Mike Leach Has Beyond-Solid NFL Draft Track Record
Current Mississippi State Head Coach Mike Leach played an integral role in developing one of the most successful offenses to ever take the field in college football and has played an equally important role in sending off players into the NFL.
Leach is one of just two active head coaches in college football to coach at least one NFL first-round draft pick at three separate programs. Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban is the only other to accomplish the same feat.
Leach's most recent was offensive tackle Charles Cross, who was selected by the Seattle Seahawks at No. 9 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Cross projects as a player who will make an immediate impact for an NFL team with his versatility, core strength and ability to both run-block and pass-block.
Other first-rounder players coached by Leach include wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who was drafted out of Texas Tech by the San Francisco 49ers at No. 10 overall and former Washington State offensive tackle Andre Dillard, who was taken off the board by the Philadelphia Eagles at 22nd overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Crabtree became the highest-drafted Red Raider since halfback Donny Anderson was drafted at No. 7 overall in the 1965 NFL Draft. He spent 11 seasons in the league between the 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens and the Arizona Cardinals, reaching a career total of 637 receptions for 7,499 yards and 54 touchdowns.
Other players of note Leach coached ahead of their NFL careers include current Eagles quarterback Gardner Minshew and former New England Patriots wide receivers Danny Amendola (signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2008) and Wes Welker (signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2004). After all Welker and Amendola accomplished in the NFL, it's safe to say some teams look back in retrospect and wish they had jumped on them during the draft.
With the amount of talent at Mississippi State and the new heights Leach has already propelled the Bulldogs to in a short period of time, it's reasonable to assume Leach will continue stacking highly-drafted picks in the coming seasons.
