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ACC has 43 players chosen in 2017 NFL Draft

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The ACC had 43 players chosen in the 2017 National Football League Draft over the past three days in Philadelphia. The total is the second highest for any conference this year and the third-highest total for the ACC in the Draft.

acc footballThe ACC has had 158 players chosen in the last four NFL Drafts, the second-highest total of any conference. The league had at least 42 selections in 2014 (42), 2015 (47) and this year and is one of only two conferences to do so.

In this year’s draft, Miami led all ACC teams with nine selections followed by Clemson and North Carolina (6 each), Pitt (5), Florida State and Virginia Tech (4 each), NC State (3), Boston College and Louisville (2 each), and Georgia Tech and Wake Forest with one selection apiece,

Miami’s nine picks gives the Hurricanes 336 draftees all-time, the most of any ACC school. The Hurricanes now have 64 first-round selections, also the most of any school in the ACC.

A total of 32 ACC players were chosen on the final day of the draft.

Four ACC players were selected in the first round of the draft on Thursday night, led by North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who was chosen second by the Cleveland Browns. Trubisky is the fourth UNC player taken as the second overall player in the draft, joining Ken Willard (1965), Lawrence Taylor (1981) and Julius Peppers (2002).

Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams was then taken seventh overall by the Los Angeles Chargers and Tigers’ quarterback Deshaun Watson was selected 12th overall by the Houston Texans. Finally, Miami tight David Njoku was tabbed 29th by the Cleveland Browns.

Williams is the third Clemson wide receiver taken in the first round since 2013, joining Sammy Watkins (4th, 2014) and DeAndre Hopkins (27th, 2013). He is the fifth Clemson wide receiver drafted in that time.

Williams and Watson made NFL Draft history on Thursday, becoming the first quarterback and wide receiver from the same team to be chosen among the first 12 picks in the draft.

A total of four ACC quarterbacks were selected in the Draft, the most of any conference. In addition to Trubisky and Watson, Pitt’s Nathan Peterman was selected in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills (171st overall) and Miami’s Brad Kaaya was taken in the sixth round as the 215th overall selection by the Detroit Lions.

Florida State’s Dalvin Cook, who was chosen Friday in the second round and 41st overall, became the highest drafted running back for the Seminoles in 20 years, or since former FSU standout Warrick Dunn was taken in the 1997 NFL Draft.

The selection of Pitt RB James Conner, the 2014 ACC Player of the Year, who overcame both Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and a knee injury in 2015, continued his comeback. Conner, voted the 2016 ACC Brian Piccolo Award for Courage after rushing for over 1,000 yards last fall and earning first-team All-ACC honors, was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

When Florida State defensive end DeMarcus Walker was chosen in the second round by the Denver Broncos, he became the 12th defensive lineman drafted from FSU since 2008, seven of whom were drafted in the second round or higher. Walker was named the 2016 ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Six members of Clemson’s 2016 National Championship team were drafted in the first 150 selections. Williams (seventh) and Watson (12th) led the way, followed by cornerback Cordrea Tankersley (97th), running back Wayne Gallman (140th), defensive tackle Carlos Watkins (142) and tight end Jordan Leggett (150th).

Georgia Tech placekicker Harrison Butker was one of just three kickers drafted, when he was selected in the seventh round.

 

ACC Selections in the 2017 NFL Draft

Rd.      Pick   Name                                         Pos.                          School                        NFL Team

1          2        Mitchell Trubisky                       QB                             North Carolina         Chicago Bears

1          7        Mike Williams                             WR                           Clemson                     Los Angeles Chargers

1          12      Deshaun Watson                       QB                            Clemson                     Houston Texans

1          29      David Njoku                               TE                            Miami                         Cleveland Browns

2          41      Dalvin Cook                                RB                            Florida State              Minnesota Vikings

2          51      DeMarcus Walker                      DE                            Florida State              Denver Broncos

2          61      Josh Jones                                  S                               NC State                      Green Bay Packers

3          91      John Johnson                             S                               Boston College          Los Angeles Rams

3          97      Cordrea Tankersley                  CB                            Clemson                     Miami Dolphins

3         102     Nazair Jones                              DT                            North Carolina          Seattle Seahawks

3         105     James Conner                            RB                            Pitt                               Pittsburgh Steelers

4        113     Rayshawn Jenkins                     S                               Miami                          Los Angeles Chargers

4        115     Dorian Johnson                         G                               Pitt                              Arizona Cardinals

4        118     Mack Hollins                               WR                           North Carolina          Philadelphia Eagles

4        133     Ryan Switzer                              WR                           North Carolina          Dallas Cowboys

4        140     Wayne Gallman                          RB                            Clemson                     New York Giants

4        142     Carlos Watkins                           DT                            Clemson                     Houston Texans

5        150     Jordan Leggett                           TE                            Clemson                     New York Jets

5        152     Corn Elder                                  CB                            Miami                          Carolina Panthers

5        160     Roderick Johnson                      T                               Florida State              Cleveland Browns

5        163     Matt Milano                                LB                            Boston College          Buffalo Bills

5        168     Marquel Lee                               LB                            Wake Forest              Oakland Raiders

5        171     Nathan Peterman                      QB                            Pitt                              Buffalo Bills

5        179     T.J. Logan                                    RB                            North Carolina          Arizona Cardinals

5        180     Danny Isidora                            G                               Miami                          Minnesota Vikings

6        185     Chuck Clark                                S                               Virginia Tech             Baltimore Ravens

6        196     Al-Quadin Muhammed              DE                            Miami                          New Orleans Saints

6        200     Adam Bisnowaty                        T                               Pitt                              New York Giants

6        201     Buck Hodges                              TE                            Virginia Tech             Minnesota Vikings

6        206     Sam Rogers                                FB                            Virginia Tech             Los Angeles Rams

6        213     Colin Hulba                                 LS                             Louisville                    Pittsburgh Steelers

6        215     Brad Kaaya                                 QB                            Miami                          Detroit Lions

6        216     Marquez White                          CB                            Florida State              Dallas Cowboys

7        219     Stacy Coley                                 WR                           Miami                          Minnesota Vikings

7        229     Adrian Colbert                           CB                            Miami                          San Francisco 49ers

7        230     Josh Harvey-Clemons                S                               Louisville                    Washington Redskins

7        233     Harrison Butker                        K                               Georgia Tech             Carolina Panthers

7        234     Ejuan Price                                 DE                            Pitt                              Los Angeles Rams

7        237     Isaiah Ford                                 WR                           Virginia Tech             Miami Dolphins

7        240     Marquez Williams                      FB                            Miami                          Jacksonville Jaguars

7        242     Elijah Hood                                 RB                            North Carolina          Oakland Raiders

7        245     Jack Tocho                                  CB                            NC State                      Minnesota Vikings

7        252     Matthew Dayes                          RB                            NC State                      Cleveland Browns

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