OU has had many players make the NFL, but few among the best ever
Rohde: OU has had many players make the NFL, but few among the best ever

By John Rohde

Published: April 25, 2007

Oklahoma has had 327 players drafted into the NFL, which ranks fourth all-time (see chart). Adrian Peterson will be the latest addition to the list when the NFL drafts players on Saturday.

The former Sooner running back star is expected to be among the first 10 players taken, but historically for OU, there hasn’t been power in numbers.

Despite all their pro potential, the Sooners’ overall success in the NFL has been disturbingly modest.

OU didn’t have a single player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame until Lee Roy Selmon joined in 1995, followed three years later by Tommy McDonald.

With quarterback Troy Aikman’s induction last summer, the Sooners officially have three in the hall. But Aikman’s avenue toward the NFL opened when coach Barry Switzer allowed Aikman to leave OU, not stay.

Tulsa has had roughly half the number of all-time draft picks as the Sooners, yet has the same number of hall of famers with Jim Finks, Steve Largent and Bob St. Clair.

Oklahoma State has had 188 fewer players drafted as OU and has two hall of famers in Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas.

For elite college programs such as Southern Cal, Notre Dame, Michigan, Alabama and Ohio State, their number of NFL hall of famers is far more proportionate to their number of alltime draft choices (see chart).

Switzer said judging the Sooners’ success in the NFL can’t simply be measured by the number of hall-of-famers.

“It depends on what you consider being a successful (pro) career,” Switzer said. “You have to look at it individually, not just at the program.”

Switzer cited numerous former OU players who had superb NFL careers, and firmly believes tight end Keith Jackson will someday join the hall.

“It’s kind of hard to get there, it’s such an elite club,” Switzer said.

Switzer also noted the Sooners’ offensive schemes of the past were not conducive to success at the next level, particularly at offensive line and quarterback.

The NFL has never latched onto option football.

OU’s most successful quarterback in the NFL didn’t play the position. Bobby Boyd is a borderline hall of fame candidate who played defensive back for the Baltimore Colts from 1960-68.