It's Draft Night!!!

It’s FINALLY here, today is the day. The most anticipated NFL Draft in history by sports fans thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic kicks off tonight in Commissioner Roger Goodell’s basement, complete with virtually-added booing.

For Razorback fans, they’ll wait to hear a name of a Razorback – some time over the three-day stretch – to make it 25-straight years with at least one Hog being called. The last time an NFL Draft happened without an Arkansas player being selected was 1995, ironically the Razorbacks went on that Fall to win their first-ever SEC West crown under head coach Danny Ford. Since then, at least one Razorback has heard his name announced by the commissioner, including 2004 and 2008 when six Hogs were picked. Both of those Arkansas draft classes were highlighted by a pair of first rounders – Shawn Andrews and Ahmad “Batman” Carroll in 2004 and Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in 2008, more on them later.

As this year’s Razorbacks prepare for what could be one of the highlights of their life, let’s take a look at the history of the Hogs in the Draft.

The Streak
Arkansas’ 24-year streak of having at least one player drafted matches the program’s longest stretch of having at least one player selected. From 1961-84 at least one Razorback was picked, but the Draft was much different during those days. That timeframe of Arkansas football, however, was one of the program’s most successful producing the 1964 National Championship and 16 bowl games. During that streak, the 1982 Draft nearly ended it until the Washington Redskins picked linebacker Jeff Goff in the 12th round with the 322nd pick – a pick that doesn’t exist in the now seven-round NFL Draft. From 1961-84, Arkansas had 91 players selected, including a school record seven in 1973 led by the legendary Joe Ferguson who was tabbed by the Buffalo Bills in the third round. It worked out pretty good for the Bills as Ferguson was the team’s starter for 12 seasons from 1973-84, including 107 consecutive starts.

The Razorbacks’ current streak has had a few more close calls with seven Drafts calling only one Hog. The closest came in 2007 when Vickiel Vaughn was picked in the seventh round with the 254th pick by San Francisco. Anthony Hicks (5th round in 1997), David Sanders (7th round in 1998), Carlos Hall (7th round in 2002), Ken Hamlin (2nd round in 2003), Vaughn, Jonathan Luigs (4th round in 2009) and the late Mitch Petrus (5th round in 2010) kept the streak going to get us to the 2020 NFL Draft and a chance at history.

High on the Hogs
Who are the highest selected Razorbacks in history? Easy right? Dan Hampton in 1979 and Darren McFadden in 2008 were both the fourth pick in their respective Drafts. You’d be right if we’re talking about the modern Draft era but if we’re talking about all-time with Drafts going back to 1936… that answer is Lamar McHan. The former QB from Lake Village, Ark. was the second overall pick in the 1954 NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals. McHan played 10 years in the league for four teams – alternating with Hall of Famer Brett Starr for Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay squad then moving on to back up another Hall of Famer, Johnny Unitas for the Colts. McHan turned to coaching after his playing days, eventually winding up in New Orleans with the Saints where he’d coach Archie Manning. As a Razorback, McHan only won 12 games during his four years on campus, but his senior season under first-year head coach Bowden Wyatt in 1953 set the stage for the “25 Little Pigs” to win the school’s second Southwestern Conference title in 1954. Prior to McHan, Kay Eakin held the honor of highest picked Hog going third overall to Pittsburgh in 1940.

First Rounders
If you go all the way back to the NFL Draft in 1938 when Jack Robbins was the fifth overall selection by Chicago, the Razorbacks have had 23 first rounders with Frank Ragnow being the last in 2018. Arkansas has had multiple first round picks five times in history with Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in 2008 being the latest. Shawn Andrews and Ahmad Carroll in 2004, Wayne Martin and Steve Atwater in 1989, Billy Ray Smith Jr. and Gary Anderson both went to San Diego in 1983. Loyd Phillips and Gary Anderson were the original Arkansas first round duo going 10th and 19th overall in 1967.

Kickers leading the way
Three times in Arkansas history the first player selected has been a kicker or punter. Two-time All-American kicker Steve Little was the 15th overall pick in 1978 by the St. Louis Cardinals making him one of the highest drafted kickers in NFL history (yes, even higher than Sebastian Janikowski who was picked 17th overall by the Raiders in 2000). Two-time All-American Bill McClard was a third round pick by San Diego in 1972. Steve Cox was the last kicker to lead the way for the Razorbacks in the Draft, getting selected in the fifth round by Cleveland as a punter in 1981.

Not Hogs but keep an eye on…
Head Coach Sam Pittman will add to his already impressive first round offensive lineman total tonight when Georgia’s Andrew Thomas hears his name. Thomas will become the sixth Pittman-coached offensive lineman to be selected in the first round joining our guy Frank Ragnow (2018), Isaiah Wynn (Georgia – 2018), Ja’Wuan James (Tennessee – 2014), Jonathan Cooper (North Carolina – 2013) and Stockar McDougle (Oklahoma – 2000). If Isaiah Wilson finds his way into tonight’s first round, he’d make it seven first round O-Linemen for the Head Hog.