The best Miami Dolphins draft picks from these Big 10 programs

No other college from the Big 10 saw more than 9 players drafted by the Miami Dolphins. The closest has been Illinois with seven players. That doesn’t mean Miami didn’t have great drafts from those schools. Here is a look at the rest of the Big 10.

Illinois

The Dolphins drafted three players from Illinois in their 1966 debut draft. This included their first overall pick, Jim Grabowski. It was a wasted pick. Grabowski was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Draft while Miami was still an AFL team. He chose to play for Green Bay instead and never played for the Dolphins. In round seven, the Dolphins drafted LB Don Hansen who never played for Miami and retired from the league in 1977. 11th round pick, Sammy Price, a running back, spent all three of his NFL seasons with the Dolphins.

In 1987 the Dolphins drafted lineman Mark Dennis. He spent seven seasons with Miami, one with Cincinnati, and two with Carolina. In 2009, Miami drafted CB Vontae Davis in round one. He was decent in Miami but very inconsistent and was traded to Indianapolis. A trade that played out on HBO’s Hard Knocks series.

Indiana

Four players have been drafted with Doug Crusan being the Dolphins’ first-round pick in 1968. He spent his entire seven-year career in Miami. In 1989 the Dolphins drafted kicker Pete Stoyanovich in round 8. Stoyanovich played in the NFL until 2000 with most coming in Miami.

The last player drafted was Andrew Greene in 1995. He played three seasons in the league, all with Miami.

Iowa

Five players have come from Iowa but none have been as good or remembered as well as Reggie Roby, the Dolphins’ first pick from the school that was made in 1983. Roby remains one of the best punters in Dolphins’ history. In 2005 Miami drafted Matt Roth who was a serviceable DE during his four-year stay with the Dolphins

Minnesota

In 1966 Kent Kramer a 13 round pick who played until 1974 became the first player of five, drafted from the school. Cedric Thompson was the last to be selected in 2015 and never played a down in Miami. In 1980 the Dolphins drafted WR Elmer Bailey in round four. Of the five players drafted from Minnesota, Bailey is the only player to play a down for Miami or any other NFL team. He caught four passes in two seasons with the Dolphins and finished his career a year later with one season in Baltimore.

Nebraska

The best of six players drafted out of Nebraska was Andra Franklin who was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1981 draft. He would spend four years in Miami and the NFL having his career cut short due to a knee injury. In his four seasons, he rushed for 2,232 yards and 22 touchdowns and started in Super Bowl XVII against Washington.

Bill Barnet who from 1980 to 1985 started nine games in 77 appearances comes in second. The other players drafted didn’t make the Dolphins roster or spent only one year in the league.

Northwestern

5 players have been drafted from Northwester starting in 1976 when Miami spent a 12th round pick on Darryl Bradford who didn’t make the roster. Alex Moyer in 1985 played one season, Sam Simmons last one in 2002, played one season

Purdue

Five players have been drafted out of Purdue and many of them have worked out well. Tim Foley was drafted in the third round of the 1970 draft and played until 1980. He was a member of the No-Name defense and won two Super Bowls with the Dolphins. Mark Brown, a linebacker, was drafted in 1983 and played until 1991 with his last season being played in Detroit.

While two others never made it in the NFL, the 4th overall pick in the 1967 draft did more than making the roster. Bob Griese was the first player Miami drafted from the school and he led the Dolphins to three Super Bowls and two victories on his way to the Hall of Fame.