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Stephen Vilardo’s 2024 MWC and BYU NFL Draft Capsules

> Each program's pro football draft history since 2000 at a glance


  By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports

April 27, 2023



In anticipation of the 2023 NFL Draft, here are summary capsules for each Mountain West program and BYU.

They include the number of players drafted all-time, MWC Era picks (and BYU’s since 2000), the highest-ever pick, the most recent and all-time First-Rounders, the number of players taken in 2022, and more.

The 88th NFL draft runs from April 27th through April 29th in Kansas City, Missouri, which is hosting the event for the first time.

How to Watch the 2023 NFL Draft

NFL Draft Day 1 (Round 1)
Thursday, 5:00 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network

NFL Draft Day 2 (Rounds 2-3)
Friday, 4:00 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network

NFL Draft Day 3 (Rounds 4-7)
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. PT
TV: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network

Air Force DL Jordan Jackson | Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports

Air Force Falcons
Players Drafted All-Time10
Highest PickDaniel Palmer
178th overall 1997
Chargers
Most Recent 1st RounderN/A
All-time 1st Rounders0
Drafted in 20241
Last Draft Without Pick2023

Three of the nine Falcons drafted have been special teamers—Austin Cutting as a Long Snapper and Joe Wood and Dave Lawson as Kickers

Boise State LB Leighton Vander Esch | Chris Bronson/IPT

Boise State Broncos
Players Drafted All-Time75
Highest PickAshton Jeanty
6th overall 2025
Raiders
Most Recent 1st RounderAshton Jeanty
6th overall 2025
Raiders
All-time 1st Rounders6
Drafted in 20251
Last Draft Without Pick2024

Boise State has had at least one player selected in every draft since 2010, with 31 total players going in the last 14 drafts. Twenty of the 72 Broncos taken in the draft have gone in the opening three rounds.

Gary Glick | Colorado State University
Colorado State Rams
Players Drafted All-Time106
Highest PickGary Glick
1st overall 1956
Steelers
Most Recent 1st RounderKelly Stouffer
6th overall 1987
Cardinals
All-time 1st Rounders5
Drafted in 20241
Last Draft Without Pick2023

Since 2005 the Rams have had 14 players selected in the draft, 13 of those 14 players have been on the offensive side of the ball.

Fresno St QB David Carr | RVR Photos

Fresno State Bulldogs
Players Drafted All-Time111
Highest PickDavid Carr
1st overall 2002 to
Texans
Most Recent 1st RounderRyan Matthews
12th overall 2010 to
Chargers
Drafted in 20244
All-time 1st Rounders5
Last Draft Without Pick2024

KeeSean Johnson in 2019 is the only skill position player selected from Fresno State since 2015. The Bulldogs have had nine QBs drafted. DBs have been drafted the most from Fresno with 27 former Bulldog DBs getting drafted all-time.

Hawaii WR Ashley Lelie | UH Athletics

Hawaii Rainbows
Players Drafted All-Time73
Highest PickAshley Lelie
19th overall 2002
Broncos
Most Recent 1st RounderAshley Lelie
19th overall 2002
Broncos
All-time 1st Rounders1
Drafted in 20240
Last Draft Without Pick2024

Hawaii has had 10 players selected in the first two rounds of the draft all-time. 8 of those 10 have been since 2000. The most drafted position for UH has been WR, as 11 of the 72 draftees have been receivers.

Nevada QB Stan Heath | UNR Archives

Nevada Wolfpack
Players Drafted All-Time61
Highest PickStan Heath
5th overall 1949
Packers
Most Recent 1st RounderAl Williams to Lions &
Tony Zendejas to Washington, both in 1984
All-time 1st Rounders3 (2 of them supplemental)
Drafted in 20240
Last Draft Without Pick2024

Nevada has had 13 players taken in the NFL Draft since 2011.

Lobos’ Brian Urlacher | Jake Schoellkopf/AP

New Mexico Lobos
Players Drafted All-Time66
Highest PickBrian Urlacher
9th overall in 2000 to
Bears
Most Recent 1st RounderBrian Urlacher
All-time 1st Rounders2
Drafted in 20240
Last Draft Without Pick2024

Jerrick Reed, taken in the sixth round by Seattle in 2023, was the first Lobo drafted since 2018. UNM has only had three players selected in the first two rounds.

San Diego State RB Marshall Faulk | Mike Powell/Allsport

San Diego State Aztecs
Players Drafted All-Time163
Highest PickMarshall Faulk
2nd overall 1994
Colts
Most Recent 1st RounderRashaad Penny
27th overall 2018
Seahawks
All-time 1st Rounders9
Drafted in 20240
Last Draft Without Pick2024

The four Aztecs selected in the 2022 Draft were the most since they had four drafted in 2008. 2023 was the first time since 2017 that San Diego State did not have at least one player taken.

Mark Nichols | Detroit Lions

San Jose State Spartans
Players Drafted All-Time108
Highest PickMark Nichols
16th overall 1981
Lions
Most Recent 1st RounderGill Byrd
22nd overall 1983
Chargers
All-time 1st Rounders6
Drafted in 20240
Last Draft Without Pick2024

Viliami Fehoko, taken in the Fourth Round in 2023 by Dallas, was the first Spartan drafted since 2019 when Josh Oliver went in the Third Round to the Jaguars.

UNLV running back Ickey Woods | UNLV Athletics

UNLV Rebels
Players Drafted All-Time44
Highest PickIckey Woods
31st overall 1988
Bengals
Most Recent 1st Rounder0
All-time 1st Rounders0
Drafted in 20240
Last Draft Without Pick2024

The last Rebel to get drafted was Joe Hawley in 2010 when he went in the Fourth Round to Atlanta.

Utah State DT Merlin Olsen | Utah State Athletics

Utah State Aggies
Players Drafted All-Time116
Highest PickMerlin Olsen
3rd overall 1962
Rams
Most Recent 1st RounderJordan Love
26th overall 2020
Packers
All-time 1st Rounders5
Drafted in 20240
Last Draft Without Pick2024

Jordan Love and Bobby Wagner (Second Round in 2012) are the only Aggies to be selected in the first two rounds since 1980.

Wyoming QB Josh Allen | Wyoming Athletics

Wyoming Cowboys
Players Drafted All-Time87
Highest PickJosh Allen
7th overall 2018
Bills
Most Recent 1st RounderJosh Allen
All-time 1st Rounders4
Drafted in 20240
Last Draft Without Pick2024

Each of the last three Cowboys to have been selected in the draft has been a linebacker. The defense has produced the last four UW players to get drafted with Josh Allen the last offensive player taken.

BYU quarterback Steve Young | BYU Athletics

BYU Cougars
Players Drafted All-Time153
Highest PickSteve Young
1st overall (supplemental draft) 1984
Buccaneers
Most Recent 1st RounderZach Wilson
2nd overall 2021
Jets
All-time 1st Rounders12 (1 supplemental)
Drafted in 20241
Last Draft Without Pick2020

BYU has had 12 QBs drafted all-time four of those 12 have been First-Rounders with three going in the top five picks. Since 2016, a Cougar has been selected in every draft except for 2020.

Follow Stephen on Twitter @StephenVilardo and his organization @SERCenter. Visit his website at sercstats.com.