In 2004 the Miami football program set the record with six players being chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft. Alabama has a chance to equal or exceed that record in the 2020 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Six Miami football players were chosen in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. That is a record that still exists. Alabama has a chance eclipse that record in the 2020 NFL Draft. Miami has not had a player chosen in the first round since 2017 and not had multiple players taken in the first round since 2015.
The Hurricanes had safety Sean Taylor, tight end Kellen Winslow, linebackers, Jonathan Vilma and D.J. Williams, offensive tackle Vernon Carey and nose tackle Vince Wilfork were the half dozen Miami Hurricanes who heard their names announced on April 24, 2004. That broke the record set by the Hurricanes in the 2002 NFL Draft.
Alabama is projected to have between five and seven players chosen in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, OT Jedrick Wills, wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, safety Xavier McKinney, cornerback Trevon Diggs and edge rusher Terrell Lewis all have a chance to be drafted Thursday night.
Diggs is a borderline first found round pick. Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports projected that Lewis could be a surpassing prospect to in his words, slip into round one. LaCanfora compared Lewis to Denver Broncos star pass rusher Von Miller. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. does not have Lewis or being taken in the first rounds
| Rk | Year | Lg | Rnd ▲ | Pick | Tm | Player | Pos | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004 | NFL | 1 | 5 | WAS | Sean Taylor | DB | College Stats |
| 2 | 2004 | NFL | 1 | 6 | CLE | Kellen Winslow | TE | College Stats |
| 3 | 2004 | NFL | 1 | 12 | NYJ | Jonathan Vilma | LB | College Stats |
| 4 | 2004 | NFL | 1 | 17 | DEN | D.J. Williams | LB | College Stats |
| 5 | 2004 | NFL | 1 | 19 | MIA | Vernon Carey | T | |
| 6 | 2004 | NFL | 1 | 21 | NWE | Vince Wilfork | NT | College Stats |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/21/2020.
The last time Miami had as many as three players chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft was in 2007. Safety Brandon Meriweather to New England, linebacker Jon Beason to Carolina and tight end Greg Olsen to Chicago were all selected in the first round. That was five head coaches ago for Miami not counting interim.
The Miami football program is expected to have DE Greg Rousseau and TE Brevin Jordan selected in the 2021 first round. The Hurricanes have continued to produce talent for the NFL. The bigger issue is the lack of first-round talent Miami has produced. Only four Miami players have been first-round picks since 2009.