Miami Hurricanes History of Consecutive 1st Round Picks ’95-’01
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1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 common draft marked the first time in program history that three Hurricanes were selected in the first round. Wide receiver Yatil Green went 15th to the Miami Dolphins, defensive end Kenard Lang 17th to the Washington Redskins and defensive end Kenny Holmes one pick later to the Tennessee Titans.
Yatil Green WR Selected 15 by Miami
Green gradually improved in each of his three seasons with the Hurricanes. He caught 44 passes for 746 yards and four touchdowns in 1996.
On his first day of training camp with the Dolphins Green tore his quadriceps muscles, anterior cruciate ligament and cartilage in his right knee. He would never recover in the NFL. He only played one season catching 18 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns in 1998.
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With the First Pick
Kennard Lang DE Selected 17 by Washington
Kennard Lang was a great duel athlete that was drafted in both football and baseball. He was the 17th pick by the Washington Redskins in ’97. Lang was named the Big East Rookie of the Year in 1994. He finished his freshmen season with 49 tackles and eight sacks.
In Junior season that preceded his draft year, Lang had his best season with 72 tackles and 12 sacks. Lang finished his three-year collegiate career with 194 tackles and 23.5 sacks.
Lang was a solid NFL player that played ten years in the league with the Redskins, Browns and Broncos. He started 117 of the 153 games in which he appeared. Lang finished his career with 451 total tackles, 50 sacks, 13 passed defended, 13 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and three interceptions.
He retired after the 2006 season and has been coaching high school football in the Orlando area.
Kenny Holmes DE Selected 18 by Tennessee
Holmes was the 18th pick in the first round of the 1997 draft by the Tennessee Titans. Holmes earned first team All-Big East twice during his collegiate career. In four seasons with Miami Holmes had 29 sacks and 207 tackles.
He teamed with Lang in 1996 to form a fierce bookend pass rush. Holmes nearly matched Lang’s total with 11.5 sacks of his own. Holmes started five games as a rookie and then 11 the next season.
He would play a total of seven years in the NFL. Holmes spent his first four seasons with Tennessee and his last three with the New York Giants.
In his career, Holmes had 249 total tackles, 38.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries and two forced fumble return touchdowns. He teamed with Hall of Famer Michael Strachan in New York and likely future Hall of Famer Jevon Kearse in Tennessee.
Holmes played in 14 games and started seven for the 1999 AFC Champion Titans. He spent the last two seasons at Idaho as the Defensive Line coach. Holmes is returning to Miami in the same position with Florida International this season under his former Head Coach at Miami Butch Davis.