Cowboys Look to Build on Tradition at 2018 NFL Draft

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STILLWATER – The NFL Draft has seen its fair share of Oklahoma State Cowboys in recent years, as the Cowboys have had players selected in 14 of the past 15 NFL Drafts.

Even more impressive than that, OSU's six first-round draft picks since 2009 are the most in the Big 12 Conference and rank among the national leaders as well.

Building on that success, this year's version of the NFL Draft has a chance to be one of the best for Cowboys in terms of number of players taken.

Five OSU seniors were invited to the NFL Combine in 2018, including quarterback Mason Rudolph, safety Tre Flowers and wide receivers James Washington, Marcell Ateman and Chris Lacy.

If those five are selected in the draft, it would match the OSU record for the most taken in one year. The last time five Cowboys were drafted was in 1985, when the draft was 12 rounds instead of seven like today's version. Five Cowboys were also selected in 1984, 1977 and 1967, all of which had more rounds than today.

The five NFL Combine Cowboys don't include other potential selections, such as offensive lineman Zachary Crabtree, defensive tackle DeQuinton Osborne and others. With those players included, the Cowboys could set a school record for draft picks in a single year.

As much potential as the draft holds in terms of sheer numbers, a few Cowboys have been mentioned as names to watch in the early rounds, including Rudolph, Washington and Ateman. For good reason.

Rudolph and Washington respectively led the nation in passing yards and receiving yards last season, while Washington took home the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best wide receiver and Rudolph was given the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

The duo also broke nearly every passing and receiving record at OSU, while both earning All-America honors in the process.

Ateman, meanwhile, was the Cowboys' go-to player when a first down was needed as his height and ability to go up for a ball were rarely matched. He finished the season with over a thousand receiving yards as well.

Those three players combined with running back Justice Hill to form the first offense in Big 12 history to have a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers.

Other combine participants Flowers and Lacy could be in the next wave to have their names called.

Flowers was a first team All-Big 12 selection who racked up more than 275 tackles in his career and earned All-America honors as a senior, while Lacy was also a gifted playmaker who had multiple 100-yard receiving games and was recognized for his outstanding ability as a blocker.

Regardless of how many Cowboys are selected or where they end up, the 2018 NFL Draft is the first chance for OSU fans to watch these Cowboys take their first steps into playing at the next level. With so many possibilities as well, OSU fans have plenty of reasons to watch expectantly in every round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

It all begins Thursday night with the first round, followed by the second and third rounds Friday and finishing with the fourth through seventh rounds Saturday. Fans can watch the entire draft pick-by-pick via television coverage on the NFL Network and FOX.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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