SENIORBOWL.com :: Senior Bowl History - Recent Game NFL Draft: 2004

Senior Bowl’s draft day highlights includes ten first-round picks, a top-five overall selection for the fifth straight year and 83 total draftees.

MOBILE, Ala. (April 25, 2005) -- It was another outstanding year for the Senior Bowl in the National Football League Draft.

In addition to featuring a top-five overall selection for the fifth straight year in running back Cadillac Williams of Auburn, Senior Bowl officials announced that this year’s Senior Bowl rosters featured ten first-round selections and 83 total draftees.

Over the past six years, the Senior Bowl has averaged ten first-round selections each year as 61 first-round draft picks have played in the contest from 2000-2005. Also, a total of 537 Senior Bowl players have been selected in the NFL draft over those same six years.

A sign of things to come. Auburn running back Cadillac Williams gets set to return a punt under the watchful eye of Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden. Gruden and the Bucs staff coached Williams' South squad in the contest, and went on to select him with the fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Arkansas' Matt Jones used Senior Bowl Week to show NFL coaches and scouts that he could make the successful transition from collegiate quarterback to wide receiver, and went on to become the 21st player selected overall and the fourth wide receiver taken in the draft.

Auburn's Jason Campbell used an outstanding senior season and excellent performance throughout Senior Bowl Week to become the first senior quarterback selected in the draft when he was chosen by the Washington Redskins with the 25th pick of the first round.

This year’s group of Senior Bowl draft success stories was headlined by first-round selections such as Williams, Arkansas wide receiver Matt Jones, Troy defensive end Demarcus Ware and Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell.

Selected as the fifth player overall, Williams was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers whose head coach, Jon Gruden, and his staff coached Williams’ Senior Bowl South squad in the 2005 contest.

“There’s no question that Cadillac’s outstanding performance in Mobile throughout Senior Bowl Week played a major role in his not only ending up with the Bucs, but also enabling him to become the fifth player selected in the draft,” said Senior Bowl President Steve Hale. “He is a prime example of what a player can accomplish by choosing to compete and spending a week with the decision makers of the NFL at our event each January.”

Arkansas’ Jones took full advantage of his opportunity during Senior Bowl Week to show the over 700 NFL coaches and scouts present that he could make the successful transition from collegiate quarterback to his NFL-projected position of wide receiver.

Oklahoma's Mark Clayton was one of three wide receivers who played in Senior Bowl 2005 selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Demarcus Ware of Troy was the first defensive lineman selected in the draft when he was chosen 11th overall by the Dallas Cowboys.

USC defensive tackle Mike Patterson became the first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles after a fine Senior Bowl Week.

The 6-6, 240-pounder enjoyed a stellar week of practice and caught a touchdown pass in the game, and went on to become the 21st overall selection in the draft and the fourth receiver chosen overall when he was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Troy’s Ware became the first defensive lineman selected in the draft when he was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys with the eleventh selection overall, while Campbell capped off his stellar senior season with a fine performance during Senior Bowl Week to become the first senior quarterback chosen in the draft when he was selected with the 25th pick overall by the Washington Redskins.

Other members of the 2005 Senior Bowl roster selected in round one included Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers by the Washington Redskins, LSU defensive end Marcus Spears (Dallas), wide receivers Mark Clayton of Oklahoma (Baltimore) and UAB’s Roddy White (Atlanta), USC defensive tackle Mike Patterson (Philadelphia), and Fresno State guard Logan Mankins, chosen by the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots with the final pick of round one.

Auburn defensive back Carlos Rogers runs a drill during a Senior Bowl practice session and was one of four Tigers selected in the first-round of the 2005 draft.

LSU's Marcus Spears will join Senior Bowl South squad teammate Demarcus Ware on the defensive line for the Dallas Cowboys after being selected by the Cowboys in the first-round of the 2005 draft.

Fresno State offensive lineman Logan Mankins takes a quick break during a Senior Bowl practice. The Super Bowl champion New England Patriots made Mankins their first-round selection in the 2005 NFL Draft.

The week that head coach Jon Gruden and his Tampa Bay staff spent coaching the Senior Bowl’s South squad in Mobile also proved extremely valuable to the Bucs as five of their draftees played in the contest – Williams, linebacker Barrett Ruud, tight end Alex Smith, guard Dan Buenning and former Alabama defensive tackle Anthony Bryant.

The Oakland Raiders, who coached the North squad in the contest, selected two Senior Bowlers – linebacker Kirk Morrison and defensive lineman Anttaj Hawthorne.

A total of 29 of the 32 NFL teams drafted at least one Senior Bowl player, with the Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins leading all clubs with six Senior Bowl selections, while the Green Bay Packers joined the Bucs with five draftees who played in the contest.

The next showcase of future NFL stars is set for Saturday, January 28, 2006, when the 57th annual Senior Bowl, presented by Food World, will kickoff in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium. For more information, contact the Senior Bowl at 251-438-2276 or access the bowl’s website at www.seniorbowl.com.