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34 Pac-12 players selected in 2014 NFL draft

by Kevin Danna
May 10, 2014

Twenty Pac-12 football players were selected by NFL teams in rounds four through seven of the 2014 NFL draft Saturday, bringing the conference’s total number of players drafted this year up to 34. The 34 selections are the third most of any conference in college football, behind the SEC’s 49 and ACC’s 42. Additionally, every Pac-12 school had at least one player selected in the draft. Here’s a recap of each Pac-12 school’s Saturday and draft as a whole:

Arizona

The Wildcats saw their first guy go in 2014 when the Chicago Bears selected running back Ka’Deem Carey in the middle of the fourth round with the 117th pick. Those who are on #TeamKaDeem would like to know that Carey is the first running back drafted by the Bears since Matt Forte (he’s been pretty good for the Chi, I’d say). Carey had some company, because cornerback Shaquille Richardson went in the fifth round to the Pittsburgh Steelers (157th overall) and outside linebacker Marquis Flowers was chosen by Cincinnati at the end of the sixth round at 212 (good to see Richardson and Flowers feel a draft this weekend). This leaves the ‘Cats with three NFL draft picks overall for 2014.

 

Arizona State

It’s no secret this guy is a freak of an athlete, which is probably why the Green Bay Packers took linebacker Carl Bradford 121st overall. While coping with the passing of his father, Bradford put together an impressive 2013 campaign with 61 tackles, 8.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. He drew comparisons to Michael Sam by the NFL Network crew but was selected well ahead of the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, who went late in the seventh round to the St. Louis Rams at 249 and is the first openly gay player drafted in NFL history. You had to wait a couple of hours, but the Sun Devils weren’t quite done yet. Finally the ASU high-octane offense was recognized, and second-team all-Pac-12 running back Marion Grice went 201st overall to the San Diego Chargers in the sixth round. Like Bradford, Grice also has had to overcome tragedy in his personal life. Overall, the Sun Devils had three players selected in the 2014 NFL draft, with Will Sutton going on Friday to da Bears (third round, 82nd overall).

 

California

The Golden Bears had one guy go on Saturday, that being inside linebacker Khairi Fortt. The Penn State transfer went in the fourth round to the New Orleans Saints at 126, giving the Saints their second Pac-12 player of the 2014 NFL draft (Brandin Cooks is “hyped to wear black and gold,” if you know what I mean). Fortt compiled 64 tackles in 2013 for Sonny Dykes and Co. despite not playing every game and was a Butkus Award semifinalist. Along with Richard Rodgers, Cal sent two guys to the NFL through the draft in 2014.

 

Colorado

No Buffs selected in the final four rounds, leaving Paul Richardson as the only Colorado guy chosen this year (45th to the Richard Shermans).

[Related: Sutton, Sankey, Lee among Pac-12 players selected in NFL draft rounds 2&3]

Oregon

One of the sexiest names left on the board by the time he was taken, De’Anthony Thomas went 124th overall to the Kansas City Chiefs. The hype around The Black Mamba might have died off a bit, but don’t forget that he can do crazy things like this and this. Next up, Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly did another one of his old boys a solid by selecting defensive end Taylor Hart with the first pick of the fifth round (141st overall). Just as the draft was wrapping up, the Dallas Cowboys selected Terrance Mitchell with the third-to-last pick (No. 254). Oregon ends the draft with four players selected, as Josh Huff went in the third round to the Eagles.

 

Oregon State

No Beavers went off the board Saturday, so Oregon State wraps up the 2014 NFL draft with two selections - Brandin Cooks at 20 to New Orleans and Scott Crichton at 72 to Minnesota.

Stanford

Busy day for the Farm Boys.  With head football coach Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw talking shop on the NFL Network set, Cameron Fleming was the last pick of the fourth round, going 140th overall to the New England Patriots. As Shaw finished singing Fleming’s praises, the Minnesota Vikings selected guard David Yankey (aka “Papa Yank”) at slot No. 145 in the fifth round (the third Pac-12er to go to the Vikings in the draft, btw). Then, just as the two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year took off the earpiece and headset, his former safety Ed Reynolds went to Chip Kelly and Philly at 162. Nerd Nation wasn’t done yet, however, because Tyler Gaffney officially went pro in his second sport when the Carolina Panthers took him near the end of the sixth round at No. 204. This section is only going to get longer, because Ben Gardner got selected in the seventh round by the Dallas Cowboys with the 231st pick. Nice accomplishment for Gardner, especially considering that he didn’t get an invite to the NFL combine. Overall, the Cardinal walks away from the draft with six selections (Trent Murphy went on day two to Washington), the most of any Pac-12 school. History-tying day for Stanford. I’ll let Stanford SID Alan George take it from here:

 

UCLA

A trio of Bruins went Saturday, bringing Jim Mora’s total to five prodigies selected this year. Cassius Marsh will have a chance to win a Super Bowl as a rookie with the Seahawks selecting the defensive end 108th overall (fourth round), while Shaq Evans will get to link up with either Geno Smith or Michael Vick as a member of the New York Jets (115th overall, fourth round). Additionally, linebacker Jordan Zumwalt went 192nd in the sixth round to Pittsburgh. Of course, you can see future NFLers out of UCLA up close and personal on The Drive this coming fall, and at least a couple of them – Brett Hundley and Myles Jack – have a chance to be a first-rounder like Anthony Barr in the coming years.

 

USC

It was a bit of a quiet day on the USC front, but outside linebacker Devon Kennard did get a ring from the New York Giants at the end of the fifth round (174th overall). The final of three USC selections in the draft (Marqise Lee and Marcus Martin being the first two and 39 and 70, respectively), Kennard led the Trojans in sacks with nine of ‘em in 2013.

[Related: Three former Pac-12 players go in NFL draft's first round]

Utah

The Utes’ donut was erased rather early in the day Saturday, as Keith McGill went in the middle of the fourth round to the Oakland Raiders with the 116th pick (read this feature on McGill from the Salt Lake Tribune, written earlier this week). Here’s a stat all Silver and Black fans will like: McGill led the Pac-12 in pass breakups last year with 12. Trevor Reilly was probably getting a lil’ nervous, but he was able to breathe a sigh of relief after the Jets chose him in the seventh round with the 233rd pick (for Reilly, the draft couldn’t come soon enough). As such, Utah can say it had two players drafted into the NFL in 2014.

 

Washington

Washington’s media relations staff didn’t have any press releases to write about Saturday draftees, finalizing the Dawgs’ draft selections total at two with Austin Seferian-Jenkins shipping off at 38 to Tampa Bay and Bishop Sankey heading to Tennessee at 54.

Washington State

No Cougars selected after Thursday, but Washington State was one of three Pac-12 schools to have a 2014 first-rounder (Deone Bucannon went 27th to Arizona).

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