Cal Football: No Steve Bartkowski or Jared Goff in the 2022 NFL Draft
There is no clear consensus on who will be chosen No. 1 in the NFL draft on Thursday.
It could be edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan. Or defensive lineman Travon Walker of Georgia. Or offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu of North Carolina State.
Or we could be surprised altogether.
After four straight years of being No. 1 picks, we’re fairly sure it won’t be a quarterback. It won’t be a running back.
And six years after Jared Goff went No. 1, it won’t be a player from Cal. The Bears are not assured of having anyone selected in the three-day, seven-round draft, although a handful of them could go late or sign as free agents.
Chase Garbers, who quarterbacked the Bears most of the past four seasons, is hoping to hear his name called this weekend but is not found in most recent mock drafts.
The first NFL draft was conducted in 1936, and the top pick was Jay Berwanger, a halfback from the University of Chicago, who also happened to be the first winner of the Heisman Trophy.
Berwanger, who left a permanent scar on the face of Michigan lineman and future U.S. President Gerald Ford during a collision when those teams clashed, never played professionally. Yes, it was a different of pro football in those days.
Here’s a look back at history and curiosities related to the NFL draft and, in particular, the Pac-12’s role in the event:
— Cal and Stanford have combined for six No. 1 picks — all of them quarterbacks.
— Schools currently in the Pac-12 have accounted for 17 No. 1 picks — 12 of them quarterbacks.
— Our ranking of the 12 Pac-12 QBs chosen No. 1 (based on their NFL performance): 1. John Elway, Stanford; 2. Troy Aikman, UCLA; 3. Jim Plunkett, Stanford; 4. Andrew Luck, Stanford; 5. Carson Palmer, USC; 6. Alex Smith, Utah; 7. Drew Bledsoe, Washington State; 8. Steve Bartkowski, Cal; 9. Jared Goff, Cal; 10. George Shaw, Oregon; 11. Terry Baker, Oregon State; 12. Bobby Garrett, Stanford.
— The only defensive player from a Pac-12 school selected first overall was Washington defensive tackle Steve Emtman, who went to the Indianapolis Colts in 1992.
— Three Pac-12 schools — Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado — have never had a No. 1 pick.
— Four schools — Auburn, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and USC — share the top spot with five No. 1 picks each. All five of Oklahoma’s picks have come since 1976; none of Notre Dame’s are after 1972.
— Alabama, which has won 11 national championships since the first NFL draft in 1936, has just one No. 1 draft pick. And you’ve probably never heard of him: Quarterback Harry Gilmer, selected by Washington in 1948. Gilmer played eight NFL seasons, started 26 games and threw 23 touchdowns and 45 interceptions.
— That's not to say the Crimson Tide has been overlooked in the draft. Six Alabama players were chosen in the first round a year ago and the program has spawned 21 first-rounders over the past five years.
— The past four and six of the past seven No. 1 picks have been quarterbacks. The exception: Defensive end Myles Garrett of Texas A&M, chosen by the Cleveland Browns in 2017. Garrett has 58.5 sacks in five seasons and was a first-team All-Pro selection the past two years.
— Those past four quarterbacks taken No. 1 — Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield — have so far combined for two Pro Bowl selections, with Murray being chosen the past two seasons.
— Only two running backs have been drafted No. 1 in the past 40 years after 20 were taken from 1936 through 1981. Penn State’s K-Jana Carter went to the Cincinnati Bengals in 1995 and had a forgettable NFL career. Auburn’s Bo Jackson was picked No. 1 in 1986 and had a brief but at times spectacular four NFL seasons while also hitting 141 home runs in parts of eight MLB seasons.
— The only wide receiver chosen No. 1 since 1985 was USC’s Keyshawn Johnson (1996), who justified the selection by catching 814 passes for 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns in 11 NFL seasons.
— Perhaps no top pick so successfully made a position change in the pros as Billy Cannon, a Heisman Trophy-winning running back at LSU who became a standout tight end with the Oakland Raiders midway through his career, earning first-team All-AFL honors in 1967 when he caught 10 touchdown passes.
NO. 1 NFL DRAFT PICKS BY SCHOOL
Auburn (5): QB Cam Newton (2011), LB Aundray Bruce (1988), RB Bo Jackson (1986), RB Tucker Frederickson (1965-NFL), OG Ken Rice (AFL-1961)
Notre Dame (5): DT Walt Patulski (1972), RB Paul Hornung* (1957), End Leon Hart (1950), QB Frank Dancewicz (1946), QB Angelo Bertelli (1944)
Oklahoma (5): QB Kyler Murray (2019), QB Baker Mayfield (2018), QB Sam Bradford (2010), RB Billy Sims (1980), DE Le Roy Selmon* (1976)
USC (5): QB Carson Palmer (2003), WR Keyshawn Johnson (1996), RB Ricky Bell (1977), RB O.J. Simpson* (1969), OT Ron Yary* (1968)
Georgia (4): QB Matthew Stafford (2009), End Harry Babcock (1953), HB Charley Trippi (1945), HB Frank Sinkwich (1943)
Stanford (4): QB Andrew Luck (2012), QB John Elway* (1983), QB Jim Plunkett (1971), QB Bobby Garrett (1954)
LSU (3): QB Joe Burrow (2020), QB JaMarcus Russell (2007), RB Billy Cannon (1960)
Ohio State (3): OT Orlando Pace* (1997), DT Dan Wilkinson (1994), LB Tom Cousineau (1979),
Texas (3): DE Kenneth Sims (1982), RB Earl Campbell (1978), LB Tommy Nobis (1966-NFL)
Cal (2): QB Jared Goff (2016), QB Steve Bartkowski (1975)
Illinois (2): QB Jeff George (1990), RB Jim Grabowski (1966-AFL)
Miami (2): DT Russell Maryland (1991), QB Vinny Testaverde (1987)
Michigan (2): OT Jake Long (2008), HB Tom Harmon (1941)
Nebraska (2): WR Irving Fryar (1984), FB Sam Francis (1937)
Penn State (2): DE Courtney Brown (2000), RB Ki-Jana Carter (1995)
South Carolina (2): DE Jadeveon Clowney (2014), RB George Rogers (1981)
Tennessee (2): QB Peyton Manning* (1998), HB George Cafego (1940)
Virginia Tech (2): QB Michael Vick (2001), DE Bruce Smith* (1985)
Alabama (1): QB Harry Gilmer (1948)
Baylor (1): Lawrence Elkins (1965-AFL)
Boston College (1): QB Jack Concannon (1964-AFL)
Central Michigan (1): OT Eric Fisher (2013)
Chicago (1): HB Jay Berwanger (1936)
Clemson (1): QB Trevor Lawrence (2021)
Colorado A&M (1): DB Gary Glick (1956)
Florida State (1): QB Jameis Winston (2015)
Fresno State (1): QB David Carr (2002)
Grambling State (1): DT Buck Buchanan* (1963-AFL)
Indiana (1): FB Corbett Davis (1938)
Iowa (1): QB Randy Duncan (1959)
Kentucky (1): QB Tim Couch (1999)
Louisiana Tech (1): QB Terry Bradshaw* (1970)
Michigan State (1): DE Bubba Smith (1967)
Mississippi (1): QB Eli Manning (2004)
North Carolina (1): DE Mario Williams (2006)
North Carolina State (1): QB Roman Gabriel (1962-AFL)
Oklahoma State (1): HB Bob Fenimore (1947)
Oregon (1): QB George Shaw (1955)
Oregon State (1): QB Terry Baker (1963-NFL)
Penn (1): C/LB Chuck Bednarik* (1949)
Rice (1): QB King Hill (1958)
SMU (1): HB Kyle Rote (1951)
Syracuse (1): RB Ernie Davis (1962-NFL)
Tampa (1): DE John Matuszak (1973)
Tennessee State (1): DE Ed “Too Tall” Jones (1974)
Texas A&M (1): DE Myles Garrett (2017)
TCU (1): C Ki Aldrich (1939)
Texas Tech (1): WR Dave Parks (1964-NFL)
Tulane (1): RB Tommy Mason (1961-NFL)
UCLA (1): QB Troy Aikman* (1989)
Utah (1): QB Alex Smith (2005)
Vanderbilt (1): QB Bill Wade (1952)
Virginia (1): HB Bill Dudley (1942)
Washington (1): DT Steve Emtman (1992)
Washington State (1): Drew Bledsoe (1993)
* indicates member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Cover photos of Steve Bartkowski by Manny Rubio and Jared Goff by Kirthmon F. Dozier, USA Today
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
