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Wisconsin Football: Every Badger Drafted In the First Round of NFL Draft Since 2000

By Brian Sampson

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - APRIL 06: J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans looks on from the crowd in the first half of the game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Wisconsin Badgers during the NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 6, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - APRIL 06: J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans looks on from the crowd in the first half of the game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Wisconsin Badgers during the NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 6, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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The Wisconsin football team has enriched their tradition over the past 20 years and sent a bunch of guys to the NFL via the first round of the draft.

The Wisconsin football team has experienced loads of success over the past 20 seasons no matter who the coach has been. They’ve truly established themselves as one of the best teams in the Big Ten year in and year out which has led to a number of Badgers being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Since 2000, they’ve had four coaches (Barry Alvarez, Brett Bielema, Gary Anderson and Paul Chryst) lead them to 112 total victories. It’s also included 19 winning seasons and 11 All-American seasons.

They’ve had a total of 14 first round draft picks make it to a combined 22 Pro Bowls. They’ve also had two Badgers taken in the first round on four separate occasions–pretty impressive for a school that’s often looked at as lesser competition compared to the big boys in the NCAA. Let’s take a look at every Badger who has been drafted since 2000 and where they went.

Ron Dayne, RB ( 2000 Round 1, Pick 11, New York Giants)

Chris McIntosh, T (2000, Round 1, Pick 22, Seattle Seahawks)

Jamar Fletcher, CB (2001, Round 1, Pick 26, Miami Dolphins)

Michael Bennett, RB (2001, Round 1, Pick 27, Minnesota Vikings)

Wendell Bryant, DT (2002, Round 1, Pick 12, Arizona Cardinals)

Lee Evans, WR (2004, Round 1, Pick 13, Buffalo Bills)

Erasmus James, DE (2005, Round, 1 Pick 18, Minnesota Vikings)

Joe Thomas, T (2007, Round 1, Pick 3, Cleveland Browns)

J.J. Watt, DE (2011, Round 1, Pick 11, Houston Texans)

Gabe Carimi, T (2011, Round 1, Pick 29, Chicago Bears)

Kevin Zeitler, G (2012, Round 1, Pick 27, Cincinnati Bengals)

Travis Frederick, C (2013, Round 1, Pick 31, Dallas Cowboys)

Melvin Gordon, RB (2015, Round 1, Pick 15, San Diego Chargers)

T.J. Watt, LB (2017, Round 1, Pick 30, Pittsburgh Steelers)

Ryan Ramczyk, T (2017, Round 1, Pick 32, New Orleans Saints)

Next. 3 Badgers Projected To Go Early In This Year's NFL Draft. dark

The Badgers have had various degrees of success from Joe Thomas and J.J. Watt becoming unanimous selections to the All-Decade team to Travis Frederick making four Pro Bowls and retiring early to Gabe Carimi flaming out after just four years in the NFL.

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