Call him the ‘Head Draft Coach’: Spurrier leads active coaches in number of players picked in NFL Draft

No active college football coach has coached more NFL Draft picks than South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier, and he’ll build on that number in the next three days.

The draft starts Thursday night in Chicago, and at least three Gamecocks – offensive lineman A.J. Cann, running back Mike Davis and offensive lineman Corey Robinson – are expected to be taken before it wraps up Saturday.

Cann, who is expected to be picked in the first two rounds, will become the 101^st player coached by Spurrier and then selected in the NFL Draft.

“I’ve got 100 drafted since I’ve been a coach?” Spurrier said. “I’ll be danged.”

An analysis by Athlon Sports revealed Spurrier leads all active coaches in that category. Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer is second with 92 players, followed by Alabama’s Nick Saban (82), Georgia’s Mark Richt (74) and Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops (70).

“I don’t know what it says. I know you have to have good players to win, we all know that,” said Spurrier, who will enter his 26^th season as a collegiate head coach this fall. “We have had our share of a lot of good players, that’s for sure.”

Thirty-one Gamecocks who played for Spurrier have been drafted. Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno (251) and former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden (182) top Athlon’s list of former coaches ranked by draft picks.

“Hopefully, A.J. Cann will go early and Mike Davis, hopefully,” Spurrier said. “Heck, I mean we hope they all go early, but you just have to wait it out and see.”

Tight end Rory Anderson, quarterback Dylan Thompson, wide receiver Damiere Byrd and defensive tackle J.T. Surratt also are hoping to hear their name called or sign a free agency deal shortly after the conclusion of the draft.

Spurrier does not expect to pay close attention to the draft as it unfolds, he said.

“If I’m watching television, nothing to do, I will turn it on,” he said. “You can read about it all the next day, anyway.”

This story was originally published April 29, 2015 at 10:11 PM with the headline "Call him the ‘Head Draft Coach’: Spurrier leads active coaches in number of players picked in NFL Draft."