Behind the Numbers: Wyoming’s All-Time NFL Draft Picks

LARAMIE -- Will John Michael Gyllenborg hear his name called this weekend?

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end certainly has the physical tools, despite coming off an injury-plagued senior season that saw him catch just 24 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown.

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The Kansas product also landed on the All-Combine team, receiving an overall prospect grade of 5.86, according to NFL.com. When it comes to the league's "Next Gen" stats, Gyllenborg earned a rating of 73, which is considered "good."

That also ranked 10th among the 27 tight ends in attendance.

If Gyllenborg does get drafted, he will be the fourth tight end in program history to achieve that status, joining James Williams (10th round, New England, 1983), Chris Kolodziejski (2nd round, Pittsburgh, 1984) and three-time Super Bowl Champion Jay Novacek (6th round, St. Louis Cardinals, 1985).

Maybe Caden Barnett and Jack Walsh will go to one of 32 franchises in the seven-round draft? A dozen other offensive lineman from UW have that title, the latest being Chase Roullier, who was selected in the sixth round back in 2017.

Since the very first draft held back in 1936, 85 Wyoming Cowboys have gotten the call -- or telegram -- to join the pro football ranks.

Let's take a quick look behind the numbers:

4

That's the number of first-round draft selections in Cowboy history, the first being defensive tackle Ron Billingsley back in 1967. He was selected No. 14 overall by the then San Diego Chargers. The 6-foot-8 Alabama native spent seven seasons in the NFL, capping his career in Houston in 1972. The other three were: running back Lawrence Gaines (16th overall, Detroit Lions, 1976), safety Aaron Kyle (27th overall, Dallas Cowboys, 1976) and, the highest draft pick in school history, Josh Allen, who was taken No. 7 overall by the Buffalo Bills back in 2018.

2022

That was the last time a Wyoming player got selected in the draft. That was Chad Muma, who went to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the sixth pick of the third round. He currently plays linebacker for the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots.

2

Only two current NFL franchises have never selected a Wyoming player in the draft: Carolina and Seattle.

10

The Cardinals have had quite the history, moving from Chicago to St. Louis to Phoenix. In that time frame, the franchise has selected a Wyoming player a record 10 times, beginning with running back Sonny Jones back in 1950. He was selected 359th overall in the 28th round. Detroit comes in second with seven UW selections and Dallas has six.

1947

That's the year that produced the very first UW draft pick, offensive tackle Jim Clayton, who was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the sixth pick of the 21st round. His teammate, running back Hank Kolaskinski, was taken two rounds later by the Boston Yanks.

1968

This draft produced a program-best five NFL Draft picks, including two in the second round: Jerry DePoyster (Lions) and Mike LaHood (Rams). Between 1966 and 1970 -- the "glory years" to many Wyoming fans -- 17 former Cowboys were selected in the draft.

Here's how it's all shaken out: (Year/ Name/ Pos./ Rd./ Franchise)

1947 - Jim Clayton - Tackle - 21st round - Philadelphia Eagles

1947 - Hank Kolaskinski - Running back - 23rd round - Boston Yanks

1950 - Sonny Jones - Running back - 28th round - Chicago Cardinals

1951 - Dick Campbell - Running back - 13th round - Washington Redskins

1951 - Jerry Taylor - Safety - 27th round - Chicago Bears

1952 - Dewey McConnell - Defensive back - 3rd round - Los Angeles Rams

1952 - Harry Geldien - Running back - 19th round - Los Angeles Rams

1953 - Chuck Spaulding - Running back - 12th round - Chicago Cardinals

1955 - Frank Radella - Center - 25th round - Washington Redskins

1956 - Joe Mastrogiovanni - Running back - 17th round - Philadelphia Eagles

1956 - George Galuska - Running back - 23rd round - Detroit Lions

1957 - Jim Crawford - Running back - 14th round - Pittsburgh Steelers

1959 - Bob Sawyer - Defensive back - 11th round - New York Giants

1959 - Dale Memmelaar - Guard - 21st round - Chicago Cardinals

1960 - Jim Walden - Quarterback - 16th round - Cleveland Browns

1961 - Jerry Hill - Running back - 3rd round - Baltimore Colts

1961 - Chuck Lamson - Running back - 4th round - Minnesota Vikings

1961 - Dick Schnell - Tackle - 19th round - St. Louis Cardinals

1964 - Will Radosevich - Tackle - 16th round - Philadelphia Eagles

1966 - Jerry Marion - Defensive back - 10th round - Pittsburgh Steelers

1966 - Darryl Alleman - Wide receiver - 15th round - St. Louis Cardinals

1967 - Ron Billingsley - Defensive tackle - 1st round - San Diego Chargers

1967 - Rick Egloff - Quarterback - 6th round - Oakland Raiders

1967 - Don Klacking - Running back - 8th round - Philadelphia Eagles

1967 - Mike Davenport - Running back - 17th round - Pittsburgh Steelers

1968 - Jerry DePoyster - Kicker - 2nd round - Detroit Lions

1968 - Mike LaHood - Guard - 2nd round - Los Angeles Rams

1968 - Jim Kiick - Running back - 5th round - Miami Dolphins

1968 - Mike Dirks - Tackle - 5th round - Philadelphia Eagles

1968 - Paul Toscano - Defensive back - 7th round - Houston Oilers

1969 - Gene Huey - Wide receiver - 5th round - St. Louis Cardinals

1969 - Dave Hampton - Running back - 9th round - Green Bay Packers

1969 - Dennis Devlin - Defensive back - 10th round - Boston Patriots

1970 - Vic Washington - Wide receiver - 4th round - San Francisco 49ers

1970 - Larry Nels - Linebacker - 12th round - New York Giants

1970 - Joe Williams - Running back - 12th round - Dallas Cowboys

1971 - Bob Jacobs - Kicker - 7th round - Cleveland Browns

1972 - Conrad Dobler - Guard - 5th round - St. Louis Cardinals

1973 - Nick Bebout - Tackle - 6th round - Atlanta Falcons

1973 - Scott Freeman - Wide receiver - 11th round - Detroit Lions

1973 - Jerry Gadlin - Wide receiver - 16th round - Oakland Raiders

1975 - Mike McGraw - Linebacker - 10th round - St. Louis Cardinals

1975 - Archie Gray - Wide receiver - 10th round - Pittsburgh Steelers

1976 - Lawrence Gaines - Running back - 1st round - Detroit Lions

1976 - Aaron Kyle - Safety - 1st round - Dallas Cowboys

1978 - Francis Chelsey - Linebacker - 6th round - New Orleans Saints

1979 - Ken Fantetti - Linebacker - 2nd round - Detroit Lions

1980 - Danny Pittman - Wide receiver - 4th round - New York Giants

1981 - Guy Frazier - Linebacker - 4th round - Cincinnati Bengals

1981 - Mandel Robinson - Running back - 12th round - Denver Broncos

1982 - Jim Eliopulos - Linebacker - 3rd round - Dallas Cowboys

1982 - Gary Crum - Tackle - 11th round - Miami Dolphins

1983 - James Williams - Tight end - 10th round - New England Patriots

1983 - John Salley - Safety - 11th round - Atlanta Falcons

1984 - Chris Kolodziejski - Tight end - 2nd round - Pittsburgh Steelers

1985 - Jay Novacek - Tight end - 6th round - St. Louis Cardinals

1986 - Allyn Griffin - Wide receiver - 8th round - Detroit Lions

1988 - Jeff Knapton - Defensive tackle - 6th round - Los Angeles Rams

1989 - Eric Coleman - Defensive back - 2nd round - New England Patriots

1989 - David Edeen - Defensive end - 5th round - Phoenix Cardinals

1989 - Pat Rabold - Defensive tackle - 9th round - Buffalo Bills

1990 - Craig Schlichting - Defensive end - 8th round - Minnesota Vikings

1991 - Mitch Donahue - Defensive end/ LB - 4th round - San Francisco 49ers

1991 - Shawn Wiggins - Wide receiver - 9th round - Cleveland Browns

1992 - Doug Rigby - Defensive end - 11th round - Kansas City Chiefs

1994 - Ryan Yarborough - Wide receiver - 2nd round - New York Jets

1995 - Ryan Christopherson - Running back - 5th round - Jacksonville Jaguars

1995 - John Burrough - Defensive end - 7th round - Atlanta Falcons

1996 - Brian Gragert - Punter - 7th round - Denver Broncos

1997 - Steve Scifres - Tackle - 3rd round - Dallas Cowboys

1997 - Lee Vaughn - Defensive back - 6th round - Dallas Cowboys

1997 - Marcus Harris - Wide receiver - 7th round - Detroit Lions

2001 - Patrick Chukwurah - Linebacker - 5th round - Minnesota Vikings

2004 - Casey Bramlet - Quarterback - 7th round - Cincinnati Bengals

2006 - Derrick Martin - Defensive back - 6th round - Baltimore Ravens

2007 - John Wendling - Safety - 6th round - Buffalo Bills

2011 - Chris Prosinski - Safety - 4th round - Jacksonville Jaguars

2014 - Marqueston Huff - Defensive back - 4th round - Tennessee Titans

2014 - Robert Herron - Wide receiver - 6th round - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2015 - Mark Nzeocha - Linebacker - 7th round - Dallas Cowboys

2017 - Brian Hill - Running back - 5th round - Atlanta Falcons

2017 - Chase Roullier - Center - 6th round - Washington Redskins

2018 - Josh Allen - Quarterback - 1st round - Buffalo Bills

2019 - Marcus Epps - Safety - 6th round - Minnesota Vikings

2020 - Logan Wilson - Linebacker - 3rd round - Cincinnati Bengals

2020 - Cassh Maluia - Linebacker - 6th round - New England Patriots

2022 - Chad Muma - Linebacker - 3rd round - Jacksonville Jaguars

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