RSS FeedNewest Trend in NFL Draft? Drafting Players with Unique First Names
By Chris Malumphy
Moms and dads who want their little boys to grow up to be NFL players should jump on this growing trend as many have already done--give their sons unique first names. In the 2015 NFL Draft over 25% of the players selected had first names that were never called in any of the prior 79 drafts. There were nine new first names called in the first round alone including: Jameis, Ereck, Andrus, DeVante, Arik, Breshad, Laken, Damarius and Stephone.
| 2015 NFL Draft Players with First Names Never Drafted Before | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College | ||
| Jameis Winston | 1 | 1 | 1 | Buccaneers | QB | Florida State | ||
| Ereck Flowers | 1 | 9 | 9 | Giants | G | Miami (FL) | ||
| Andrus Peat | 1 | 13 | 13 | Saints | T | Stanford | ||
| DeVante Parker | 1 | 14 | 14 | Dolphins | WR | Louisville | ||
| Arik Armstead | 1 | 17 | 17 | 49ers | DT | Oregon | ||
| Breshad Perriman | 1 | 26 | 26 | Ravens | WR | Central Florida | ||
| Laken Tomlinson | 1 | 28 | 28 | Lions | G | Duke | ||
| Damarious Randall | 1 | 30 | 30 | Packers | DB | Arizona State | ||
| Stephone Anthony | 1 | 31 | 31 | Saints | LB | Clemson | ||
| Dorial Green-Beckham | 2 | 8 | 40 | Titans | WR | Missouri | ||
| Benardrick McKinney | 2 | 11 | 43 | Texans | LB | Mississippi State | ||
| Hau'oli Kikaha | 2 | 12 | 44 | Saints | LB | Washington | ||
| Jaquiski Tartt | 2 | 14 | 46 | 49ers | DB | Samford | ||
| Denzel Perryman | 2 | 16 | 48 | Chargers | LB | Miami (FL) | ||
| Ameer Abdullah | 2 | 22 | 54 | Lions | RB | Nebraska | ||
| Maxx Williams | 2 | 23 | 55 | Ravens | TE | Minnesota | ||
| Senquez Golson | 2 | 24 | 56 | Steelers | DB | Mississippi | ||
| D'Joun Smith | 3 | 1 | 65 | Colts | DB | Florida Atlantic | ||
| Clive Walford | 3 | 4 | 68 | Raiders | TE | Miami (FL) | ||
| Jaelen Strong | 3 | 6 | 70 | Texans | WR | Arizona State | ||
| Hroniss Grasu | 3 | 7 | 71 | Bears | C | Oregon | ||
| Owamagbe Odighizuwa | 3 | 10 | 74 | Giants | DE | UCLA | ||
| Danielle Hunter | 3 | 24 | 88 | Vikings | DE | Louisiana State | ||
| Geneo Grissom | 3 | 33 | 97 | Patriots | DE | Oklahoma | ||
| Jamison Crowder | 4 | 6 | 105 | Redskins | WR | Duke | ||
| Jalston Fowler | 4 | 9 | 108 | Titans | RB | Alabama | ||
| Arie Kouandjio | 4 | 13 | 112 | Redskins | G | Alabama | ||
| Jamil Douglas | 4 | 15 | 114 | Dolphins | G | Arizona State | ||
| Ibraheim Campbell | 4 | 16 | 115 | Browns | DB | Northwestern | ||
| Ramik Wilson | 4 | 19 | 118 | Chiefs | LB | Georgia | ||
| Doran Grant | 4 | 22 | 121 | Steelers | DB | Ohio State | ||
| Za'Darius Smith | 4 | 23 | 122 | Ravens | DE | Kentucky | ||
| Kwon Alexander | 4 | 25 | 124 | Buccaneers | LB | Louisiana State | ||
| Javorius Allen | 4 | 26 | 125 | Ravens | RB | USC | ||
| Tray Walker | 4 | 37 | 136 | Ravens | DB | Texas Southern | ||
| Martrell Spaight | 5 | 5 | 141 | Redskins | LB | Arkansas | ||
| MyCole Pruitt | 5 | 7 | 143 | Vikings | TE | Southern Illinois | ||
| Mykkele Thompson | 5 | 8 | 144 | Giants | DB | Texas | ||
| Davis Tull | 5 | 12 | 148 | Saints | LB | Tennessee-Chattanooga | ||
| Tyeler Davison | 5 | 18 | 154 | Saints | DT | Fresno State | ||
| Neiron Ball | 5 | 25 | 161 | Raiders | LB | Florida | ||
| Deiontrez Mount | 6 | 1 | 177 | Titans | LB | Louisville | ||
| Kyshoen Jarrett | 6 | 5 | 181 | Redskins | DB | Virginia Tech | ||
| Tayo Fabuluje | 6 | 7 | 183 | Bears | G | Texas Christian | ||
| Kaelin Clay | 6 | 8 | 184 | Buccaneers | WR | Utah | ||
| Geremy Davis | 6 | 10 | 186 | Giants | WR | Connecticut | ||
| JaCorey Shepherd | 6 | 15 | 191 | Eagles | DB | Kansas | ||
| Derron Smith | 6 | 21 | 197 | Bengals | DB | Fresno State | ||
| Leterrius Walton | 6 | 23 | 199 | Steelers | DT | Central Michigan | ||
| Quandre Diggs | 6 | 24 | 200 | Lions | DB | Texas | ||
| Amarlo Herrera | 6 | 31 | 207 | Colts | LB | Georgia | ||
| Obum Gwacham | 6 | 33 | 209 | Seahawks | DE | Oregon State | ||
| Reshard Cliett | 6 | 35 | 211 | Texans | LB | South Florida | ||
| Kristjan Sokoli | 6 | 38 | 214 | Seahawks | DT | Buffalo | ||
| Rakeem Nunez-Roches | 6 | 41 | 217 | Chiefs | DT | Southern Mississippi | ||
| Hayes Pullard | 7 | 2 | 219 | Browns | LB | USC | ||
| Da'Ron Brown | 7 | 16 | 233 | Chiefs | WR | Northern Illinois | ||
| Dezmin Lewis | 7 | 17 | 234 | Bills | WR | Central Arkansas | ||
| Gerod Holliman | 7 | 22 | 239 | Steelers | DB | Louisville | ||
| Ifo Ekpre-Olomu | 7 | 24 | 241 | Browns | DB | Oregon | ||
| Trenton Brown | 7 | 27 | 244 | 49ers | G | Florida | ||
| Taurean Nixon | 7 | 34 | 251 | Broncos | DB | Tulane | ||
| Xzavier Dickson | 7 | 36 | 253 | Patriots | LB | Alabama | ||
| Rory 'Busta' Anderson | 7 | 37 | 254 | 49ers | TE | South Carolina | ||
| Denzell Goode | 7 | 38 | 255 | Colts | T | Mars Hill | ||
