One of the measuring sticks for any college football program is how well they supply the NFL with players. Not only is it a good indicator of the type of program a school has, but it also has the added bonus of creating a symbiotic relationship.
Sending quality players to the pros helps to build a program’s prestige, which in turn attracts recruits to restock the shelves. Hopefully, the cycle repeats itself. This is especially true for programs like East Carolina that don’t have the fortune of attracting a bevy of 5-star recruits every year.
The Pirates have had a total of 65 players drafted in their program’s history, and with the 2016 NFL Draft under way, now would be a good time to look at the five greatest ECU draft picks and how they performed in the pros.
5. Jeff Blake
A 6th-round pick of the New York Jets in 1992, Jeff Blake was a groundbreaker at quarterback for ECU. In a program that has become known for developing tremendous offensive talents, Blake was one of the groundbreakers. His senior season was one for the ages, as he finished seventh in the 1991 Heisman voting, passing for 3,037 yards and 28 touchdowns to just eight interceptions.
Blake made his name in the NFL with Cincinnati, spending six years behind center for the Bengals. He made the Pro Bowl in 1995, finishing fourth in the league in total offense with 3979 and fifth in passing touchdowns with 28.
4. Earnest Byner
The game of football can be cruel. When you think Earnest Byner, you think “The Fumble,” but as infamous as that play is, it belies what a solid career he had. A 10th-round pick of the Browns in 1984, Byner’s time at ECU from 1980-1983 was also productive. He rushed for 2,049 yards and 11 TD during his Pirate career, and even though he’s remembered primarily for one costly mishap, his time in the pros was even more successful.
He was instrumental to the Browns’ success in the mid-to-late 80s, made two Pro Bowls in Washington and won a Super Bowl with the Redskins in 1991-92, catching a touchdown pass in the 37-24 win. He wrapped up his career where it started (sort of) playing his final seasons with Cleveland and then moved with the team to Baltimore as part of the new Ravens franchise.
3. David Garrard
One of the more recent successes for the program, Garrard was a 4th-round pick of the Jaguars in 2002. Before that though, Garrard was the most accomplished passer in ECU history until Shane Carden and Dominique Davis. When he left ECU in 2001, Garrard held the school record for passing yards at 9,029 and was touchdown passes with 60.
Garrard twice led the Jags to the playoffs (2005, 2007), made a Pro Bowl in 2009 and holds second place in pretty much every Jacksonville passing record. He finished his career with the Jets in 2013, capping off an eleven year run in the NFL while throwing for 16,003 yards and 89 TD.
2. Robert Jones
At the time Jones was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys 1992, he was the highest draft pick in ECU history (24th).
Jones was a consensus All-American in 1991 with the Pirates, his senior season in which he and Blake led the Pirates to an 11-1 record and No. 9 final ranking. He spent three years in Greenville, finishing his career with 478 tackles, good enough for second all-time at ECU.
Jones couldn’t have landed in a better spot in the NFL, getting dropped right in the middle of the Cowboy’s early 90s dynasty. He was a member of all three Dallas’ Super Bowl winners (1992, 1993 and 1995), and played in the league for 10 seasons with Miami, St. Louis and Washington. He finished with 601 career tackles.
1. Chris Johnson
In a league predicated on speed, Johnson was the fastest when he was drafted 24th overall by the Titans in 2008. Johnson was a first team All-C-USA pick as a return man and second-team pick as a running back during his senior season, averaging six yards a carry and accounting for 24 total touchdowns.
He made an immediate impact with the Titans, earning All-Pro as a rookie in 2008 and was the AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2009 after leading the league in rushing, breaking the 2,000-yard barrier with 2,006 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.
Johnson has had a bit of a career renaissance over the past two seasons with Arizona.
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