The Atlantic Coast Conference had seven players chosen in the second and third rounds of the 2017 National Football League Draft Friday night in Philadelphia.
The seven selections brings the ACC to a total to 11 draftees in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. Clemson led with three picks and Florida State and North Carolina had two each. Boston College, Miami, NC State and Pitt each had one player chosen.
Florida State’s Dalvin Cook, who was chosen in the second round and 41st overall, became the highest drafted running back for the Seminoles in 20 years, or since former FSU standout Warrick Dunn was taken 12th in the 1997 NFL Draft.
The selection of Pitt RB James Conner, the 2014 ACC Player of the Year, who overcame both Hodgkin’s Disease and a knee injury in 2015, continued his comeback. Conner, voted the 2016 ACC Brian Piccolo Award for Courage after rushing for over 1,000 yards last fall and earning first-team All-ACC honors, was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The selection of NC State safety Josh Jones in the second round by the Green Bay Packers marks the fifth Wolfpack defensive back selected in the NFL Draft in the last five years, following Earl Wolff and David Amerson in 2013, Dontae Johnson in 2014 and Juston Burris in 2016.
When Florida State defensive end DeMarcus Walker was chosen in the second round by the Denver Broncos, he became the 12th defensive lineman drafted from FSU since 2008, seven of whom were drafted in the second round or higher. Walker was named the 2016 ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Boston College’s John Johnson became the second straight Eagle safety to be drafted in the third round of the NFL Draft. BC’s Justin Simmons was taken in the third round in the 2016 Draft. Simmons was chosen 98th in last year’s Draft, Johnson was selected 91st this year.
North Carolina DT Nazair Jones became the second UNC player chosen in this year’s draft. Nazair, who was the 102nd overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks, followed North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who was the second pick on Thursday night.
Clemson cornerback Cordrea Tankersley became the third member of the National Champion Tigers to be drafted when he was chosen in the third round as the 97th overall pick. He joined WR Mike Williams and QB Deshaun Watson who made NFL history Thursday night when they were each chosen among the first 12 players. They became the first pair of a quarterback and wide receiver from the same team to be drafted in the first 12 selections in NFL Draft history.
Also on Thursday night, when Trubisky and Watson were taken in first round of the NFL Draft, it marked the first time two quarterbacks from current ACC schools were chosen in the first round since 1983 when Jim Kelly (Miami) and Dan Marino (Pitt) were each chosen.
ACC Selections in the First Round NFL Draft
Rd. Pick Name Pos. School NFL Team
1 2 Mitchell Trubisky QB North Carolina Chicago Bears
1 7 Mike Williams WR Clemson Los Angeles Chargers
1 12 Deshaun Watson QB Clemson Houston Texans
1 29 David Njoku TE Miami Cleveland Browns
2 41 Dalvin Cook RB Florida State Minnesota Vikings
2 51 DeMarcus Walker DE Florida State Denver Broncos
2 61 Josh Jones S NC State Green Bay Packers
3 91 John Johnson S Boston College Los Angeles Rams
3 97 Cordrea Tankersley CB Clemson Miami Dolphins
3 102 Nazair Jones DT North Carolina Seattle Seahawks
3 105 James Conner RB Pitt Pittsburgh Steelers