Michigan Reaches 87 Consecutive NFL Drafts With a Pick

As the buzz surrounding the 2025 NFL draft begins to die down, there is one statistic that Michigan fans continue talking about, and will likely continue talking about for years to come. This year’s draft marks the 87th consecutive NFL draft in which The University of Michigan has had a player drafted. Michigan shares the record for the longest streak with Big Ten newcomer, USC.

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Dating back to 1939, Michigan has not missed a beat when it comes to the NFL draft. Ralph Heikkinen and John Brennan were drafted in the 12th and 19th rounds of the 1939 draft, respectively. Little did they know at the time that they would be the genesis of an 87-year dynasty of professional Wolverines.

Seven Wolverines aided in keeping the streak alive this year

With the Cleveland Browns selecting Mason Graham as the fifth overall pick in the 2025 Draft, the active streak entered its 87th year. Graham will be starting his professional career alongside fellow drafted wolverines Colston Loveland, Kenneth Grant, Will Johnson, Josaiah Stewart, Kalel Mullings, and Myles Hinton.

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Those seven men join an elite group of drafted Wolverines, including household names like Tom Mack, Jim Harbaugh, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, Aidan Hutchinson, and of course, the GOAT, Tom Brady.

With way-too-early mock draft predictions already placing Jyaire Hill in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and Michigan’s recruiting class and transfer portal performance at full speed, it’s not likely that their active streak, approaching a century’s worth of NFL Drafts with a Wolverine selected, will be ending any time soon.

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