List of Every Purdue First-Round Pick in NFL Draft History
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Over the course of its history, Purdue has produced 22 first-round picks in the annual NFL Draft. Maybe it's not the highest number, but the Boilermakers have produced some highly-skilled football players over the years.
Purdue's most recent first-round pick came in 2022, when defensive end George Karlaftis was selected No. 30 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs. Before that, it was Ryan Kerrigan being selected by the Washington Commanders in 2011.
A majority of Purdue's first-round picks came before 1980. Sixteen former Boilermakers were first-round selections between 1937 and 1976. Since then, only six players have been taken in the first round.
Here's the complete list of every Purdue player who has been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Player (Position) | Draft year | Selection | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
George Karlaftis (DE) | 2022 | No. 30 | Kansas City Chiefs |
Ryan Kerrigan (DE) | 2011 | No. 16 | Washington Commanders |
Dustin Keller (TE) | 2008 | No. 30 | New York Jets |
Anthony Spencer (DE) | 2007 | No. 26 | Dallas Cowboys |
Rod Woodson (DB) | 1987 | No. 10 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Jim Everett (QB) | 1986 | No. 3 | Houston Oilers |
Mike Pruitt (RB) | 1976 | No. 7 | Cleveland Browns |
Ken Novak (DT) | 1976 | No. 20 | Baltimore Colts |
Larry Burton (WR) | 1975 | No. 7 | New Orleans Saints |
Dave Butz (DT) | 1973 | No. 5 | St. Louis Cardinals |
Otis Armstrong (RB) | 1973 | No. 9 | Denver Broncos |
Darryl Stingley (WR) | 1973 | No. 19 | New England Patriots |
Mike Phipps (QB) | 1970 | No. 3 | Cleveland Browns |
Leroy Keyes (RB) | 1969 | No. 3 | Philadelphia Eagles |
Bob Griese (QB) | 1967 | No. 4 | Miami Dolphins |
John Charles (DB) | 1967 | No. 21 | Boston Patriots |
Jerry Shay (T) | 1966 | No. 7 | Minnesota Vikings |
Don Brumm (DE) | 1963 | No. 13 | St. Louis Cardinals |
Len Dawson (QB) | 1957 | No. 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Tom Bettis (G) | 1955 | No. 5 | Green Bay Packers |
Cecil Isbell (QB) | 1938 | No. 7 | Green Bay Packers |
Johnny Drake (RB) | 1937 | No. 10 | Cleveland Rams |
Big gaps between first-round picks
One of the things you notice immediately when looking at that list is the gaps between first-round selections. After Kerrigan was selected No. 16 overall in 2011, it took more than a decade until another Boilermaker was taken in the first round, with Karlaftis being selected in 2022 at No. 30.
In 1987, defensive back Rod Woodson was selected No. 10 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Purdue would wait 20 years for its next first-round NFL Draft pick, with defensive end Anthony Spencer going No. 26 to the Dallas Cowboys.
There was also a 10-year gap from when Ken Novak and Mike Pruitt were first-round picks in 1976, to when Jim Everett was taken No. 3 overall by the Houston Oilers — later traded to the Los Angeles Rams — in 1986.
Notable non-first-round picks from Purdue
You don't have to be a first-round selection to have an outstanding NFL career. Multiple Boilermakers have proven that, especially within the last 30 years. Several former players from Purdue were selected in later rounds of the NFL Draft and enjoyed tremendous careers at the professional level.
The most notable is Drew Brees, a Super Bowl champion and one of the most prolific passers in NFL history. He was selected with the first pick in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft.
Here's a rundown of some of the other notable Purdue names who had great NFL careers but were taken in a later round of the NFL Draft.
Player (Position) | Draft year | Round (Selection) | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
Mike Alstott (FB) | 1996 | 2nd (No. 35) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Roosevelt Colvin (DE) | 1999 | 4th (No. 111) | Chicago Bears |
Drew Brees (QB) | 2001 | 2nd (No. 32) | San Diego Chargers |
Nick Hardwick (C) | 2004 | 3rd (No. 66) | San Diego Chargers |
Shaun Phillips (DE) | 2004 | 4th (No. 98) | San Diego Chargers |
Bernard Pollard (DB) | 2006 | 2nd (No. 54) | Kansas City Chiefs |
Rob Ninkovich (DE) | 2006 | 5th (No. 135) | New Orleans Saints |
Cliff Avril (DE) | 2008 | 3rd (No. 92) | Detroit Lions |
Kawann Short (DT) | 2013 | 2nd (No. 44) | Carolina Panthers |
Rondale Moore (WR) | 2021 | 2nd (49th) | Arizona Cardinals |
Derrick Barnes (LB) | 2021 | 4th (No. 113) | Detroit Lions |
Aidan O'Connell (QB) | 2023 | 4th (No. 135) | Las Vegas Raiders |
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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