These former Orange standouts were high picks in the annual NFL Draft, and the newest version of the draft comes about this Thursday.
The 2026 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night and no Syracuse Orange players are projected to go in the first round. Despite another year of no Orange players being drafted in the opening round, Syracuse has had a strong history of defensive players getting selected with early picks.
Here are some of the defensive players who heard their names called early.
Joe Ehrmann (No. 10, 1973)
Over 50 years have passed since his selection but defensive tackle Joe Ehrmann still ranks as the highest defensive player ever drafted after playing for Syracuse.
From 1973-1982, Ehrmann played for both the Baltimore Colts and Detroit Lions. The Buffalo, N.Y. native's highest honor in his playing career actually came for his recognition off the field: He was the first recipient of the league's Ed Block Courage award. The award honors those National Football League players who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage.
Dwight Freeney (No. 11, 2002)
Arguably the greatest defensive player in program history, Freeney was an All-American, a two time Big East All-Conference selection and the conference's co-player of the year. His 4.5-sack performance against Virginia Tech and quarterback Michael Vick ranks as the highest sack total in a single game in school history.
Freeney holds the school's single season sack record and ranks second, only behind Tim Green (more on Green below), in career sacks.
The 46-year-old was a seven-time Pro Bowler who helped the Colts win the Super Bowl in the 2006 season.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024 and has joined Fran Brown's staff as the current Syracuse Director of Player Development.
Tim Green (No. 17, 1986)
A local Syracuse product from Liverpool High School, Green excelled in his tenure with the Orange. The school's all-time sack leader with 45.5, Green was an All-American and a three-time All-Big East selection.
Green spent his entire NFL career (1986-1993) with the Atlanta Falcons.
Chandler Jones (No. 21, 2012)
Bill Belichick rarely traded up in the first round during his tenure as the New England Patriots' head coach and general manager, but he made an exception for Jones in 2012.
In over a decade in the NFL, Jones was a two-time All-Pro selection, and a four-time Pro Bowl selection. Jones' 112 career sacks rank 42nd all-time. Jones recorded 96 sacks during the 2010's, ranking only behind Von Miller for the most total in the decade.
Jones helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl in the 2014 season.
Art Thoms, Tebucky Jones and Will Allen (No. 22 1969, 1998, 2001)
Three different Syracuse players were all selected with the No. 22 pick.
Thoms spent eight years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders. Jones spent eight seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the Patriots. A Corcoran (Syracuse) High School product, Allen played for over a decade in the NFL with the New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and Patriots.
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