NFL Draft Superlatives

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With the 2023 NFL Draft in the rear-view mirror, we take a closer look at the University of Houston Football's historic draft class as the program upped its total to 192 all-time selections including an impressive 21 selections since 2016.

Over the weekend, eight Cougars solidified the first step in their NFL careers including four draft selections (WR Nathaniel Dell, QB Clayton Tune, DL/FB Derek Parish and DB Gervarrius Owens) and four undrafted free agents (DB Art Green, LB Donavan Mutin, TE Christian Trahan and DL D'Anthony Jones).
Houston had at least one player selected for an eighth consecutive NFL Draft (2016-present). The stretch is the Cougars' longest since going 13 straight years from 1974-86. Houston's active streak trails only Texas A&M (16) among Texas schools and only Oklahoma (28) among current Big 12 Conference programs.
Houston's four NFL Draft selections were the most for the program since matching the feat in 1997. It marked just the fifth time in the last 40 years Houston had 4+ players selected (1990 – 7; 1992 – 5; 1984 – 5; 2023 – 4; 1997 – 4) in a draft. The four selections ranked tied for 20^th nationally and third among in-state programs, trailing only TCU (8) and Texas (5). It led all American Athletic Conference programs.
The Cougars have had 21 players selected in the last eight years (2016-present), marking the most over an eight-year stretch for the program since having 24 players selected between 1990-97.
Houston has seen 3+ players selected in the NFL Draft on six occasions since 2016. The mark ranks second among 2023 Big 12 Conference members (Oklahoma, 8) and second among all programs in Texas (Texas A&M, 7).
With Parish's selection, Houston is one of seven programs nationally to have a defensive lineman selected in three consecutive NFL Drafts (2021-23). The Cougars are the only Texas program and lone 2023 Big 12 Conference school to achieve the feat. Houston is joined by Alabama, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
Among the 14-member NFL Draft quarterback class, Tune recorded the most career passing yards (11,994), passing touchdowns (104) and completions (956). He was one of three signal callers to exceed 10,000 career passing yards and the only player to reach the 100-career touchdown mark.
Tune (Round 5; Texans) became the first drafted Houston quarterback since Kevin Kolb was taken by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2007 NFL Draft. He is the ninth Houston quarterback selected all-time and fourth highest selection behind Kolb, David Klingler (1992 – 1^st round; pick 6; Bengals) and Andre Ware (1990 – 1^st round; pick 7; Lions).
Dell (3rd round, pick 69) became Houston's highest drafted Cougar wideout since 2008 (Donnie Avery; Round 2; Pick 33; Rams) and fourth highest drafted wideout in Houston career history behind Avery, Elmo Wright (1971 – 1^st round; pick 16; Chiefs) and Willis Adams (1979 – 1^st round; pick 20; Browns).
Dell became the first Cougar to be selected by the Houston Texans. With the pick, the only organization to have never drafted a Cougar is the Carolina Panthers. The organizations who have drafted the most Houston players include the Oilers/Titans (13), Broncos (12), Colts (10) and Rams (10).
Owens became the sixth Cougar all-time to be selected by the Giants and first since 1998 (OL Ben Frick; 7^th round). He was the 16^th Cougar defensive player to be drafted since 2016, a mark that leads all program in Texas.

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Players Mentioned

Nathaniel Dell

Art Green

D'Anthony Jones

Donavan Mutin

Gervarrius Owens

Derek Parish

Christian Trahan

Clayton Tune

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