What does recruiting NFL talent have to do with results on the field? Apparently a lot, according to the numbers I compiled. I decided to look at the entire Bill Snyder era to get the complete picture. I left the Ron Prince years in there because Snyder had at least a small role in recruiting the players that Ron Prince coached. I broke it down by the year of the NFL draft, the number of K-State players selected that year…
Two Wildcats were selected in the 2017 NFL draft. Defensive end Jordan Willis and linebacker Elijah Lee. Jordan Willis was selected in the third round, number 73 overall, by the Cincinnati Bengals. He played in all 16 games as a rookie, starting one of them. He had 17 tackles with eight assists and one sack. Willis is expected to start along the defensive line in his second season. I found an article online where he discusses some of the challenges…
The K-State football NFL draft streak continued in 2016 when offensive lineman Cody Whitehair was selected in the second round, number 56 overall, by the Chicago Bears. Cody has played in 32 games in his two year NFL career and has started all of them at either center or guard for the Bears. Cody’s rookie season was statistically the best of any Bears lineman since 2013 and the third best statistically of any NFL rookie since 2006 according to Pro…
Two Wildcats were selected in the 2015 NFL draft, wide receiver Tyler Lockett and defensive back Randall Evans. Tyler Lockett was drafted in the third round, number 69 overall, by the Seattle Seahawks. In his three years with the Seahawks he has played in 47 games as a receiver, starting 25 of them. His best season thus far was his rookie year when he had 51 catches for 664 yards and six touchdowns. He has also returned kickoffs and punts…
The Kansas State football NFL draft streak continued in 2014 when offensive tackle Tavon Rooks was drafted in the 6th round, number 202 overall, by the New Orleans Saints. Rooks was a member of the Saints practice squad as a rookie but was released after the season and signed by the Arizona Cardinals. He was cut in June, 2015 by the Cardinals and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs. Rooks suffered a heart attack during training camp in August…