No. 3: Back-To-Back-To-Back 1st Round Picks
9/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
No. 3 - Back-To-Back-To-Back First-Round Draft Picks
Rod Rust could produce talent like few coaches around. The North Texas coach from 1967-72 would go on to coach 22 years in the NFL, including a stay as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 1990, so the Webster City, Iowa native obviously had an eye for talent and knew how to develop it.
Despite spending just six seasons in Denton (half of which were losing campaigns) Rust had more players taken in the draft – 21 – than any other coach aside from 21-year coach Odus Mitchell, who had 41 drafted. Rust even has the distinction of having produced all three of NT’s first round picks, which came in back-to-back-to-back seasons in 1969-71.
Everyone knows that All-World defensive tackle Joe Greene was taken by the Steelers with the first pick of the ’69 draft, but can you name the other two?
Did you guess Cedric Hardman in 1970? The defensive end was taken with the ninth pick of the first round. How about defensive back Leonard Dunlap, who was selected No. 26 overall in the 1971 draft?
| 100 | 100-yd fumble return for TD | 75- | "Mean Joe" Greene | 50- | Gross and Washington | 25- | Conference Titles |
| 99 | Fitzgerald Goes The Distance | 74- | NT Downs No. 20 SDSU | 49- | Keith Chapman FGs | 24- | Talking About Willis |
| 98 | Sears Woods' Stuns Knoxville | 73- | Fry & the new Mean Green | 48- | Cody Spencer | 23- | Rev. Maher Dominates Southland |
| 97- | NT Blows Out Decatur Baptist | 72- | Yaege's Stellar Season | 47- | First Homecoming | 22- | Walker Passes Rice |
| 96- | 96 Years Of Football | 71- | Steve Ramsey's TDs | 46- | Meager Against SMU | 21- | Cobbs 100-Yard Games |
| 95- | The Jump To Division I-A | 70- | Little's 1970 Season | 45- | Cobb Scores 45 | 20- | Fouts Arrives In Denton |
| 94- | Optimist Bowl Offense | 69- | 7 All-Conference in '69 | 44- | Not A Day To Rush | 19- | Haynes Scores 19 TDs |
| 93- | Michael High KR Yards | 68- | A Consensus All-American | 43- | Patrick Cobbs | 18- | Miracle In the Desert |
| 92- | Gowin 92-Yard Punt | 67- | Armour Anchors NT Offense | 42- | Craig Robertson | 17- | The Ramsey Plan |
| 91- | Chancellor Saves The MGRN | 66- | Love Tops 1,000 Yds | 41- | Erric Pegram | 16- | 2002 All-Conference Record |
| 90- | Renfro/Haynes Tally 90 pts. | 65- | St. Clair's Win Pct | 40- | Fry Win Total | 15- | Renfro All-America |
| 89- | Redwine Bursts Onto Scene | 64- | Spider's Special Season | 39- | Jack Sisco and 1939 | 14- | Vidal Carlin |
| 88- | Mean Green Robbed | 63- | NT & Navy Light Up The Scoreboard | 38- | 2002 NMSU Win | 13- | Shanklin's Big Year |
| 87- | Fitzgerald Fries Competition | 62- | Khoury's 62-yd FG | 37- | Dunbar TDs (so far) | 12- | Andrew Smith |
| 86- | Mean Green 86 The Toads | 61- | Kennedy's 61 TFL | 36- | What A Rush | 11- | Scott Hall |
| 85- | Adrian Awasom | 60- | Fouts Field | 35- | Galbreath Seals NO Bowl Win | 10- | 10 Wins in 1947 |
| 84- | Brown Delivers For NT | 59- | The '59 Sun Bowl Squad | 34- | Ja'Quay Wilburn | 9- | Dinkle's Winning TD |
| 83- | 83 All-Conference Selections | 58- | Mitchell Claims COY | 33- | Ray Renfro | 8- | Vizza's TD Passes |
| 82- | Corky Nelson | 57- | Thomas Scampers For 57 | 32- | The First All-American | 7- | 7-OT Thriller |
| 81- | One Of The Greats | 56- | Scott Davis Completion Pct | 31- | 31 NT All-Americans | 6- | Ramsey's Passing Attack |
| 80- | Cedric The Sack- Getter | 55- | Gill, NT's First Retired Number | 30- | Former NCAA Record 30 TDs | 5- | Thomas Racks Up The Yards |
| 79- | "Blow George, Blow!" | 54- | Pair's Punts | 29- | 29,473 Fans | 4 | Four Straight Titles |
| 78- | J.T. Smith Joins the NFL | 53- | OSU's 53 Passing Yards | 28- | Abner Haynes | 3- | Three 1st Round Picks |
| 77- | North Texas Goes 10- 1 | 52- | Fouts Field Opens | 27- | Maher Destroys Passing TD Mark | 2- | Thursday, September 8 |
| 76- | Blizzard Battle With FSU | 51- | Bahnsen Named All-American | 26- | Consecutive SBC Wins | 1- | Friday, September 9 |