Notre Dame NFL Draft First Round Data

Despite having multiple first round picks for the 16th time in the 81 all-time NFL Drafts, Notre Dame lost ground to reach the No. 2 all-time spot in that area.

With a record tying five first round picks this year, Ohio State now has 76 in its history, No. 2 only to USC’s 79. The Trojans did not have a first-round selection this year.

With tackle Ronnie Stanley (No. 6) and wide receiver Will Fuller (No. 21) joining the club, Notre Dame is now at 66. Miami is the only other school with more than 60, with cornerback Artie Burns No. 62 this year.

Notre Dame had only four players drafted in the first round during the 17-year period from 1995-2011: defensive lineman Renaldo Wynn (1997), offensive tackle Luke Petitgout (1999), center Jeff Faine (2003) and quarterback Brady Quinn (2007).

In the last five drafts, though, Notre Dame has eclipsed that with six, including Stanley and Fuller last night. The others were offensive lineman Zack Martin in 2014, tight end Tyler Eifert in 2013 and receiver Michael Floyd and safety Harrison Smith in 2012.

Had Stanley opted to turn pro in 2015, the Irish might have had four straight years with a first-round pick, which would have tied the school record. Notre Dame had four consecutive first-round picks under Ara Parseghian from 1967-70, and four years in a row under Lou Holtz from 1991-94. Stanley in 2015 and Fuller in 2016 would have made it a school record five.

• Stanley became only the fifth Notre Dame player ever to be drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, whose NFL franchise began in 1996 after moving from Cleveland. The previous four were defensive lineman Anthony Weaver (second round) and receiver Javin Hunter (sixth round) in 2002, safeties Gerome Sapp in 2003 (sixth round) and Tom Zbikowski in 2008 (third round), and defensive lineman Kapron Lewis-Moore in 2013 (sixth round).

• Stanley was Notre Dame’s first single-digit pick since defensive tackle Bryant Young was No. 7 in 1994, and he also was the highest overall selection amongst Notre Dame players since quarterback Rick Mirer was the No. 2 choice in 1993.

Among offensive linemen, Stanley was the highest Irish alumnus taken since George Kunz was the No. 2 overall pick in 1969 (behind USC Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson). Kunz went on to make eight Pro Bowls while playing for Atlanta and the Baltimore Colts.

• Fuller is the fourth Notre Dame player ever selected by the Houston Texans, which became an NFL expansion team in 2002. Their previous three picks were safety Glenn Earl (fourth round) and cornerback Vontez Duff (sixth round), both in 2004, and defensive tackle Louis Nix in 2014 (third round).

Fuller became the fifth Notre Dame wide receiver tabbed in the first round. The others were Jack Snow (No. 8 in 1965), Jim Seymour (No. 10 in 1969), Tim Brown (No. 6 in 1988) and Floyd (No. 13 in 2012).

• According to UND.com, the single most drafted position at Notre Dame is offensive tackle, with Stanley becoming the 61st, putting it ahead of the second place tie with offensive guards and defensive backs (which includes both cornerbacks and safeties) at 54 apiece.

What is even more amazing about that number at tackle is it does not include 2010-13 tackle Zack Martin (who made All-Pro as a rookie) and 1993 Lombardi Award winner Aaron Taylor, who lined up at left tackle that year. Both Martin and Taylor became guards in the NFL and are listed as such in Notre Dame drafts.

That is why we always note that offensive line and tight end are the two easiest positions to recruit at Notre Dame.