only one not played in Mobile), Tidwell played two seasons in the NFL before playing pro football in Canada.

A two-time Gator Bowl MVP, Childress had a longer NFL career as a fullback that straddled the Cardinals' move from Chicago to St. Louis in 1960. He retired after nine seasons to go into coaching. His 2,210 NFL rushing yards stood as the most for an Auburn alumnus for 15 years, until William Andrews passed him in 1980.

No. 8 pick

Ken Rice, tackle, Cardinals, 1961.

Rice never played for the Cardinals despite being the No. 8 pick. Instead, he signed with the Bills of the AFL, which had existed for one season at the time. Rice was an all-star in his first season with Buffalo.

No. 9 pick

Carlos Rogers, defensive back, Redskins, 2005.

Rogers reached the Pro Bowl in 2011, his first season with the San Francisco 49ers after six in Washington.

Bengals v Steelers — Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Willie Anderson blocks during an NFL game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 3, 2004, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

No. 10 pick

Willie Anderson, tackle, Bengals, 1996.

Anderson spent the next 12 seasons as Cincinnati's right offensive tackle. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2004, 2005 and 2006 and a Pro Bowler annually from 2003 through 2006.

No. 12 picks

Dave Middleton, end, Lions, 1955; Jackie Burkett, linebacker, Colts, 1959.

Middleton was a halfback at Auburn and an SEC 100-yard dash champ. In the NFL, he played wide receiver and caught a touchdown pass in the 1957 NFL Championship Game -- the last time that Detroit won the league crown.

Burkett was drafted as a future pick, so he played a season at Auburn after being drafted by Baltimore, then missed his rookie NFL season with a shoulder injury, delaying his pro debut until 1961 -- more than two years after he'd been drafted. Burkett was drafted again in 1967, when the New Orleans Saints made him the fourth player picked in that year's NFL expansion draft.

No. 13 picks

Takeo Spikes, linebacker, Bengals, 1998; Nick Fairley, defensive tackle, Lions, 2011.

With 1,425 NFL tackles, Spikes has more than any other Auburn player. In 15 NFL seasons, Spikes played in 219 games, and he started 215 of those. In addition to Cincinnati, Spikes played for the Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers. He was twice a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2004 with Buffalo.

After four seasons with the Detroit Lions and one apiece with the St. Louis Rams and New Orleans Saints, Fairley’s career came to a premature end after the 2016 season because of a heart issue.

No. 14 picks

Lloyd Cheatham, back, Cardinals, 1942; Jerry Wilson, defensive end, Cardinals, 1959; Gerald Robinson, defensive end, Vikings, 1986.

A Carbon Hill High School alumnus, Cheatham played one season with the Chicago Cardinals before missing the next three years for military service in World War II. He returned in 1946 to play three seasons with the New York Yankees of the All-American Football Conference. (For more on Cheatham, see Pick 129.)

No. 15 picks

Forrest Blue, center, 49ers, 1968; Wayne Gandy, tackle, Rams, 1994.

Blue earned first-team All-Pro recognition in 1971 and 1972 with San Francisco and followed that with two more Pro Bowl seasons.

Gandy never earned all-star recognition, but in 15 NFL seasons, he played in 219 games and was a starter in all but the last of those campaigns. In his first 13 seasons in the league, Gandy missed one game.

No. 16 pick

Frank D’Agostino, guard, Eagles, 1956.

No. 17 pick

Monk Gafford, back, Eagles, 1943.

Considered the first 1,000-yard rusher in Auburn history, Gafford didn’t reach the NFL until three years after he was drafted. That's because he was in military service in World War II after leaving the Tigers. His teammate, fullback Jim Reynolds, had the same timeline after being selected by the Giants with the 46th choice in the 1943 draft. Heading off to war robbed Gafford of the opportunity to play for the Steagles, the unofficial nickname for the one-year merger of the NFL's Pittsburgh and Philadelphia franchises because of the shortage of players due to the war. Gafford never played in the NFL, but he spent three seasons in the All-American Football Conference with the Miami Seahawks and the Brooklyn Dodgers.

No. 19 pick

Terry Beasley, wide receiver, 49ers, 1972.

A College Football Hall of Fame member because of his play at Auburn, Beasley played in 29 NFL games over three seasons with San Francisco before head injuries ended his career.

No. 21 pick

Rufus Deal, back, Redskins, 1972.

No. 22 pick

M.L. Brackett, defensive end, Bears, 1956.

Divisional Round - Minnesota Vikings v San Francisco 49ers — San Francisco 49ers defensive end Dee Ford sacks Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins during an NFL playoff game on Jan. 11, 2020, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

No. 23 pick

Dee Ford, linebacker, Chiefs, 2014.

After a back injury limited him to six games in 2017, Ford bounced back to record 13 sacks and force seven fumbles to earn Pro Bowl recognition in 2018. That led to an eventful offseason, during which he was franchise-tagged by Kansas City, traded to San Francisco and signed a five-year, $85.5 million contract with the 49ers. San Francisco then played in Super Bowl LIV.

No. 24 pick

James Brooks, running back, Chargers, 1981.

Brooks led the NFL in all-purpose yards in each of his first two NFL seasons. He went on to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and earn four Pro Bowl invitations with the Bengals.

No. 25 picks

Reese McCall, tight end, Colts, 1978; Jason Campbell, quarterback, Redskins, 2005.

Washington traded three draft picks to move up to draft Campbell, then had him sit his whole rookie season behind Mark Brunell. He finally got on the field as the starter for the final seven games of 2006, then spent the next three seasons as the starter for the Redskins and one more as the Raiders’ regular QB. Campbell had four more seasons mainly as a backup and was Auburn’s top NFL passer until Cam Newton surpassed him.

No. 26 pick

Alexander Wright, wide receiver, Cowboys, 1990.

No. 27 pick

Victor Riley, tackle, Chiefs, 1998.

No. 29 picks

Joe Cribbs, running back, Bills, 1980; Doug Smith, nose tackle, Oilers, 1984; Ed King, guard, Browns, 1991; Ben Grubbs, guard, Ravens, 2007.

The most Auburn players picked at one draft position are four -- at No. 1, No. 29, No. 83, No. 113 and No. 114.

Cribbs was a three-time Pro Bowler and a 1,000-yard rusher in three of his first four seasons for the Bills (and a strike kept him from going four-for-four). Ben Grubbs was a nine-year starter and two-time Pro Bowler. Smith was a starter in six of his eight years with the Oilers. King was a starter for three of his six NFL seasons.

No. 30 pick

Kendall Simmons, guard, Steelers, 2002.

Simmons started the first 80 games of his NFL career with Pittsburgh before suffering a torn Achilles tendon in 2008. He played in only four more NFL games -- three with the Buffalo Bills and one with the New England Patriots.

No. 31 picks

Walter Gilbert, center, Eagles, 1937; Billy Wilson, tackle, Cardinals, 1961; Lawyer Tillman, wide receiver, Browns, 1989.

Gilbert was the first Auburn player picked in the NFL Draft, and he chose not to play professionally. He went on to become a Texaco executive instead of an NFL star, and Auburn presents an award to outstanding alumni who were athletes that is named for Gilbert. Gilbert entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956 as a member of its fourth induction class.

No. 32 pick

Lee Gross, center, Saints, 1975.

No. 33 picks

Bob Hoppe, back, 49ers, 1958; Karlos Dansby, linebacker, Cardinals, 2004.

Dansby is one of five players with 20 interceptions and 40 sacks in NFL history. The former Woodlawn High School standout finished his career in 2017 with 1,422 tackles, nine short of Takeo Spikes’ NFL record for Auburn alumni.

No. 34 pick

George Rose, defensive back, Vikings, 1964.

No. 36 pick

Gerald Williams, nose tackle, Steelers, 1986.

No. 37 pick

Bobby Freeman, defensive back, Browns, 1957; Braden Smith, guard, Colts, 2018.

An All-American guard for Auburn, Smith took over at right offensive tackle for Indianapolis in the fourth game of his rookie season. Since then, he’s played all but one of Colts’ offensive snaps.

No. 40 picks

Fred Hyatt, wide receiver, Cardinals, 1968; Pat Sullivan, quarterback, Falcons, 1972; Walter Reeves, tight end, Cardinals, 1989.

Auburn's other two Heisman Trophy winners -- Bo Jackson and Cam Newton-- were No. 1 picks. Sullivan went to the Falcons in the second round. He threw 220 passes in 30 games, with four starts, in four seasons with Atlanta before heading into coaching.

No. 43 pick

Eddie Blake, defensive tackle, Dolphins, 1992; Kerryon Johnson, running back, Lions, 2018.

Johnson became Detroit’s No. 1 ball-carrier in the fourth game of his rookie season. But both of the former Madison Academy standout’s NFL campaigns have been interrupted by knee injuries, causing him to miss 14 games.

No. 46 picks

Jim Reynolds, fullback, Giants, 1943; Tim Carter, wide receiver, Giants, 2002.

No. 47 picks

Joe Eddins, guard, Lions, 1946; Jimmy Sidle, running back, Cowboys, 1965; Frank Sanders, wide receiver, Cardinals, 1995.

In his nine-year NFL career -- with all but one season with the Cardinals -- Sanders caught more passes (507) for more yards (6,749) than any other Auburn alumnus.

No. 48 picks

Zeke Smith, linebacker, Colts, 1959; Brian Smith, linebacker, Rams, 1989; Dontarrious Thomas, linebacker, Vikings, 2004.

No. 49 pick

Kenny Irons, running back, Bengals, 2007.

No. 50 picks

Byron Franklin, wide receiver, Bills, 1981; Marcus McNeill, tackle, Chargers, 2006.

McNeill received a Pro Bowl invitation in each of his first two NFL seasons. He had started all 82 games in his career with the Chargers before a neck injury sent him to the sidelines permanently in 2011. McNeill had entered the NFL despite having spinal stenosis.

No. 52 picks

Lamar Rogers, defensive end, Bengals, 1991; Quentin Groves, defensive end, Jaguars, 2008.

No. 56 pick

Ben Thomas, defensive end, Patriots, 1985.

No. 57 pick

Frank Warren, defensive end, Saints, 1981.

Warren spent 13 seasons in the Saints’ defensive line, making 52.5 sacks for New Orleans. What makes Warren doubly noteworthy, though, is that the Saints haven’t picked an Auburn player since drafting him 39 years ago. That’s the longest draft drought for Auburn in the NFL.

No. 58 pick

Ben Tate, running back, Texans, 2010.

Tate broke his ankle in Houston’s preseason opener as a rookie and missed the whole season. Arian Foster, who’d rushed for 257 yards in 2009, emerged as the NFL rushing leader in 2010 with 1,616 rushing yards for the Texans. Tate almost got to 1,000 yards in his first NFL season with 942 rushing yards in 2011, even though he was Foster’s backup that year. In his four NFL seasons, Tate ran for 2,363 yards in 51 games, with 15 starts.

No. 59 picks

Billy Atkins, defensive back, 49ers, 1958; Kevin Porter, defensive back, Chiefs, 1988; Marcus Washington, linebacker, Colts, 2008.

After two seasons as a reserve with the 49ers, Atkins was a member of the Buffalo Bills' roster for the inaugural AFL season in 1960. The next year, Atkins led the AFL with 10 interceptions and also was the league's top punter with an average of 44.5 yards per punt to earn all-star recognition. He topped the AFL in punting average in 1962 as well while playing for the New York Titans. In 1968, he coached Troy State to the NAIA national championship.

Marcus Washington also was an all-star, earning Pro Bowl recognition in 2004 with the Washington Redskins, the high point of a nine-year career that included 113 starts.

No. 60 pick

Pat Lee, defensive back, Packers, 2008.

No. 62 picks

Ed Dyas, back, Colts, 1961; Dave Hill, tackle, Giants, 1963; Sen’Derrick Marks, defensive tackle, Titans, 2009.

Dyas is in the College Football Hall of Fame, but he never took a shot at the pros. A standout at fullback and linebacker and a record-setting place-kicker, Dyas headed for medical school instead of the NFL after playing for the Tigers and became an orthopedic surgeon.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis breaks up a pass intended for Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones during an NFL game on Dec. 29, 2019, in Tampa, Fla.AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio

No. 63 pick

Carlton Davis, cornerback, Buccaneers, 2018.

A starter in both his seasons so far with Tampa Bay, Davis went from four pass break-ups as a rookie to 19 in his second season. Davis finished second in the league in pass break-ups in 2019 to New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

No. 65 pick

Ben Tamburello, guard, Eagles, 1987.

No. 66 pick

Tracy Rocker, defensive tackle, Redskins, 1989.

In 1988, Rocker's second season as a consensus All-American, he won the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award while being selected as the SEC Player of the Year. But his NFL career lasted only 24 games.

No. 67 picks

Bill Cody, linebacker, Lions, 1966; Dan Nugent, guard, Rams, 1975.

After playing in one game as a rookie because of knee injury, “Wild Bill” Cody was selected by the New Orleans Saints in their expansion draft, making him a member of the Crescent City’s inaugural team.

Washington traded two draft picks to obtain Nugent from the Rams, and he became a starter at right guard in his third NFL season. But he suffered a back injury before the 1979 season and played only one more season, getting one start in 1980. Leukemia took Nugent’s life in 2001.

No. 68 pick

Bo Russell, tackle, Redskins, 1939.

No. 72 pick

Donnie Humphrey, nose tackle, Packers, 1984.

No. 73 pick

Mike Fuller, defensive back, Chargers, 1975.

Fuller has the most NFL punt-return yards of any Auburn alumnus. In eight seasons, Fuller returned 252 punts for 2,660 yards and two touchdowns for an average of 10.6 yards per return.

No. 75 picks

Rob Selby, guard, Eagles, 1991; Tre Mason, running back, Rams, 2014.

After running for an Auburn single-season record of 1,816 yards in 2013, Mason had 765 yards for the St. Louis Rams in 2014 to earn a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America's All-Rookie team. But he was supplanted by Todd Gurley the next season, when his output dropped to 207 rushing yards, and he hasn’t played in the NFL since.

No. 76 picks

Joel Eaves, end, Redskins, 1937; Shon Coleman, tackle, Browns, 2016.

Eaves was selected 35 picks after Walter Gilbert in the 1937 NFL Draft, making him the second Auburn player chosen in the event's history. But as with Gilbert, Eaves didn't pursue pro football. Eaves played for Ralph "Shug" Jordan at Auburn -- but not football. Eaves was a standout guard when Jordan coached the Tigers' basketball team. Eaves returned to Auburn in 1949 to coach Auburn's basketball team. In 14 seasons, he compiled a 213-100 record and guided the Tigers to their first SEC basketball title in 1960. He's the Eaves in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. Eaves left Auburn to become Georgia's athletic director and hired Auburn assistant Vince Dooley as the Bulldogs' football coach.

No. 77 pick

Pat Sims, defensive tackle, Bengals, 2008.

No. 78 pick

Dan Fulford, end, Browns, 1966.

No. 79 pick

William Andrews, running back, Falcons, 1979.

The Falcons got a third-round find with Andrews, who'd run for 1,347 yards at Auburn while sharing carries with future NFL 1,000-yard rushers Joe Cribbs and James Brooks, who were drafted at No. 29 in 1980 and No. 24 in 1981, respectively. Andrews didn’t have that problem in the pros. He ran for at least 1,000 yards in four of his first five NFL seasons (and it might have been five-for-five if not for a strike in 1982) and also caught 272 passes. But in a preseason game in 1984, Andrews suffered a knee injury that kept him off the field for two years. He came back for 15 games in 1986, playing running back and tight end, but had only 52 more carries for 214 yards.

No. 82 picks

Karsten Bailey, wide receiver, Seahawks, 1999; Heath Evans, fullback, Seahawks, 2001.

No. 83 picks

Jim Sivell, guard, Dodgers, 1938; John McGeever, defensive back, Eagles, 1962; Robert Goff, defensive end, Buccaneers, 1988; James Bostic, running back, Rams, 1994.

Sivell was not the first Auburn alumnus to play in the NFL, but he was the first former Tigers' player to be drafted who did. In 1941 while playing for Brooklyn, Sivell was selected for the third NFL All-Star Game.

No. 84 picks

Curt Kuykendall, back, Redskins, 1945; Bill Harris, center, Bears, 1946.

No. 85 pick

Jack Locklear, center, Browns, 1955.

No. 87 picks

Tex Warrington, guard, Yanks, 1944; Sammie Coates, wide receiver, Steelers, 2015.

No. 88 pick

Corey Lemonier, defensive end, 49ers, 2013.

No. 90 picks

Hal Herring, linebacker, Cardinals, 1949; Mickey Sutton, defensive back, Bears, 1965.

No. 92 pick

Jerraud Powers, defensive back, Colts, 2009.

Powers made 88 starts in eight NFL seasons. He played for Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLIV, which the Colts lost 31-17 to the New Orleans Saints.

No. 93 picks

Stacy Searels, tackle, Chargers, 1988; Montravius Adams, defensive tackle, Packers, 2017.

No. 94 pick

Jamel Dean, cornerback, Buccaneers, 2019.

No. 95 pick

Larry Willingham, defensive back, Cardinals, 1971.

No. 97 pick

Reggie Torbor, linebacker, Giants, 2004.

No. 98 pick

Ron Stallworth, defensive end, Jets, 1989.

No. 100 picks

Rudi Johnson, running back, Bengals, 2001; Angelo Blackson, defensive tackle, Titans, 2015.

After running for 67 yards in his first two seasons in Cincinnati, Johnson produced 5,178 yards and 45 touchdowns in the next four, when he carried the football 1,254 times. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2004.

No. 101 picks

Ken Bernich, linebacker, Chargers, 1975; Steve Wallace, tackle, 49ers, 1986; David Rocker, defensive tackle, Oilers, 1991.

Wallace played on three Super Bowl winners with San Francisco and earned Pro Bowl recognition in 1992 during his 12-year NFL career.

No. 102 pick

Stephen Davis, running back, Redskins, 1996.

Davis has the most NFL rushing yards of any Auburn alumnus with 8,052. Seven former Auburn players have recorded 1,000-yard rushing seasons in the NFL (not counting Brandon Jacobs, who entered the NFL via Southern Illinois), and Davis came from farthest down in the draft to do so. Davis had four 1,000-yard seasons, the same number as William Andrews, who was drafted with the 79th pick in 1979. James Brooks, Joe Cribbs and Rudi Johnson had three 1,000-yard seasons apiece. Brooks was drafted No. 24 in 1981, Cribbs was drafted at No. 29 in 1980 and Johnson was drafted at No. 100 in 2001. Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams, who had one 1,000-yard season apiece, went in the top five picks in 2005, with Brown at No. 2 and Williams at No. 5.

No. 103 pick

George Gross, defensive tackle, Cardinals, 1962.

No. 107 pick

Bobby Wasden, end, 49ers, 1960.

Wasden did not play in the NFL. But in 27 years as a high school football coach in Alabama, he compiled a 202-86-7 record.

No. 113 picks

George Rogers, tackle, Packers, 1955; Kevin Greene, linebacker, Rams, 1985; Leonardo Carson, defensive tackle, Chargers, 2000; Gabe Wright, defensive tackle, Lions, 2015.

Two former Auburn players are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After his only season on the Plains, Frank "Gunner" Gatski was not drafted. He tried out for the Cleveland Browns of the All-American Football Conference, starting a 12-year career during which the center played in the league championship game 11 times. Greene, Auburn’s other Pro Football Hall of Famer, was drafted at No. 113. After ringing up 160 sacks -- the third-highest total in NFL history -- Greene entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

No. 114 picks

Ben Preston, tackle, Redskins, 1958; Jeff Parks, tight end, Oilers, 1986; Brad Ware, defensive back, Titans, 1999; Ricardo Louis, wide receiver, Browns, 2016.

No. 115 pick

Fred Baxter, tight end, Jets, 1993.

No. 116 pick

Carl Lawson, defensive end/outside linebacker, Bengals, 2017.

Lawson led the NFL's rookies with 8.5 sacks in 2017 and earned a place on the Pro Football Writers of America's All-Rookie team.

No. 118 pick

Lionel James, running back, Chargers, 1984.

James' roster measurements were 5-foot-6 and 171 pounds, but "Little Train" lasted for five NFL seasons. He led the NFL in kickoff-return yards as a rookie and in all-purpose yards in his second season. James' 2,535 all-purpose yards in 1985 set an NFL single-season record, and it's been bettered only three times since.

No. 119 picks

Tommie Agee, running back, Seahawks, 1987; James Willis, linebacker, Packers, 1993.

No. 125 pick

Fob James, back, Cardinals, 1956.

James never played for the Cardinals. He did play for the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes, but he's better known in Alabama these days for serving two terms as the state's governor more than a decade apart -- from 1979 to1983 and 1995 to 1999.

No. 127 picks

Ty Irby, back, Lions, 1946; Neil O'Donoghue, kicker, Bills, 1977.

Six Auburn players have been drafted as specialists -- kicker or punter -- with O'Donoghue coming off the draft board the quickest and enjoying the most NFL success. He spent nine seasons in the NFL, reaching a high of 117 points for the Cardinals in 1984.

No. 129 picks

Lloyd Cheatham, back, Dodgers, 1941; Corey Barlow, defensive back, Eagles, 1992; Jonathan Wilhite, Patriots, 2008.

Cheatham was drafted twice, playing professional baseball for the Montgomery Rebels and the Anniston Rams of the Class B Southeastern League between being drafted by the Dodgers and his first game with the Cardinals, who picked him 115 spots higher in 1942.

No. 131 pick

Brandon Mosley, tackle, Giants, 2012.

No. 132 picks

Dave Campbell, defensive end, Dolphins, 1970; Chris Gray, guard, Dolphins, 1993.

Gray is one of the eight Auburn alumni who has played in more than 200 NFL games, appearing in 208 during a 15-year career. The top two on Auburn's list for NFL games -- place-kicker Al Del Greco with 248 and fullback Tony Richardson with 234 -- were not drafted. Other Auburn players with 200 NFL games include Kevin Greene (228), Takeo Spikes (219), Wayne Gandy (219), Karlos Dansby (212) and Ed West (211). West wasn't drafted either.

New York Giants v New England Patriots — New England Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham passes during an NFL preseason game against the New York Giants on Aug. 29, 2019, in Foxborough, Mass.Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

No. 133 picks

Tyronne Green, guard, Chargers, 2009; Jarrett Stidham, quarterback, Patriots, 2019.

Stidham took 15 snaps backing up Tom Brady as a rookie in 2019. But with Brady leaving New England after 20 seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, Stidham is the Patriots’ top quarterback a year after being drafted.

No. 138 pick

Walter McFadden, defensive back, Raiders, 2010.

No. 139 pick

Anthony Redmon, guard, Cardinals, 1994.

No. 140 pick

Jerry Gross, halfback, Colts, 1966.

No. 141 pick

Mike Burrow, guard, Bills, 1979.

No. 142 pick

Jimmy Burson, defensive back, Cardinals, 1963.

No. 144 picks

Dick Wood, quarterback, Colts, 1959; Nate Hill, defensive end, Packers, 1988.

Wood had a knack for being on a collision course with some of the pro football's best quarterbacks of the 1960s. The Colts drafted him in 1959, but they already had Johnny Unitas. Wood made it to the new AFL and played on five teams in five seasons. He got two starts with the Chargers in 1962, even though San Diego had Tobin Rote and John Hadl. He was the Jets' starting quarterback in 1963 and 1964, but New York replaced him with rookie Joe Namath. He started four games in 1966 for the expansion Dolphins, but Miami got rookie Brian Griese the next year.

No. 148 pick

Bruce Yates, tackle, Lions, 1966.

No. 150 pick

Jerry Sansom, end, Browns, 1957.

No. 153 pick

Al Bresler, wide receiver, 49ers, 1971.

No. 155 pick

Mike Pelton, defensive tackle, Chiefs, 1995.

No. 156 pick

Denvard Snell, tackle, Steelers, 1949.

Cincinnati Bengals v Cleveland Browns — Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah catches a touchdown pass during an NFL game against the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 23, 2018, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)Getty Images

No. 157 picks

Kurt Crain, linebacker, Oilers, 1988; C.J. Uzomah, tight end, Bengals, 2015.

Uzomah caught 29 passes for 435 yards and seven touchdowns at Auburn. In the NFL, he’s working on his second contract with the Bengals. He has 106 receptions for 1,011 yards and seven touchdowns in 61 games, including 43 starts.

No. 158 pick

Dick McGowen, back, Dodgers, 1941.

No. 159 pick

Gary Walker, defensive tackle, Oilers, 1995.

The seventh of nine players drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1995, the defensive tackle from Auburn outlasted all the other selections except for quarterback Steve McNair, the third player picked that year. In 11 NFL seasons, Walker played in 155 games, made 148 starts and earned Pro Bowl recognition twice -- in 2001 with the Jacksonville Jaguars and 2002 with the Houston Texans.

No. 160 pick

Gregg Carr, linebacker, Steelers, 1985.

No. 161 pick

Will Herring, linebacker, Seahawks, 2007.

No. 162 pick

Dell McGee, defensive back, Cardinals, 1996.

No. 165 pick

Al Giffin, tight end, Broncos, 1969.

No. 167 pick

Daniel Carlson, place-kicker, Vikings, 2018.

No. 171 pick

Darius Slayton, wide receiver, Giants, 2019.

Slayton’s rookie season got off to a late start when he missed the first two games with a hamstring injury. Then he caught 48 passes for 740 yards and eight touchdowns. No rookie from Auburn had ever caught more than five TD passes in the NFL, and it’d been 68 years since Ray Pelfrey did that for the Green Bay Packers. No rookie in 2019 caught more TD passes than Slayton did, and he and Pro Bowler Chris Godwin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the only players in the league with three games with two TD receptions this season. Slayton led the Giants in receiving yards in 2019.

No. 172 pick

Edmund Nelson, defensive end, Steelers, 1982.

No. 173 pick

Dave Woodward, tackle, Steelers, 1962.

No. 174 picks

Aubrey Clayton, back, Rams, 1944; Cameron Artis-Payne, running back, Panthers, 2015.

No. 177 pick

Craig Ogletree, linebacker, Bengals, 1990.

No. 180 picks

George Atkins, guard, Lions, 1955; Ted Foret, tackle, Colts, 1959; Fred Beasley, fullback, 49ers, 1998.

From Lee-Montgomery, Beasley ran for 610 yards and eight touchdowns during his eight seasons with San Francisco. It was the running done by others that earned Beasley his status as one of the NFL's best fullbacks. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2003, when Kevan Barlow and Garrison Hearst combined to rush for 1,792 yards for the 49ers.

No. 181 pick

Quinton Reese, defensive end, Lions, 2000.

No. 182 picks

Ken Paduch, tackle, Eagles, 1959; Kevin McLeod, fullback, Jaguars, 1998; Jeno James, guard, Panthers, 2000.

No. 183 pick

Bo Jackson, running back, Raiders, 1987.

Here’s Bo Jackson again, picked by the Los Angeles Raiders in 1987 after being the No. 1 choice in the 1986 draft. Jackson never signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, choosing to play baseball instead. Jackson did play four partial seasons with the Raiders while also playing in the Major Leagues before an injury ended his football career.

No. 184 pick

Milt Howell, guard, Dodgers, 1940.

No. 186 pick

Richard Cheek, guard, Bills, 1970.

No. 187 pick

James Joseph, running back, Eagles, 1991.

No. 189 picks

Jim Hall, end, 49ers, 1955; Tom Banks, center, Cardinals, 1970.

The St. Louis Cardinals drafted 11 players in 1970 before they picked Banks. But those 11 played in four fewer NFL games combined than Banks did for the Cardinals. From John Carroll Catholic in Birmingham, Banks earned Pro Bowl recognition annually from 1975 through 1978 and was the All-Pro center in 1976.

No. 191 pick

Malvern Morgan, center, Lions, 1940; Benji Roland, defensive end, Vikings, 1989.

No. 193 pick

Jim Bradshaw, center, Redskins, 1945.

No. 194 picks

Mike Alford, center, Cardinals, 1965; David Irons, defensive back, Falcons, 2007.

No. 195 pick

Jeris McIntyre, wide receiver, Chiefs, 2004.

No. 196 picks

Lewis Colbert, punter, Chiefs, 1986; Blake Countess, defensive back, Eagles, 2016.

No. 197 pick

Courtney Taylor, wide receiver, Seahawks, 2007.

No. 206 picks

Chuck Hurston, defensive end, Packers, 1965; Jeff Jackson, linebacker, Falcons, 1984; Brian Shulman, punter, Packers, 1989.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Rudy Ford tackles New England Patriots wide receiver Mohamed Sanu during an NFL game on Nov. 17, 2019, in Philadelphia.Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

No. 208 pick

Rudy Ford, defensive back, Cardinals, 2017.

Ford is the most recent of the 23 Auburn alumni drafted by the Cardinals. That's the most for any NFL team. Arizona traded the former New Hope High School standout to the Philadelphia Eagles before the 2019 season.

No. 209 pick

Alex Lincoln, linebacker, 49ers, 2001.

No. 210 pick

Deshaun Davis, linebacker, Bengals, 2019.

No. 211 picks

Bob Harris, linebacker, Cardinals, 1983; Jay Prosch, fullback, Texans, 2014.

No. 212 picks

Bill Austin, center, Lions, 1958; Mark Smith, defensive tackle, Cardinals, 1997; Zach Clayton, defensive tackle, Titans, 2011.

No. 213 pick

Bob Strickland, linebacker, Bills, 1971.

No. 214 pick

Jim Pyburn, end, Redskins, 1956.

By the time Washington drafted Pyburn, he'd already played 39 games for Baltimore in the Major Leagues after getting a reported $30,000 bonus to sign with the Orioles. Pyburn's big-league career consisted of 158 games over three seasons. He hit .190 with three home runs and six stolen bases.

No. 215 pick

Mike Pucillo, guard, Bills, 2002.

No. 216 picks

Wayne Frazier, center, Bears, 1961; George Peoples, running back, Cowboys, 1982.

No. 219 pick

Clifford Toney, defensive back, Falcons, 1981.

No. 220 picks

Ernie Danjean, linebacker, Packers, 1957; Bobby Lauder, back, Redskins, 1959.

No. 224 picks

G.W. Clapp, guard, Eagles, 1961; Jay Ratliff, defensive end, Cowboys, 2005.

No Auburn player drafted deeper than Ratliff has gone on to become a Pro Bowler or an All-Pro. Ratliff was selected for the Pro Bowl every season from 2008 through 2011 and was a first-team All-Pro in 2009 as the Cowboys’ nose tackle.

No. 227 pick

Reggie Ware, running back, Raiders, 1988.

No. 229 pick

Mickey Zofko, running back, Lions, 1971.

No. 230 picks

Billy Conn, back, Giants, 1951; King Dunlap, tackle, Eagles, 2008.

No. 231 pick

Everett Harwell, end, Steelers, 1945.

No. 232 pick

Bob Scarbrough, center, 49ers, 1956.

No. 233 picks

Devin Aromashodu, wide receiver, Dolphins, 2006; Chandler Cox, fullback, Dolphins, 2019.

No. 234 pick

Will Lee Hayley, end, Steelers, 1953.

No. 235 picks

Josh Holsey, cornerback, Redskins, 2017; Dontavius Russell, defensive tackle, Jaguars, 2019.

No. 236 pick

Bill Waddail, back, Colts, 1950.

No. 237 pick

Stanley McClover, defensive end, Panthers, 2006.

No. 239 pick

Charley Maxime, guard, Bears, 1956.

No. 240 pick

Jim Pharr, center, Rams, 1944.

No. 243 pick

Keith Uecker, tackle, Broncos, 1982.

Uecker joined Green Bay off the waiver wire in 1984 and had an eventful eight years with the Packers. He won the Ed Block Courage Award in 1987, was in the group of 13 players who were the first to be suspended by the NFL for testing positive for steroids in 1989 and missed the 1986 and 1989 seasons with injuries. Uecker could play every interior line position. In 1988, he started all 16 games at right offensive tackle for the Packers. He'd played left guard in 1985. In 1990, he was Green Bay's right guard.

No. 244 pick

Lee Ziemba, offensive tackle, Panthers, 2011.

Ben Obomanu, Larry Grant — Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ben Obomanu runs after making a reception against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 24, 2011, in Seattle.AP Photo/Kevin Casey

No. 249 pick

Ben Obomanu, wide receiver, Seahawks, 2006.

No. 253 pick

Larry Rawson, back, 49ers, 1964.

No. 255 picks

Jerry Gordon, tackle, Rams, 1969; David Jordan, guard, Giants, 1984.

No. 258 pick

Clayton Beauford, wide receiver, Lions, 1985.

No. 259 pick

Bill Turnbeaugh, tackle, Packers, 1953.

No. 261 pick

Steve Taylor, center, Oilers, 1974.

No. 262 picks

Cleve Wester, tackle, Giants, 1958; James Owens, running back, Rams, 1973.

No. 264 pick

David King, defensive back, Chargers, 1985.

No. 266 pick

Jim Thompson, tackle, Colts, 1989.

No. 267 pick

Dan Sanspree, defensive end, Cardinals, 1973.

No. 268 pick

Mailon Kent, back, Vikings, 1963.

No. 270 pick

Harold Hailman, linebacker, 49ers, 1986.

No. 273 pick

Eric Ramsey, defensive back, Chiefs, 1991.

No. 274 pick

Joe Baughan, tackle, Redskins, 1963.

No. 276 pick

Carlo Cheattom, defensive back, Bills, 1989.

No. 278 pick

Bob Meeks, center, Broncos, 1992.

No. 281 pick

Dick Plagge, running back, Bills, 1968.

No. 286 pick

Bill Braswell, guard, Chiefs, 1967.

Mike Kolen, Sam Havrilak — Miami Dolphins linebacker Mike Kolen breaks up a pass to Baltimore Colts running back Sam Havrilak during an NFL game on Nov. 1, 1970, in Baltimore.AP Photo/William A. Smith

No. 289 pick

Mike Kolen, linebacker, Dolphins, 1970.

No Auburn player drafted deeper down than Kolen has become a regular starter in the NFL. The former Berry High School standout was an immediate starter for Miami and earned two Super Bowl rings as the Dolphins' right linebacker before an injury ended his career after seven seasons.

No. 290 pick

Jim Jeffery, tackle, Cardinals, 1959.

No. 294 pick

John Hudson, guard, Eagles, 1990.

Hudson never started a game in his NFL career, but he played in 139 of them. No Auburn player drafted deeper than Hudson can match his longevity in the pros. Hudson played 10 seasons with the Eagles, Jets and Ravens.

No. 297 pick

Claude Mathews, guard, Oilers, 1981.

No. 301 pick

Jim Cook, back, Lions, 1958.

No. 304 picks

Chester Willis, running back, Raiders, 1981; Dowe Aughtman, defensive tackle, Cowboys, 1984.

No. 305 pick

Tim Jessie, running back, Bears, 1987.

No. 312 picks

Phil Gargis, running back, Jets, 1977; Scott Bolton, wide receiver, Packers, 1988.

No Auburn player drafted deeper down than Bolton has played in an NFL regular-season game. The former Theodore High School standout's career consisted of four games with the Packers in 1988, and he caught two passes for 33 yards.

No. 316 pick

Hindman Wall, end, Eagles, 1958.

No. 321 pick

Reggie Slack, quarterback, Oilers, 1990.

No. 326 pick

Leo Sexton, end, Eagles, 1959.

No. 330 pick

Freddy Weygand, wide receiver, Bears, 1989.

No. 346 pick

Tom Bryan, fullback, Falcons, 1967.

No. 353 picks

John Adcock, tackle, Colts, 1950; Tom Gossom, wide receiver, Patriots, 1975.

No. 361 pick

Bobby Beaird, defensive back, Patriots, 1967.

No. 362 pick

John Riley, kicker, Raiders, 1970.

No. 371 pick

Wallace Clark, running back, Falcons, 1971.

No. 402 pick

Tony Lunceford, kicker, Cowboys, 1968.

No. 405 pick

Harry Unger, running back, Bengals, 1973.

No. 431 pick

David Langner, defensive back, Chiefs, 1974.

No. 440 pick

Dick Schmalz, wide receiver, Vikings, 1972.

Two players were selected after Schmalz -- Western Michigan defensive back Vern Brown by the Miami Dolphins and Bethune-Cookman defensive tackle Alphonso Crain by the Dallas Cowboys. As with Schmalz, neither Brown nor Crain played in the NFL. But the player picked immediately in front of Schmalz -- Mississippi Valley State linebacker Ted Washington -- started 117 games in 10 NFL seasons.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

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How many Auburn players has the NFL drafted?

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