Dons in the NFL Draft
4/29/2021 1:52:00 PM | General
On Thursday evening a new crop of names will be added to the list of players selected in the NFL draft. To date, 25,648 players have had their name called in the annual rite of passage that has taken place almost every spring since 1936. And even though USF no longer sponsors football, the Dons have their own history in the NFL Draft.
USF has had 30 players matriculate to the NFL. The Dons boast four players enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. But today we are going to look at the 18 players who were actually selected in the NFL draft.
Eighteen players have heard their names called, a list that includes two first round picks, three second rounders, a pair of third rounders, and one player who was actually drafted twice! The Dons' draftees span from the third overall pick to the 286th overall selection in the now-defunct 24th round.
The NFL draft as we know it today began in 1936 – USF did not have to wait long to have its first player selected. Guard/Tackle Russ Letlow has the distinction of being both the first player drafted from USF and the first player selected by the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers used the seventh overall pick on Letlow in 1936. The following season, the Packers went 10-1-1 en route to a first-place finish in the NFL's Western Division. Letlow played for the Packers for seven seasons (1936-42, 46), was named an All Pro four-straight seasons, and was honored as an All-Star (precursor to a Pro Bowl) twice. Selected to the NFL 1930s All-Decade team, he was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1972.
The Dons' next credited player drafted in the NFL is an interesting one. In 1943, halfback Vince Pacewic was drafted with the 260th pick in the 27th round by the Washington Football Team. However, in 1942 Pacewic played for Loyola Marymount and his touchdown pass led the Lions 7-2 win over the Dons, ending USF's bid for a perfect season.
What is somewhat unclear is what happens next. Pacewic deferred his start in the NFL and later played for the Dons in 1946. Following his one season on the Hilltop, he began his career with Washington, where he played in two games had five receptions for 42 yards.
In back-to-back drafts the Dons had a pair of ninth round selections. In 1944, the New York Giants used the 81st pick to select tackle John Sanchez. The following year, the Philadelphia Eagles used the 85th pick in back Forrest Hall. In 1946 the Pittsburgh Steeler used the 18th overall pick in the third round on defensive back Harmon Rowe.
The 40's wrapped up with the Boston Yanks selecting tackle/defensive tackle Carroll Vogelar with the 27th overall pick in the fifth round of the 1947 draft. In 1948 the New York Giants selected halfback Joe Scott with the 12th overall pick in the second round. Later that draft, the Giants took Scott's backfield mate, Bob Greenhalgh, with the 266th pick in the 29th round. In 1949 the Eagles selected quarterback/defensive back Don Panciera with the 41st pick in the fourth round.
The 1949 draft also presented an interesting anomaly. With the 94th pick in the 10th round, the Los Angeles Rams selected linebacker/fullback George Buksar. Buksar was then later drafted in 1951 by the Detroit Lions with the 286th pick in the 24th round. The reason for two draft selections: after being drafted by the Rams he played for the Chicago Hornets in the AAFC.
The 1950s began with guard Dick Stanfel being selected by the Detroit Lions in the second round with the 19th overall pick in the 1951 draft. Stanfel missed the '51 season due to injury, then went on to play from 1952-58. He was selected to five Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro four times. He was later inducted to the Hall of Fame as a player in 2016.
The most famous draft in regards to the Dons is the 1952 draft, which was loaded with members from USF's immortal '51 team.
Ollie Matson was the first Don selected that year, with the third overall pick by the Chicago Cardinals. Matson played in the NFL for 14 seasons with four different teams and was enshrined in Canton in 1972.
Defensive end/tackle/defensive tackle Gino Marchetti was the next player draft. The Dallas Texans selected the Dons' stalwart lineman with the 14th overall pick – the first player selected in the second round. Marchetti played in the NFL for 14 years, all but one for the Baltimore Colts. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1972 and was selected onto the NFL 100 All-Time Team.
In the sixth round, the Chicago Bears selected quarterback Ed Brown with the 68th overall pick. Brown played in the NFL for 13 years, he went to two Pro Bowls and accumulated a 53-38-5 record.
The draft concluded with the Cardinals selecting two more Dons. In the 16th round, 184th overall they took tackle Mike Mergen. In the 23rd round, guard Rod Stephens was taken 267th overall.
USF's history in the draft concludes with the selection of Bob St. Clair in the 1953 draft by the San Francisco 49'ers. St. Clair was famously a member of the undefeated '51 Dons team and finished his collegiate career at Tulsa before becoming a Hall of Famer.
The last player to be drafted by the Dons was tight end Mike Donohoe, who was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 225th pick in the ninth round. Donohoe played for the Dons from 1965-67. He played five years in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay.
USF has had 30 players matriculate to the NFL. The Dons boast four players enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. But today we are going to look at the 18 players who were actually selected in the NFL draft.
Eighteen players have heard their names called, a list that includes two first round picks, three second rounders, a pair of third rounders, and one player who was actually drafted twice! The Dons' draftees span from the third overall pick to the 286th overall selection in the now-defunct 24th round.
The NFL draft as we know it today began in 1936 – USF did not have to wait long to have its first player selected. Guard/Tackle Russ Letlow has the distinction of being both the first player drafted from USF and the first player selected by the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers used the seventh overall pick on Letlow in 1936. The following season, the Packers went 10-1-1 en route to a first-place finish in the NFL's Western Division. Letlow played for the Packers for seven seasons (1936-42, 46), was named an All Pro four-straight seasons, and was honored as an All-Star (precursor to a Pro Bowl) twice. Selected to the NFL 1930s All-Decade team, he was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1972.
The Dons' next credited player drafted in the NFL is an interesting one. In 1943, halfback Vince Pacewic was drafted with the 260th pick in the 27th round by the Washington Football Team. However, in 1942 Pacewic played for Loyola Marymount and his touchdown pass led the Lions 7-2 win over the Dons, ending USF's bid for a perfect season.
What is somewhat unclear is what happens next. Pacewic deferred his start in the NFL and later played for the Dons in 1946. Following his one season on the Hilltop, he began his career with Washington, where he played in two games had five receptions for 42 yards.
In back-to-back drafts the Dons had a pair of ninth round selections. In 1944, the New York Giants used the 81st pick to select tackle John Sanchez. The following year, the Philadelphia Eagles used the 85th pick in back Forrest Hall. In 1946 the Pittsburgh Steeler used the 18th overall pick in the third round on defensive back Harmon Rowe.
The 40's wrapped up with the Boston Yanks selecting tackle/defensive tackle Carroll Vogelar with the 27th overall pick in the fifth round of the 1947 draft. In 1948 the New York Giants selected halfback Joe Scott with the 12th overall pick in the second round. Later that draft, the Giants took Scott's backfield mate, Bob Greenhalgh, with the 266th pick in the 29th round. In 1949 the Eagles selected quarterback/defensive back Don Panciera with the 41st pick in the fourth round.
The 1949 draft also presented an interesting anomaly. With the 94th pick in the 10th round, the Los Angeles Rams selected linebacker/fullback George Buksar. Buksar was then later drafted in 1951 by the Detroit Lions with the 286th pick in the 24th round. The reason for two draft selections: after being drafted by the Rams he played for the Chicago Hornets in the AAFC.
The 1950s began with guard Dick Stanfel being selected by the Detroit Lions in the second round with the 19th overall pick in the 1951 draft. Stanfel missed the '51 season due to injury, then went on to play from 1952-58. He was selected to five Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro four times. He was later inducted to the Hall of Fame as a player in 2016.
The most famous draft in regards to the Dons is the 1952 draft, which was loaded with members from USF's immortal '51 team.
Ollie Matson was the first Don selected that year, with the third overall pick by the Chicago Cardinals. Matson played in the NFL for 14 seasons with four different teams and was enshrined in Canton in 1972.
Defensive end/tackle/defensive tackle Gino Marchetti was the next player draft. The Dallas Texans selected the Dons' stalwart lineman with the 14th overall pick – the first player selected in the second round. Marchetti played in the NFL for 14 years, all but one for the Baltimore Colts. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1972 and was selected onto the NFL 100 All-Time Team.
In the sixth round, the Chicago Bears selected quarterback Ed Brown with the 68th overall pick. Brown played in the NFL for 13 years, he went to two Pro Bowls and accumulated a 53-38-5 record.
The draft concluded with the Cardinals selecting two more Dons. In the 16th round, 184th overall they took tackle Mike Mergen. In the 23rd round, guard Rod Stephens was taken 267th overall.
USF's history in the draft concludes with the selection of Bob St. Clair in the 1953 draft by the San Francisco 49'ers. St. Clair was famously a member of the undefeated '51 Dons team and finished his collegiate career at Tulsa before becoming a Hall of Famer.
The last player to be drafted by the Dons was tight end Mike Donohoe, who was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 225th pick in the ninth round. Donohoe played for the Dons from 1965-67. He played five years in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay.
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