The 2013 NFL Draft starts Thursday night with the first round, so now is a good time to take a historical look at Wyoming Cowboys who were taken in the NFL draft. Today, I would like to focus on the top Wyoming Cowboys who have been drafted based on their NFL/AFL production (click on their underlined name to see their career stats). Feel free to chime in if you disagree with this list, part of the fun is the arguments and discussion that can be had on the topic. A complete list of Wyoming players drafted by the NFL can be found here at NFLDraftHistory.com. Be sure to check back tomorrow for some more Wyoming related NFL fun, now on to the list!
5. Dave Hampton RB/KR, Green Bay, 9th Round, 1969
Hampton is not a well known Wyoming player by today’s fanbase but he had a productive NFL career playing a total of 8 years between 1969 to 1976. During that time he rushed for 4,536 yards, had 1,156 yards in receptions and totaled 2,923 yards in kick returns. In 1975 he was the NFL comeback player of the year when he rushed for 1,002 yards for the Atlanta Falcons. In his first year with the Falcons in 1972 he led the NFL in all-purpose yards with 1,774.
4. Jerry Hill RB/FB, Baltimore, 3rd Round 1961
Hill who was born in Torrington, WY played eight years for the Baltimore Colts from 1963-1970. During his career he rushed for 2,668 yards mostly as a fullback splitting carries with Hall of Famer Lenny Moore. Hill played in SB III which is a game you might have heard about before.
3. Conrad Dobler G, St. Louis, 5th Round 1972
What can you say about Conrad Dobler? Let’s get the niceties out of the way first shall we? In his ten year career he started 90 games and made the Pro Bowl three times from 1975-1977. The way he got there may not have been ideal as Dobler was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the dirtiest player in the NFL, a title later upheld by ESPN. If you ever see an old feature of him on NFL Films be sure to watch it, you will see how dirty and mean he was!
2. Jim Kiick RB, Miami, 5th Round 1968
Kiick spent 9 years in the AFL/NFL most of them with the Dolphins splitting carries with Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris. Not bad eh? In his career Kiick rushed for 3,759 yards and played in Superbowls VI, VII and VIII. He made the Pro Bowl in 1968 and 1969 and led the AFL in rushing touchdowns in 1969 as well.
1. Jay Novacek TE, St. Louis, 6th Round, 1985
There is no question who would be number one on this list. Novacek played 11 years for the Cardinals and Cowboys and finished his career with 422 receptions for 4,630 yards and 30 TD’s. Novacek made the Pro Bowl 5 times from 1991-1995 and appeared in Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX with the Dallas Cowboys.