6 ACC Players Selected in 1st Round of 2013 NFL Draft |
GREENSBORO, N.C.—The Atlantic Coast Conference enjoyed a very successful first day of the 2013 National Football League draft Thursday, with no fewer than six ACC players selected among the first 28 overall picks in the first round, the second highest total of any conference nationally.
The six first-round selections is the highest total for the League since the 2008 Draft when seven ACC players were taken in the first round. The six draftees gives the ACC a total of 51 first-round draft selections since 2005, the second-highest total of any conference nationally. In all, the SEC led all leagues with 12 players selected on the first round, followed by the ACC with 6, the Pac-12 (5), the Big 12 (3) and the Big Ten, Big East, the Mid-American and Conference USA with one player chosen each. The SEC ties the ACC’s record for first-round selections set in 2005 when the ACC was a 12-team league. The SEC counted 14 teams this year. North Carolina’s Jonathan Cooper was the first offensive guard chosen and the fourth offensive lineman overall when he was selected 7th overall in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. According to the NFL, Cooper is the first collegiate offensive guard taken in the Top 10 of the NFL Draft since Colorado’s Chris Naeole was selected No. 10 in 1997. Texas’ Leonard Davis (#2 in 2011 by Arizona) and Kyle Turley of San Diego State (7th in 1998) were collegiate tackles that played guard in the NFL. Jonathan Ogden of Utah was the last guard taken earlier than Cooper, tabbed 4tgh overall in 1996 by the Baltimore Ravens. This year marked the second straight year an ACC player has been chosen in the Top 10. Boston College’s Luke Kuechly was chosen 9th last year on the first round. Florida State’s EJ Manuel was the first quarterback taken in the 2013 NFL Draft when he was tabbed 16th overall by the Buffalo Bills. With defensive end Bjoern Werner being selected 24th overall by the Indianapolis Colts and cornerback Xavier Rhodes being taken 25th by the Minnesota Vikings, Florida State had multiple first round draft picks in the same year for the first time since 2006 when four Seminoles were tabbed on the first round. The selection of Werner also gave the ACC a total of 20 defensive ends or outside linebackers selected in the first or second round of the NFL Draft since 2006, the most of any collegiate conference. The selection of
DeAndre Hopkins The selection of Sylvester Williams of North Carolina as the 28th overall pick by the Denver Broncos gives North Carolina multiple first-round draft selections for the first time since Julius Peppers and Ryan Sims were taken in the first round. 
DeAndre Hopkins
Wide Receiver
#6 6-2, 205
Central, SC
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of Clemson 27th overall by the Dallas Texans continues the ACC’s streak of having a wide receiver taken in either the first or second round of the draft every year since 2006.
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