TRIVIA: A former Saskatchewan Roughriders assistant coach and general manager was a National Football League first-round draft choice.
In fact, he was a first-rounder in two different drafts. Really!
Before being selected the second time, he had already exploded for what is still the ninth-longest run from scrimmage in NFL history.
Who is this game-breaking future GM? To find out, read on!
Here, expertly timed to coincide with the 2023 NFL draft, is a chronological list of first-rounders with ties — tenuous, in some cases — to the Green and White.
1937: Washington chose Texas Christian quarterback Sammy Baugh sixth overall. Slingin’ Sammy was such a sensation that he was among the 17 charter inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. The Saskatchewan tie? In 1958, the Roughriders offered Baugh — then at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas — their head-coaching job. Baugh told the Abilene Reporter-News that the Roughriders’ offer of a three-year contract was “for the most money that I’ll ever be offered in coaching.” The Hardin-Simmons brass soon sweetened the pot, thereby retaining Baugh. Humbug!
1943: Tulsa quarterback Glenn Dobbs was picked third overall by the Chicago Cardinals. Eight years later, he arrived in Saskatchewan and instantly took the province by storm. Regina was dubbed “Dobberville” in honour of a phenomenally popular pivot who threw a franchise-record 28 touchdown passes in 14 regular-season games in 1951 before piloting the Roughriders to their first Grey Cup berth since 1934. Post-Dobbs, the Roughriders did not reach the championship game again until 1966, when Ron Lancaster equalled Dobbs’ single-season standard for TD tosses.
1948: The Chicago Bears claimed Oklahoma A&M fullback Jim Spavital 11th overall. He made his pro football debut one year later — with the All-America Football Conference’s Los Angeles Dons. Leading up to the next season, Spavital signed on with the Baltimore Colts, for whom he scored on a 96-yard run against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 5, 1950. At the time, it was the third-longest run in NFL history, behind a pair of 97-yarders. All these years later, Spavital’s sprint is in a four-way tie for ninth all-time. He scored three touchdowns that day, actually, and averaged 62.3 yards per major as the Colts pasted the Packers, 41-21. He rushed for TDs of 96 and 46 yards in addition to catching a 45-yard TD pass from Y.A. Tittle. All three TDs were converted by Rex Grossman, whose grandson (a quarterback named Rex) was the Bears’ first-rounder (22nd overall) in 2003. One Spav-tacular showing aside, Baltimore lost its other 10 games and, to top it all off, folded after the 1950 season. The NFL then declared all the Colts’ players draft-eligible, whereupon the New York Giants chose Spavital in the first round (13th overall) in 1951. Fast forward to 1968, when Spavital began a two-year stint as a Roughriders assistant coach. He rejoined the organization on Dec. 18, 1979, when he was named the GM. He held that post until Aug. 25, 1982.
1949: The Philadelphia Eagles used their first-rounder to choose Notre Dame quarterback Frank Tripucka ninth overall. His signing was announced by the Roughriders on July 10, 1953. He took over as the full-time starter in 1954 and began a five-season span in which he threw for 12,938 yards and 70 touchdowns. In 1956, “The Tripper” became the first Western Interprovincial Football Union quarterback to throw for 3,000-plus yards (3,274) in a season. In 1958, he became only the second Roughrider (after Dobbs) to throw 20 or more touchdown passes in one year. Tripucka entered the SaskTel Plaza of Honour in 1989, alongside two other NFL first-round draft choices and a relative of a third. (His son, Kelly Tripucka, was also a first-round draft choice — in the National Basketball Association. He was chosen 12th overall by the Detroit Pistons in 1981.)
1950: Ken Carpenter, another 1989 Plaza of Honour enshrinee, went to the Cleveland Browns with the 13th pick. After four seasons with Cleveland, the former Oregon State star signed with Saskatchewan on June 11, 1954. He scored 18 touchdowns — an enduring Roughriders single-season standard — in 1955 en route to being named the WIFU’s most outstanding player.
1951: The Alabama Crimson Tide’s Butch Avinger was picked ninth overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers. While in the United States Army, Avinger played all-services football in 1951 before signing with Saskatchewan in March of the following year. An all-around sensation, Avinger registered eight interceptions, caught 16 passes for 172 yards and two TDs, rushed 13 times for 60 yards and one score, completed five of 15 passes for 124 yards (an average of 24.8 yards per completion), recovered two fumbles and (whew!) even punted 131 times for what was then a club-record average of 44.7 yards. He joined the Giants the following year.
1952: Washington spent the seventh overall pick on Baylor star quarterback/catcher Larry Isbell, who opted to play minor-league baseball before becoming a Roughrider in mid-March of 1954. Like Avinger, Isbell was an all-around star. Over five seasons with Saskatchewan, Isbell made 12 interceptions, caught 97 passes for 1,528 yards and 12 TDs, completed 11 of 18 passes for 174 yards, rushed 42 times for 241 yards, and averaged 42.8 yards per punt (with 50 rouges). He entered the Plaza in 1999. Thanks in large part to Isbell’s boomers, NFL first-rounders have an all-time average of 42.9 yards per punt with Saskatchewan. Isbell launched 539 of the first-rounders’ 847 punts.
1953: Another Alabama standout landed north of the border when Bobby Marlow — dubbed ’Bama’s Bruisin’ Bobby — decided to head to Saskatchewan instead of signing with the Giants, who had picked him eighth overall in 1953. Marlow signed with Saskatchewan on March 30, 1953. A five-time WIFU all-star who excelled on both sides of the ball, Marlow was enshrined in the Plaza in 1989, along with Carpenter and Tripucka. Marlow boasts five of the 14 all-time All-Star nominations received by this franchise’s erstwhile NFL first-round picks.
1955: Cleveland used the 13th pick on Oklahoma Sooners centre Kurt Burris, who joined the Roughriders later rather than Sooner (sorry about that one). Burris was wooed in successful fashion by the Edmonton football club in 1955. After three full seasons with Edmonton, Burris was placed on waivers and promptly claimed by Saskatchewan (on Aug. 25, 1958). He played centre and linebacker for the Roughriders, who named him their most outstanding lineman for 1958.
1956: The Bears, picking 10th overall, drafted Menan (Tex) Schriewer — an end from Texas. He opted for Canada and spent his first three pro seasons with the Toronto Argonauts. Toronto traded him to Saskatchewan on May 8, 1959 in a blockbuster that resulted in star halfback/linebacker Carlton Chester (Cookie) Gilchrist joining the Argonauts. As a Roughrider in 1959, Schriewer caught 15 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to making an interception. Schriewer’s two TD catches gave the Roughriders’ NFL first-rounders an all-time total of 43 … and holding.
1957: The first four rounds of the 1957 NFL draft were actually held on Nov. 26, 1956. Twelve picks into the proceedings, the Detroit Lions chose Baylor’s standout two-way lineman, Bill Glass. Glass shattered the Lions’ hopes by signing with Saskatchewan on Jan. 5, 1957. He registered three interceptions in 11 games with the Roughriders before spending four seasons with Detroit and seven more with Cleveland. He represented the Browns in the 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967 Pro Bowls and helped Cleveland win an NFL title in 1964.
1959 (Part 1): Picking No. 4, Washington called the name of Boston College passer Don Allard, who was successfully courted by the Ottawa Rough Riders. At that point, future Hall of Fame passer Russ Jackson was coming off his rookie season in Ottawa. Then, on March 27, 1959, Tripucka was sent to the eastern Riders in a deal that brought five players — including future NFL star defensive lineman Jim Marshall — to Saskatchewan. Allard, suddenly the odd man out, was dealt to Saskatchewan on Aug. 15, 1959 and became a rare bright spot in a one-win season. He was named the Roughriders’ most outstanding player in 1959. After one more season in Saskatchewan, Allard was shipped to Toronto on Aug. 6, 1961.
1959 (Part 2): Utah quarterback Lee Grosscup was chosen by the Giants in the first round, with the 10th pick. In 1963, Grosscup was among many quarterbacks who auditioned for the Roughriders before Lancaster took over as the starter. In September of 1963, head coach Bob Shaw benched Lancaster in favour of the newly arrived Grosscup, who in his Roughriders debut (and finale, as it turned out) went 2-for-10 for 16 yards in a 4-4 tie with the host Calgary Stampeders. Shortly after that deadlock, Grosscup was released and replaced on the roster by Tripucka — a third-time Roughrider. The most-recent NFL high draft pick to throw a pass for Saskatchewan, Tripucka increased the Green and White’s all-time first-rounders’ totals to 22,242 aerial yards and 150 scoring connections.
1965: The Los Angeles Rams claimed Washington State cornerback Clancy Williams ninth overall. His half-brother — George Reed — also went to Washington State.
1968: The Oakland Raiders chose Tennessee State quarterback Eldridge Dickey 25th overall in the joint NFL-AFL draft. Dickey is the late grandfather of Roughriders receiver Brayden Lenius.
1970 (WARNING: This is a reeeeeaaaaacccccchhhhhh): The Buffalo Bills made 6-foot-5, 255-pound USC defender Al Cowlings the No. 5 pick in 1970. In 1978, with his football career winding down, he spent four games with the Montreal Alouettes. One of those games was played Oct. 8, 1978 at Taylor Field. And who was the driver of O.J. Simpson’s white Bronco during the freeway chase on June 17, 1994? Al (A.C.) Cowlings!
1971 (Part 1): Arizona State receiver J.D. Hill went fourth overall to Buffalo. His son, fellow receiver, Kahlil Hill, caught three passes for 23 yards over three games with the 2007 Roughriders.
1971 (Part 2): North Texas State defensive back Leonard Dunlap went 26th overall to Baltimore. He signed with Saskatchewan on May 11, 1977 and, at training camp, suffered a knee injury that prematurely ended his audition with the Roughriders.
1976: With the fourth overall pick, the San Diego Chargers claimed Oklahoma running back Joe Washington. His brother, Ken Washington, was a star quarterback at North Texas State before signing with the Roughriders on May 25, 1978. He was released on July 6 after the Roughriders opted to retain rookie Larry Dick as Lancaster’s understudy.
1979: With Lancaster having just retired and taken over as the head coach, the Roughriders were looking for the heir apparent at quarterback. Their sights were set on Phil Simms of tiny Morehead State, based in Kentucky. Simms’ interest was piqued by the Roughriders’ overtures, but negotiations ended abruptly and understandably when the Giants surprisingly selected him seventh overall in 1979. Good idea. Simms was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXI after completing 22 of 25 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns in a 39-20 victory over the Denver Broncos. (Speaking of Broncos … Al Cowlings, people!)
1990: San Diego picked future Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau fifth overall out of USC. Ian Seau, Junior’s nephew, practised only once with the Roughriders (on Oct. 3, 2016).
1992: University of Houston quarterback Jimmy Klingler went sixth overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. His brother, quarterback Jimmy Klingler, signed with the Roughriders on May 20, 1994, only to be released 23 days later.
1995: More slingin’ siblings! The Oilers drafted Alcorn State quarterback Steve McNair third overall. His older brother, Fred McNair, dressed for 14 games with the Roughriders in 1992 but did not throw a pass — outside of the pre-season, that is. He was released on April 26, 1993.
1998: Oklahoma State cornerback R.W. McQuarters became a San Francisco 49er with the 28th pick. That was exciting news for his second cousin — legendary Roughriders defensive lineman Ed McQuarters.
2001: Washington spent the No. 16 pick on Miami receiver Santana Moss — whose brother, Sinorice, returned eight punts for 49 yards over two games with the Roughriders in 2012.
2006: Oh, was there commotion when the Roughriders introduced Vince Young during a March 9, 2017 media conference! There may not have been a more-ballyhooed signing in franchise history, when you consider that he had starred at Texas before being selected by the Tennessee Titans with the third overall pick in 2006. Nearing 34, Young was hoping to resuscitate his once-prosperous pro football career north of the border. Alas, he suffered a torn hamstring during a training-camp scrimmage and … er, on to the next sibling.
2008: The Baltimore Ravens drafted future Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Flacco 18th overall after he starred at Delaware. Tom Flacco, Joe’s younger brother, tried out for Saskatchewan in 2021.
2012: Alabama’s Trent Richardson went No. 3 to Cleveland, only to become a bust. Like Young, he sought to resurrect his football career in Saskatchewan in 2017. Unlike Young, Richardson appeared in the regular season. Over four games, Richardson rushed 48 times for 259 yards and two TDs. His final game as a Roughrider was his finest: He rushed 20 times for 127 yards and two scores in a 37-12 victory over Montreal on Oct. 27, 2017. Richardson also caught one pass for two yards with Saskatchewan. All things considered, he fattened the team’s cumulative first-rounders’ totals to 779 points, 122 touchdowns (including 76 along the ground), 419 catches and 5,991 receiving yards.
2013: Florida safety Matt Elam was the final (32nd) pick of the first round, by Baltimore. With the 2018 Roughriders, he had one interception and three sacks in nine games. Starting at linebacker, he registered two sacks and five defensive tackles in a 40-27 victory over Calgary on Aug. 19 at Mosaic Stadium. He followed up Sept. 2 by intercepting Winnipeg’s Matt Nichols and sprinting 53 yards — to the one-yard line to set up a TD. Elam’s pick-off was the 42nd by an NFL-first-rounder-turned-Roughrider. The 15th first-rounder to suit up for Saskatchewan in regular-season action, he swelled the team’s all-time first-rounders’ games-played total to 459. And there it sits.
2016: Denver GM John Elway chose Memphis signal-caller Paxton Lynch 26th overall. Lynch was with the Roughriders for most of the 2021 season, albeit without dressing for a game.
2021: San Francisco made North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance the No. 3 pick. His father, Carlton Lance, played in 13 CFL games in 1993 — when he was named the Roughriders’ most outstanding rookie. With Saskatchewan, he intercepted three passes, one of which he returned for a 31-yard TD. He also scored on a nine-yard fumble return.
ALMOST DONE!!!
The final pick of the NFL draft has long been nicknamed Mr. Irrelevant.
Since 1936, when the draft was first held, only one future Roughrider has been the very last selection.
That was in 1976, when the University of Dayton’s Kelvin Kirk went in the 17th round (487th overall) to Pittsburgh. The 487 picks, by the way, are the most ever in an NFL draft.
By 1977, Kirk was northward-bound. He played for four teams over a seven-year CFL career that included a three-game stay with the Roughriders in 1979. He caught nine passes for 85 yards in Green and White.
As a CFLer, Kirk made 153 receptions for 2,942 yards and 16 touchdowns — including 51- and 30-yard scoring connections with Ottawa’s Jordan Case in the first quarter at Taylor Field on Sept. 20, 1981.
The Roughriders rallied from the Kirk-induced 14-0 deficit to win 26-23, thanks in large part to two touchdown receptions by Joey Walters.
While in Saskatchewan in 1979, Kirk’s services had been required because of an early-season injury to Walters.
You are free to dismiss this type of painstaking detail as, well, irrelevant.
ROLL CREDITS …
- Nice people who deserve a plug: Mal Chappeaux, Thomas Judek, Kelsey Brazil, Ken Schofield, Cecilia Rands, Tom Pura, Pete Paczko, Charlie McNeil, Brett Lauther, Ed McQuarters, George Reed, Nathan Schellenberg, Mike Woytowich, Nick Bowley, Kent Maugeri, Terry McEvoy, Ray Elgaard, Ron McBride, Jordie Lindley, Jordan Eberle, Dave MacLean and Jim Browne.
