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Year

Pick 2 (34)

Jayden Higgins

WR Iowa State

6-4 214 LBS

From Giants

2021 (Eastern Kentucky): Played in 10 games with 7 starts (29-394-13.6, 3 TDs).
2022 (Eastern Kentucky): Led team with 10 receiving TDs (58-757-13.1). Played in all 12 games with 9 starts.
2023: Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference. Led team with 983 receiving yards (53 receptions, 18.5 per, 6 TDs). Played in all 13 games with 12 starts.
2024: Third-team Associated Press All-American. Second-team All-Big 12. Ranked 10th in the FBS with 87 receptions (1,183 yards, 13.6 per). Led team with 9 receiving TDs. Played in 13 games with 11 starts. Did not play in the team's PopTarts Bowl win over Miami.

-- by Chad Reuter

Pick 16 (48)

Aireontae Ersery

OT Minnesota

6-6 331 LBS

From Dolphins through Raiders

2020: Played in 1 game as a reserve.
2021: Redshirted. Played in 1 game as a reserve.
2022: Honorable Mention All-Big Ten Conference. Started all 13 games at LT.
2023: Second-team All-Big Ten. Started all 13 games at LT.
2024: Third-team Associated Press All-American. Big Ten OL of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten. Started 12 games at LT. Did not play in the team's Duke's Mayo Bowl win over Virginia Tech.

-- by Chad Reuter

Pick 15 (79)

Jaylin Noel

WR Iowa State

5-10 194 LBS

From Dolphins through Eagles and Commanders

2021: Played in all 13 games with 3 starts (39-269-6.9 receiving; 11-286-26.0 KR; 15-92-6.1 PR).
2022: Played in 12 games with 8 starts (60-572-9.5, 3 TDs receiving; 3-47-15.7 rushing; 14-237-16.9 KR; 11-56-5.1 PR).
2023: Second-team All-Big 12 Conference WR, Honorable Mention RS. Played in 12 games with 11 starts (66-820-12.4, 7 TDs receiving; 9-245-27.2 KR; 14-119-8.5 PR).
2024: Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Year. First-team All-Big 12 RS. Honorable Mention All-Big 12 WR. Ranked ninth in the FBS with 1,194 receiving yards (80 receptions, 14.9 per, 8 TDs). Played in all 14 games with 11 starts (9-38-4.2 rushing; 3-53-17.7 KR; 13-199-15.3 PR).

-- by Chad Reuter

Pick 33 (97)

Jaylin Smith

CB USC

5-10 187 LBS

Compensatory Selection - From Vikings

2021: Played in 10 games with 1 start at safety (10 tackles, 1 sack, INT, PBU, FF).
2022: Played in 11 games with 9 starts at nickelback (37 tackles, TFL, PBU).
2023: Started 12 games at nickelback (75 tackles, 5.5 TFLs with 1 sack, PBU, FF).
2024: Third-team All-Big Ten Conference. Tied for the team lead with 2 INTs. Started 10 games (59 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 PBUs). Missed 2 midseason games due to injury. Did not play in the team's Las Vegas Bowl win over Texas A&M.
Miscellaneous: Played in Snoop Dogg's youth football league and was on the Netflix show "Coach Snoop.”

-- by Chad Reuter

Pick 14 (116)

Woody Marks

RB USC

5-10 207 LBS

From Dolphins

2020 (Mississippi State): Led team with 312 rushing yards (70 carries, 4.5 per, 3 TDs). Led all FBS RBs with 60 receptions (268 yards, 4.5 per). Played in 11 games with 8 starts.
2021 (Mississippi State): Led team with 6 rushing TDs (106-416-3.9). Led all FBS RBs with 83 receptions (502 yards, 6.1 per, 3 TDs). Played in all 13 games with 8 starts.
2022 (Mississippi State): Led team with 582 rushing yards (113 carries, 5.2 per), 9 rushing TDs. Played in 12 games with 7 starts (48-288-6.0 receiving).
2023 (Mississippi State): Led team with 573 rushing yards (121, 4.7 per), 4 rushing TDs. Started 9 games (23-167-7.3, 2 TDs receiving). Missed time with a leg injury.
2024: Led team with 1,133 rushing yards (198 carries, 5.7 per), 9 rushing TDs. Started all 13 games (47-321-6.8 receiving).
Miscellaneous: Nickname "Woody" comes from the main character in the film "Toy Story" as it was one of his favorites growing up.

-- by Chad Reuter

Pick 11 (187)

Jaylen Reed

SAF Penn State

5-11 211 LBS

From 49ers through Vikings

Pick 21 (197)

Graham Mertz

QB Florida

6-3 212 LBS

From Broncos

2019 (Wisconsin): Redshirted. Played in 2 games as a reserve (9-10, 90.0, 73 yards passing; 2-6-3.0 rushing).
2020 (Wisconsin): Started all 7 games (118-193-61.1, 1,238 yards, 9 TDs, 5 INTs passing; 36-38-1.1, 2 TDs rushing). First freshman to start at QB for Wisconsin since 1978.
2021 (Wisconsin): Started all 13 games (169-284-59.5, 1,958 yards, 10 TDs, 11 INTs passing; 4 TDs rushing).
2022 (Wisconsin): Started 12 games (164-286-57.3, 2,136 yards, 19 TDs, 10 INTs; 2 TDs rushing). Entered the transfer portal, missed the team's bowl game.
2023: Ranked third in the FBS with 72.9 completion percentage (261-358, 2,903 yards, 20 TDs, 3 INTs passing; 4 rushing TDs). Threw a school-record 239 passes without an INT. Started 11 games.
2024: Started 5 games (72-94-76.6, 791 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs passing; 18-56-3.1, TD rushing). Missed the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
Miscellaneous: Father, Ron, played football at Minnesota.

-- by Chad Reuter

Pick 8 (224)

Kyonte Hamilton

DT Rutgers

6-3 300 LBS

From Bears through Dolphins

Pick 39 (255)

Luke Lachey

TE Iowa

6-5 251 LBS

Compensatory Selection - From Browns

2020: Redshirted. Played in 1 game as a reserve (no statistics).
2021: Played in all 13 games with 3 starts (8-133-16.6).
2022: Played in all 13 games with 7 starts (28-398-14.2, 4 TDs).
2023: Started the first 3 games (10-131-13.1). Missed the rest of the season with a right ankle injury.
2024: Played in 12 games with 11 starts (28-231-8.3).
Miscellaneous: Father, Jim, was an All-American OL at Ohio State, first-round pick of the Chargers in 1985 and a 3-time All-Pro, winning Super Bowl XXVI with Washington.

-- by Chad Reuter

DRAFT TRACKER

Round 2 • Pick 2 (34) • WR Jayden Higgins

Round 2 • Pick 16 (48) • OT Aireontae Ersery

Round 3 • Pick 15 (79) • WR Jaylin Noel

Round 3 • Pick 33 (97) • CB Jaylin Smith

Round 4 • Pick 14 (116) • RB Woody Marks

Round 6 • Pick 11 (187) • SAF Jaylen Reed

Round 6 • Pick 21 (197) • QB Graham Mertz

Round 7 • Pick 8 (224) • DT Kyonte Hamilton

Round 7 • Pick 39 (255) • TE Luke Lachey

FULL DRAFT TRACKER

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