2001 NFL draft explained

2001 NFL draft
Date:April 21–22, 2001
Location:Theater at MSG
in New York City, NY
Network:ESPN
League:NFL
Mr Irrelevant:Tevita Ofahengaue, TE
Arizona Cardinals
First:Michael Vick, QB
Atlanta Falcons
Fewnum:5
Fewest:Washington Redskins
Mostnum:12
Most:Buffalo Bills
Seattle Seahawks
Overall:246
Rounds:7
Prev:2000

The 2001 NFL draft was the 66th draft annual of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible professional football players. The draft, which is officially referred to as the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on April 21–22, 2001.[1] [2] [3]

Each team is assigned one pick per round with the order based generally on the reverse order of finish in the previous season with the team with the worst record receiving the first draft slot. Exceptions to this are the Super Bowl participants from the previous season — the champion Baltimore Ravens were assigned the final draft slot and the runner-up New York Giants assigned the 30th slot in each round. The draft was broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2. Due to previous trades, the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans did not have selections in the first round. More than half of the players selected in the draft's first round (17 of 31) would eventually be elected to at least one Pro Bowl.

The first player selected in the draft was quarterback Michael Vick from Virginia Tech, who was selected by the Atlanta Falcons after they acquired the first pick in a trade with the San Diego Chargers.[4] Vick spent six seasons with the Falcons before being sentenced to 21 months in prison for his involvement in an illegal interstate dog fighting ring,[5] eventually rebounding his career with the Philadelphia Eagles after being released from prison and winning the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2010.

Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke, the 2000 winner of the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the player deemed most outstanding in college football,[6] was selected in the fourth round by the Carolina Panthers. After being a regular starter for the Panthers in his first season, during which Carolina posted a 1–15 record, Weinke played only 12 games over his final five seasons before being released.[7] The last player selected, who traditionally receives the unofficial title Mr. Irrelevant, was Tevita Ofahengaue of Brigham Young University, who was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals. Ofahengaue never played in the NFL, and in 2011 was charged with stealing gasoline from a construction company in Salt Lake City.[8] He is currently the Player Personnel Director at BYU.

There were 31 compensatory selections distributed among 16 teams during rounds three through seven, with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills receiving 4 picks each. The University of Miami was the college with the most players selected in the first round, with Dan Morgan, Damione Lewis, Santana Moss and Reggie Wayne all picked at that stage. Across the whole draft, however, Florida State University had the most players selected, a total of nine compared to Miami's seven.[9]

No teams elected to claim any players in the 2001 supplemental draft.

The last remaining active player from this draft was Drew Brees, who was drafted 32nd overall by the San Diego Chargers, and went on to win Super Bowl XLIV as a member of the New Orleans Saints, with whom he had played from the 2006 season until his retirement in 2021.

Player selections

= compensatory selection
^= supplemental compensatory selection
†= Pro Bowler[10]
‡= Hall of Famer[11]

Trades

In the explanations below, (D) denotes trades that took place during the draft, while (PD) indicates trades completed pre-draft.

Round one
  1. Web site: Fact & Figures on 2001 NFL Draft . . November 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131112204135/https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2001news/facts__figures_on_2001_nfl_draft.htm . November 12, 2013 . April 9, 2001 . live . mdy .
  2. Web site: NFL Draft Locations . . October 2, 2014 . FootballGeography.com . October 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905090250/http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-draft-sites/ . September 5, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. News: Salomone . Dan . NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015 . June 3, 2015 . . Giants.com . October 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930065327/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/NFL-Draft-headed-to-Chicago-in-2015/3ac322b1-3b4c-4a16-aba7-6e08d31b1756 . September 30, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  4. San Diego opted to pass on the No. 1 selection, agreeing to a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for their No. 5 selection. The Falcons took Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick to begin the 246-player draft.News: Atlanta selects QB Vick No. 1 overall. . May 4, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070514213158/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/draft/. May 14, 2007 . live.
  5. News: Vick eligible to play Week 3 . September 3, 2009 . . February 19, 2013 . January 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106115318/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4442627 . live .
  6. Web site: 2000 Heisman Trophy winner . heisman.com . February 18, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022701/http://www.heisman.com/winners/c-weinke00.php . October 5, 2013 . mdy .
  7. Web site: Former Heisman winner released by Carolina. ESPN. June 3, 2007. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112205554/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2789924. live.
  8. Web site: Ex-BYU football player Reno Mahe, 4 others face felony theft charges in gasoline case. Deseret News. Emiley. Morgan. July 14, 2011. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112212140/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705376273/Ex-BYU-football-player-Reno-Mahe-4-others-face-felony-theft-charges-in-gasoline-case.html?pg=all. dead.
  9. Web site: 2001 NFL Draft History . May 2, 2007 . profootballhof.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20070515090306/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/2001.jsp. May 15, 2007 . live.
  10. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
  11. Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Round two
  1. Web site: Fact & Figures on 2001 NFL Draft . . November 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131112204135/https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2001news/facts__figures_on_2001_nfl_draft.htm . November 12, 2013 . April 9, 2001 . live . mdy .
  2. Web site: NFL Draft Locations . . October 2, 2014 . FootballGeography.com . October 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905090250/http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-draft-sites/ . September 5, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. News: Salomone . Dan . NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015 . June 3, 2015 . . Giants.com . October 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930065327/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/NFL-Draft-headed-to-Chicago-in-2015/3ac322b1-3b4c-4a16-aba7-6e08d31b1756 . September 30, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  4. San Diego opted to pass on the No. 1 selection, agreeing to a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for their No. 5 selection. The Falcons took Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick to begin the 246-player draft.News: Atlanta selects QB Vick No. 1 overall. . May 4, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070514213158/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/draft/. May 14, 2007 . live.
  5. News: Vick eligible to play Week 3 . September 3, 2009 . . February 19, 2013 . January 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106115318/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4442627 . live .
  6. Web site: 2000 Heisman Trophy winner . heisman.com . February 18, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022701/http://www.heisman.com/winners/c-weinke00.php . October 5, 2013 . mdy .
  7. Web site: Former Heisman winner released by Carolina. ESPN. June 3, 2007. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112205554/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2789924. live.
  8. Web site: Ex-BYU football player Reno Mahe, 4 others face felony theft charges in gasoline case. Deseret News. Emiley. Morgan. July 14, 2011. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112212140/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705376273/Ex-BYU-football-player-Reno-Mahe-4-others-face-felony-theft-charges-in-gasoline-case.html?pg=all. dead.
  9. Web site: 2001 NFL Draft History . May 2, 2007 . profootballhof.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20070515090306/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/2001.jsp. May 15, 2007 . live.
  10. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
  11. Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Round three
  1. Web site: Fact & Figures on 2001 NFL Draft . . November 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131112204135/https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2001news/facts__figures_on_2001_nfl_draft.htm . November 12, 2013 . April 9, 2001 . live . mdy .
  2. Web site: NFL Draft Locations . . October 2, 2014 . FootballGeography.com . October 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905090250/http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-draft-sites/ . September 5, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. News: Salomone . Dan . NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015 . June 3, 2015 . . Giants.com . October 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930065327/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/NFL-Draft-headed-to-Chicago-in-2015/3ac322b1-3b4c-4a16-aba7-6e08d31b1756 . September 30, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  4. San Diego opted to pass on the No. 1 selection, agreeing to a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for their No. 5 selection. The Falcons took Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick to begin the 246-player draft.News: Atlanta selects QB Vick No. 1 overall. . May 4, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070514213158/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/draft/. May 14, 2007 . live.
  5. News: Vick eligible to play Week 3 . September 3, 2009 . . February 19, 2013 . January 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106115318/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4442627 . live .
  6. Web site: 2000 Heisman Trophy winner . heisman.com . February 18, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022701/http://www.heisman.com/winners/c-weinke00.php . October 5, 2013 . mdy .
  7. Web site: Former Heisman winner released by Carolina. ESPN. June 3, 2007. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112205554/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2789924. live.
  8. Web site: Ex-BYU football player Reno Mahe, 4 others face felony theft charges in gasoline case. Deseret News. Emiley. Morgan. July 14, 2011. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112212140/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705376273/Ex-BYU-football-player-Reno-Mahe-4-others-face-felony-theft-charges-in-gasoline-case.html?pg=all. dead.
  9. Web site: 2001 NFL Draft History . May 2, 2007 . profootballhof.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20070515090306/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/2001.jsp. May 15, 2007 . live.
  10. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
  11. Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Round four
  1. Web site: Fact & Figures on 2001 NFL Draft . . November 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131112204135/https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2001news/facts__figures_on_2001_nfl_draft.htm . November 12, 2013 . April 9, 2001 . live . mdy .
  2. Web site: NFL Draft Locations . . October 2, 2014 . FootballGeography.com . October 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905090250/http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-draft-sites/ . September 5, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. News: Salomone . Dan . NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015 . June 3, 2015 . . Giants.com . October 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930065327/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/NFL-Draft-headed-to-Chicago-in-2015/3ac322b1-3b4c-4a16-aba7-6e08d31b1756 . September 30, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  4. San Diego opted to pass on the No. 1 selection, agreeing to a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for their No. 5 selection. The Falcons took Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick to begin the 246-player draft.News: Atlanta selects QB Vick No. 1 overall. . May 4, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070514213158/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/draft/. May 14, 2007 . live.
  5. News: Vick eligible to play Week 3 . September 3, 2009 . . February 19, 2013 . January 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106115318/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4442627 . live .
  6. Web site: 2000 Heisman Trophy winner . heisman.com . February 18, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022701/http://www.heisman.com/winners/c-weinke00.php . October 5, 2013 . mdy .
  7. Web site: Former Heisman winner released by Carolina. ESPN. June 3, 2007. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112205554/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2789924. live.
  8. Web site: Ex-BYU football player Reno Mahe, 4 others face felony theft charges in gasoline case. Deseret News. Emiley. Morgan. July 14, 2011. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112212140/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705376273/Ex-BYU-football-player-Reno-Mahe-4-others-face-felony-theft-charges-in-gasoline-case.html?pg=all. dead.
  9. Web site: 2001 NFL Draft History . May 2, 2007 . profootballhof.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20070515090306/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/2001.jsp. May 15, 2007 . live.
  10. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
  11. Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Round five
  1. Web site: Fact & Figures on 2001 NFL Draft . . November 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131112204135/https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2001news/facts__figures_on_2001_nfl_draft.htm . November 12, 2013 . April 9, 2001 . live . mdy .
  2. Web site: NFL Draft Locations . . October 2, 2014 . FootballGeography.com . October 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905090250/http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-draft-sites/ . September 5, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. News: Salomone . Dan . NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015 . June 3, 2015 . . Giants.com . October 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930065327/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/NFL-Draft-headed-to-Chicago-in-2015/3ac322b1-3b4c-4a16-aba7-6e08d31b1756 . September 30, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  4. San Diego opted to pass on the No. 1 selection, agreeing to a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for their No. 5 selection. The Falcons took Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick to begin the 246-player draft.News: Atlanta selects QB Vick No. 1 overall. . May 4, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070514213158/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/draft/. May 14, 2007 . live.
  5. News: Vick eligible to play Week 3 . September 3, 2009 . . February 19, 2013 . January 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106115318/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4442627 . live .
  6. Web site: 2000 Heisman Trophy winner . heisman.com . February 18, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022701/http://www.heisman.com/winners/c-weinke00.php . October 5, 2013 . mdy .
  7. Web site: Former Heisman winner released by Carolina. ESPN. June 3, 2007. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112205554/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2789924. live.
  8. Web site: Ex-BYU football player Reno Mahe, 4 others face felony theft charges in gasoline case. Deseret News. Emiley. Morgan. July 14, 2011. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112212140/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705376273/Ex-BYU-football-player-Reno-Mahe-4-others-face-felony-theft-charges-in-gasoline-case.html?pg=all. dead.
  9. Web site: 2001 NFL Draft History . May 2, 2007 . profootballhof.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20070515090306/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/2001.jsp. May 15, 2007 . live.
  10. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
  11. Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Round six
  1. Web site: Fact & Figures on 2001 NFL Draft . . November 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131112204135/https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2001news/facts__figures_on_2001_nfl_draft.htm . November 12, 2013 . April 9, 2001 . live . mdy .
  2. Web site: NFL Draft Locations . . October 2, 2014 . FootballGeography.com . October 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905090250/http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-draft-sites/ . September 5, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. News: Salomone . Dan . NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015 . June 3, 2015 . . Giants.com . October 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930065327/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/NFL-Draft-headed-to-Chicago-in-2015/3ac322b1-3b4c-4a16-aba7-6e08d31b1756 . September 30, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  4. San Diego opted to pass on the No. 1 selection, agreeing to a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for their No. 5 selection. The Falcons took Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick to begin the 246-player draft.News: Atlanta selects QB Vick No. 1 overall. . May 4, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070514213158/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/draft/. May 14, 2007 . live.
  5. News: Vick eligible to play Week 3 . September 3, 2009 . . February 19, 2013 . January 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106115318/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4442627 . live .
  6. Web site: 2000 Heisman Trophy winner . heisman.com . February 18, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022701/http://www.heisman.com/winners/c-weinke00.php . October 5, 2013 . mdy .
  7. Web site: Former Heisman winner released by Carolina. ESPN. June 3, 2007. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112205554/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2789924. live.
  8. Web site: Ex-BYU football player Reno Mahe, 4 others face felony theft charges in gasoline case. Deseret News. Emiley. Morgan. July 14, 2011. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112212140/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705376273/Ex-BYU-football-player-Reno-Mahe-4-others-face-felony-theft-charges-in-gasoline-case.html?pg=all. dead.
  9. Web site: 2001 NFL Draft History . May 2, 2007 . profootballhof.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20070515090306/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/2001.jsp. May 15, 2007 . live.
  10. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
  11. Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Round seven
  1. Web site: Fact & Figures on 2001 NFL Draft . . November 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131112204135/https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2001news/facts__figures_on_2001_nfl_draft.htm . November 12, 2013 . April 9, 2001 . live . mdy .
  2. Web site: NFL Draft Locations . . October 2, 2014 . FootballGeography.com . October 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905090250/http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-draft-sites/ . September 5, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. News: Salomone . Dan . NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015 . June 3, 2015 . . Giants.com . October 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930065327/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/NFL-Draft-headed-to-Chicago-in-2015/3ac322b1-3b4c-4a16-aba7-6e08d31b1756 . September 30, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  4. San Diego opted to pass on the No. 1 selection, agreeing to a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for their No. 5 selection. The Falcons took Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick to begin the 246-player draft.News: Atlanta selects QB Vick No. 1 overall. . May 4, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070514213158/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/draft/. May 14, 2007 . live.
  5. News: Vick eligible to play Week 3 . September 3, 2009 . . February 19, 2013 . January 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106115318/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4442627 . live .
  6. Web site: 2000 Heisman Trophy winner . heisman.com . February 18, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022701/http://www.heisman.com/winners/c-weinke00.php . October 5, 2013 . mdy .
  7. Web site: Former Heisman winner released by Carolina. ESPN. June 3, 2007. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112205554/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2789924. live.
  8. Web site: Ex-BYU football player Reno Mahe, 4 others face felony theft charges in gasoline case. Deseret News. Emiley. Morgan. July 14, 2011. February 19, 2013. November 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112212140/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705376273/Ex-BYU-football-player-Reno-Mahe-4-others-face-felony-theft-charges-in-gasoline-case.html?pg=all. dead.
  9. Web site: 2001 NFL Draft History . May 2, 2007 . profootballhof.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20070515090306/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/2001.jsp. May 15, 2007 . live.
  10. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
  11. Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Players by position

The 246 players chosen in the draft were composed of:

PositionPlayers selected
Quarterbacks11
Running backs17
Fullbacks2
Wide receivers34
Tight ends15
Offensive tackles22
Offensive Guards12
Centers6
Long Snapper1
Defensive ends19
Defensive tackles21
Nose tackles6
Linebackers30
Defensive backs45
Cornerbacks21
Safeties23
Placekickers3
Punters2

Notable undrafted players

†= Pro Bowler

Hall of Famers

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017.

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

References

General references
Trade references
Specific references

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2001 NFL draft".

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