April 27, 2006
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.thesundevils.com) -- With the 2006 NFL Draft beginning on Saturday, many former Sun Devils are hoping to make a splash in the league. Since 1997, Arizona State University football has had more of its players taken in the NFL Draft than any other Pacific-10 Conference school.
Including the 36 ASU players taken in the NFL Draft since 1997, the Sun Devils have had 25 players taken in the first round of either the AFL or NFL draft in history. The 25 first-round selections put ASU in third in the Pac-10 ranks for most players taken in the first round. In 2003, ASU's sacks leader Terrell Suggs was taken with the 10th pick of the first round by the Baltimore Ravens and went on to earn the NFL Rookie of the Year award. Arizona State was one of just three schools in the nation to have a player taken in the first-round in 2000-2003 (Miami and Florida).
Former Sun Devils have also been very successful in the NFL with 15 former players being named to the Pro Bowl including: Eric Allen (6), Trace Armstrong (1), Bob Breunig (3), Ron Brown (1), David Fulcher (3), Todd Heap (2), John Jefferson (4), Randall McDaniel (12), Dan Saleaumua (1), Gerald Riggs (3), Terrell Suggs (1), Danny White (1), Darren Woodson (4) and Jake Plummer (1).
Below is the complete list of the number Pac-10 NFL Draft picks since 1997:
Pac-10 NFL Draft Picks (1997-present)
Arizona State-36
USC-34
Stanford-32
Washington-31
California-30
Oregon-26
UCLA-24
Washington State-20
Arizona-19
Oregon State-18
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