Every NFL Draft Pick MSU's Fitzgerald Developed at Northwestern
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NFL Draft season is here.
Michigan State is seeking to add to its long history of draft picks during the annual draft in Pittsburgh. Center Matt Gulbin and punter Ryan Eckley are probably going to be selected, with safety Malik Spencer also possibly being on some teams' boards after taking a Top 30 visit with the New England Patriots.
At the same time, MSU is starting a new era in its football program. The Spartans are completing their first round of spring practices under new head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who was the head coach at Northwestern from 2006 to 2022.
2010 Draft
DE Corey Wootton (CHI - Rd. 4, Pk. 109)
The very first Fitzgerald draft pick as a head coach was Corey Wootton, who went to the nearby Chicago Bears. He spent five years in the NFL, appearing in 60 total games with 22 starts. He had 12.0 sacks and three forced fumbles during his career.
QB Mike Kafka (PHI - Rd. 4, Pk. 122)
Next up was Mike Kafka. He hardly saw the field in the NFL but eventually turned to coaching. Kafka began as a graduate assistant at Northwestern and eventually became the New York Giants' interim head coach last season. He's now the passing game coordinator with the Detroit Lions.
DB Sherrick McManis (HOU - Rd. 5, Pk. 144)
Wrapping up the 2010 class is Sherrick McManis, who was an elite ball hawk during his time at NU, grabbing five interceptions in his senior season. McManis had a very long career in the pros as a special teams ace, spanning 11 seasons—two with the Houston Texans and nine with the Bears.
2012 Draft
TE Drake Dunsmore (TB - Rd. 7, Pk. 233)
Northwestern had two picks sneak in towards the back of the 2012 NFL Draft. The first was Drake Dunsmore. He was the Big Ten's Tight End of the Year in 2011, but was undersized and ended up never appearing in an NFL game.
WR Jeremy Ebert (NE - Rd. 7, Pk. 235)
Just two picks later, the Patriots selected Jeremy Ebert. He bounced around the league for a bit, mostly as a practice squad player, but appeared in five games for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013. He made three catches for 18 yards.
2015 Draft
S Ibraheim Campbell (CLE - Rd. 4, Pk. 115)
After no picks for a few drafts, Northwestern got back on the board with Ibraheim Campbell in 2015. He played for seven years with six different teams, making 60 appearances and 15 starts.
QB Trevor Siemian (DEN - Rd. 7, Pk. 250)
Another quarterback who has gone to the league through NU is Trevor Siemian. He's the oldest draft pick from Fitzgerald's reign at Northwestern who is still playing, recently signing with the Atlanta Falcons. Siemian is a career backup for the most part, but he holds a relatively respectable 15-18 record as a starter.
2016 Draft
DE Dean Lowry (GB - Rd. 4, Pk. 137)
Another Wildcats pick with a long career is Dean Lowry. He's made 85 starts across 132 appearances in his career, mostly for the Packers. He's now with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is looking to bounce back after missing last season with an ACL tear.
FB Danny Vitale (TB - Rd. 6, Pk. 197)
Fitzgerald has also had one of his "superbacks" drafted, a bit of a hybrid between a tight end and a fullback. Vitale appeared in four NFL seasons, making 15 career catches for 145 yards.
2017 Draft
LB Anthony Walker Jr. (IND - Rd. 5, Pk. 161)
Another successful career was from linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., who played Fitzgerald's old position. Walker officially retired earlier this month after playing in nine pro seasons, starting 83 of his 101 appearances and making 581 total tackles.
DL Ifeadi Odenigbo (MIN - Rd. 7, Pk. 220)
From Northwestern's defensive line is Ifeadi Odenigbo. He played for five seasons in the NFL but appears to be out of the league now. Odenigbo had a pair of successful seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, recording 10.5 of his 14.0 career sacks in two years.
2018 Draft
RB Justin Jackson (LAC - Rd. 7, Pk. 251)
Justin Jackson, Northwestern's all-time leading rusher, was one of the last picks in the 2018 draft. He ended up getting five NFL seasons out of being near the bottom of the draft board, spending five with the Los Angeles Chargers and one with the Lions. He ran for 1,210 yards and five touchdowns during his pro career.
2019 Draft
QB Clayton Thorson (PHI - Rd. 5, Pk. 167)
Another quarterback is Clayton Thorson, the Wildcats' all-time leading passer. He never appeared in an NFL game, but had a stint with the Houston Gamblers in the USFL in 2022.
2021 Draft
OT Rashawn Slater (LAC - Rd. 1, Pk. 13)
The 2021 draft is the only time in Northwestern history that the Wildcats have had multiple first-round picks in the same year. Starting the class is Rashawn Slater, who has started for the Chargers for four seasons, but missed the 2025 season due to injury. He made Pro Bowls in 2021 and 2024 and was a second-team All-Pro in 2021 as a rookie.
DB Greg Newsome II (CLE - Rd. 1, Pk. 26)
The second first-rounder of 2021 is Greg Newsome II. He started a while for the Browns, but was traded this past season to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Newsome has started 58 of the 71 NFL games he's played in, having four career picks and 43 pass defenses.
DE Earnest Brown IV (LAR - Rd. 5, Pk. 174)
Wrapping up the 2021 class is Earnest Brown IV. He's currently with the Tennessee Titans, but he didn't play at all during the 2025 NFL season. Brown has played in 15 total games with three starts, making 14 total tackles.
2023 Draft
OL Peter Skoronski (TEN - Rd. 1, Pk. 11)
The highest pick Fitzgerald developed at Northwestern is Peter Skoronski. He was Northwestern's best draft pick since 1983, in fact. Skoronski has started every game he's played in for the Titans in his career through three seasons and will be eligible for an extension and big payday soon.
DL Adetomiwa Adebawore (IND - Rd. 4, Pk. 110)
Next up is defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore. He's been with the Colts his whole career so far, maxing a handful of starts this past season, getting 4.0 sacks after having 2.5 in his first two years combined.
DB Cameron Mitchell (CLE - Rd. 5, Pk. 142)
The second-to-last pick here is defensive back Cameron Mitchell. He spent a few years with the Browns before getting waived during the 2025 season. He's now with the Colts. Mitchell has mostly been a backup, but he does have a couple of starts under his belt.
RB Evan Hull (IND - Rd. 5, Pk. 176)
Finishing off the list is Evan Hull, who is ninth on Northwestern's all-time rushing list. He only ever got one rushing attempt and one reception with the Colts, but got to play a tiny bit with the New Orleans Saints this past season. Northwestern hasn't had a draft pick in the 2024 and 2025 drafts since it fired Fitzgerald.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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