TCU football’s historic draft draws rave reviews from ex-players, praise for Patterson
Bob Lilly remembers his father being an avid TCU football fan, telling stories of the 1930s teams that featured legendary quarterbacks Sammy Baugh and Davey O’Brien.
Those teams had elite-level talent, particularly the 1938 national championship team with three players who went in the first round of the 1939 NFL Draft: first overall pick Ki Aldrich, O’Brien at 4 and I.B. Hale at 8.
“My dad’s love for TCU football is why I went to TCU,” said Lilly, who is best known as ‘Mr. Cowboy’ as the Dallas Cowboys’ first pick in franchise history in 1961. “My dad was a big fan of TCU. Sammy Baugh was his hero. He loved the Sammy Baugh and Davey O’Brien era.”
Lilly had an impressive college career, earning consensus All-America honors in 1960. Count Lilly among the former Frogs thrilled to see where the program is today in terms of producing more elite-level talent.
During the 2020 NFL Draft, TCU had two players selected in the first round for just the second time in program history and first since 1939. On Thursday night, Horned Frogs wide receiver Jalen Reagor was selected 21st by the Philadelphia Eagles, and cornerback Jeff Gladney was taken with the 31st pick by the Minnesota Vikings.
On Friday night, TCU had a couple more players drafted in the second and third rounds — defensive tackle Ross Blacklock went 40th overall to the Houston Texans, and offensive tackle Lucas Niang was selected 96th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs. This year marks the first time ever the program has produced four draft picks in the opening three rounds.
TCU safety Vernon Scott became the fifth player drafted in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.
Yes, the Frogs went just 5-7 last season, going 1-6 in one-score games and struggled in the passing game with a true freshman quarterback. But the first-round picks speak to the program’s success in finding and developing talent.
“I am very happy to see these TCU guys going in the first round,” Lilly said. “I thought Jalen was a real good receiver, and Gladney was a real good cornerback.
“The coach over there now is great. Coach [Gary] Patterson has done an outstanding job for a school like TCU, especially now that we’re in a bigger conference and fighting against Texas and OU and Oklahoma State in recruiting.”
Another TCU legend, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who himself was a first-round pick in 2001, is just as proud to see how the school — which has produced six first-round picks in the last 10 years — has progressed.
“It speaks to how far the program has come,” said Tomlinson. “At a macro level, you think about the investment the university has made. The resources the school has put in to help Gary Patterson with recruiting and all these different things. The upgrades to the stadium — that place looks incredible. If you’re a kid coming on a recruiting visit and you see this place, you want to go there. They feel right at home.
“We sit here and look at Texas — and not to pick on Texas — but they get great talent every year but we don’t see these guys in the draft,” Tomlinson said. “Why is that? They’re not being developed. For that reason, I’m proud. I take great pride in that.”
Tomlinson isn’t the only former player who is loving the success of the program. John Denton, a kicker for TCU back in the 1980s, remembers when fans were thrilled if a player signed with an NFL team as an undrafted free agent, let alone being drafted.
“The NFL is recognizing the increasing level and quantity of early-round talent at TCU,” said Denton, who is now the schools’ radio analyst and an associate athletics director.
David O’Brien Jr., Davey O’Brien’s son, echoed those thoughts. Seeing TCU continue to reach these types of milestones is something his father would be smiling down upon. “When I heard two first-round picks, I thought it was great,” he said. “When my father was drafted, TCU was barely on the map.”
Athletic director Jeremiah Donati said he attributes that to the school’s football program. “Coach Patterson and his team do a tremendous job identifying elite talent out of high school and developing these young men into professionals as we see year in and year out.”
Patterson loves seeing his players reach the next level, especially if they achieve first-round status. But what the coach relishes most is watching his players grow up and flourish after their playing days.
“All of my former players were texting me that we had two drafted in the first round,” Patterson said. “They’re all proud of it. They all know that each one of them that comes out represents all of us. They don’t stop being Frogs.”
This story was originally published April 26, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
