Gil Brandt- Post- draft tidbits

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Post-2005 NFL Draft tidbits

By Gil Brandt

NFL.com Senior Analyst

(April 26, 2005) -- The 2005 NFL Draft has ended, but the analysis didn't stop when pick No. 255 was announced. Here are some little-known facts about this year's draft and how it compares to drafts of the past.

When Alex Smith was picked No. 1 overall, he became the highest-ever pick from the University of Utah. Smith was the sixth player from Utah to be taken in the first round. The others are:

1959 Lee Grosscup No. 10

1971 Norm Thompson No. 17

1995 Luther Elliss No. 20

1998 Kevin Dyson No. 16

2003 Jordan Gross No. 8

Alex Smith became the 251st Smith drafted, and was also the 21,576th overall player to be selected since the event was first started. Joining the Smith list was Stanford's own Alex Smith, going in the third round, and Texas Tech's Mike Smith in the seventh.

Smith became the youngest player ever selected No. 1 overall in the modern draft era. He won't turn 21 until May 7.

Carnell Williams became the 243rd Williams to be selected. Mike Williams also went in the first round, Darrent Williams in the second, Roydell Williams in the fourth and Harry Williams in the seventh.

Derrick Johnson became the 230th Johnson to be selected. Travis Johnson then went with the very next pick in the first round, Marcus Johnson went in Round 2 and Washington's own Derrick Johnson was a sixth-rounder.

Adam "Pacman" Jones became the 199th Jones ever taken. Later in the first round, Matt Jones became No. 200, and Brandon Jones went in Round 3.

Ronnie Brown became the 183rd Brown selected in the draft. Then there were five more that followed.

Southern California has had the highest number of players drafted in the first round of the draft with 63. Notre Dame is second with 60, Ohio State third with 59 and Miami (Fla.) fourth at 57.

Michael Roos of Eastern Washington, drafted 41st overall by the Titans, was the highest selection of a player from the Big Sky Conference since Northern Arizona wide receiver Shawn Collins went in the first round, No. 27 overall, to the Falcons in 1989. Roos was also the highest pick ever from Eastern Washington.

Sixth-rounder Joe Berger of Michigan Tech was the highest player ever selected from the school.

Of the 255 players taken in the draft, there were 110 schools and 25 conferences represented. With 11 players, Oklahoma had the most selected from one school this go-around. Florida State had nine taken, and Wisconsin and Virginia had seven each. The Southeastern Conference had the most players selected by a conference (37). The Atlantic Coast Conference was close behind at 36, followed by the Big 12 (34), Pac-10 (33) and Big Ten (30).

Two positions, defensive tackle with 15 and tight end with nine, shared the honor of having the fewest number of players selected at their positions in the past 10 drafts. The 26 offensive tackles taken represented the highest number in the past 10 drafts. Only one time in the past 10 drafts (37 in 1995) have there been more linebackers selected than this year's 36. The 30 cornerbacks drafted this year ties the 2000 event for the most in the last 10 drafts.

Auburn had three players hear their names called in the first 10 picks. It's the most since Penn State accomplished the feat in 1995. Auburn is only the fourth school since 1967 to have two running backs taken in the first round. The others were 1971 (Ohio State), 1986 (Florida) and 1987 (Texas A&M). Auburn is also the first school to have two running backs and a quarterback all taken in the first round.

Matt Cassel of Southern California, selected in the seventh round by New England, is the first quarterback ever taken who played as a backup to two Heisman Trophy winners.

With the drafting of Alex Smith, the player selected at No. 1 overall has now come from 53 different schools. Notre Dame and USC have had five each to set the bar. Two schools have had a player selected No. 1 overall which no longer have football -- the University of Chicago and the University of Tampa.

Southern California is the only school to have players selected No. 1 overall in back-to-back drafts. In 1968 it was Ron Yary, and O.J. Simpson followed suit in 1969.

The 126th overall pick changed hands five times. Philadelphia took tackle Todd Herremans after that position was previously owned by Denver, Cleveland, Seattle, Carolina and Green Bay.

Not surprising 30 CB's taken in the draft-but a little surprising to me 26 offensive tackles taken considering this was not a strong position supposedly. Time will tell on that