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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — University of Iowa junior tight end Noah Fant was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of Thursday’s NFL Draft in downtown Nashville. Fant was the 20th player picked overall.
Fant is just the third Hawkeye tight end ever taken in the first round, joining Dallas Clark, who was picked 24th by the Indianapolis Colts in 2003 and teammate T.J. Hockenson, who was taken earlier Thursday by the Detroit Lions. He is the ninth first-rounder under head coach Kirk Ferentz.
It marks the first time that two tight ends from the same school have been taken in the first round. It is also the first time the Hawkeyes have had two first-round selections since 1997 when defensive back Tom Knight was chosen by Arizona (seventh) and offensive lineman Ross Verba by Green Bay (30th).
During Iowa’s 9-4 season in 2018, Fant caught 39 passes for 519 yards and a team-high seven receiving touchdowns. For his career, he had 78 receptions for 1,083 yards and 19 touchdowns. The touchdown total is the most by a Hawkeye tight end.
The Broncos, who have Hawkeyes Josey Jewell (linebacker) and Casey Kreiter (long snapper) on the roster, are coming off a 6-10 season, third in the AFC West Division. They were 19th of 32 NFL teams in passing yards with 3,695 in 16 games (230.9 yards per game). Denver tight ends Jeff Heueman and Matt LaCosse had 31 and 24 receptions last season.
Iowa has had at least one player drafted in every NFL Draft since 1978. Fant is the 68th player coached by Ferentz at the University of Iowa to be selected in the NFL Draft.
Fant is the 11th Ferentz-coached tight end to be drafted. He joins Hockenson, George Kittle (2017), C.J. Fiedorowicz (2014), Tony Moeaki (2010), Brandon Myers (2009), Scott Chandler (2007), Tony Jackson (2005), Erik Jensen (2004), Clark (2003), and Austin Wheatley (2000).
To read the University of Iowa’s NFL Draft Central Page, click HERE.
| HAWKEYES DRAFTED DURING FERENTZ ERA | |||||
| 2019 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 1 | T.J. Hockenson | Detroit Lions | Tight End | ||
| Round 1 | Noah Fant | Denver Broncos | Tight End | ||
| 2018 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 2 | James Daniels | Chicago Bears | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 2 | Josh Jackson | Green Bay Packers | Defensive Back | ||
| Round 4 | Josey Jewell | Denver Broncos | Linebacker | ||
| 2017 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 3 | C.J. Beathard | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | ||
| Round 4 | Jaleel Johnson | Minnesota Vikings | Defensive Line | ||
| Round 5 | George Kittle | San Francisco 49ers | Tight End | ||
| Round 5 | Desmond King | Los Angeles Chargers | Defensive Back | ||
| 2016 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 7 | Austin Blythe | Indianapolis Colts | Offensive Line | ||
| 2015 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 1 | Brandon Scherff | Washington Redskins | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 3 | Carl Davis | Baltimore Ravens | Defensive Line | ||
| Round 4 | Andrew Donnal | St. Louis Rams | Offensive Line | ||
| 2014 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 3 | C.J. Fiedorowicz | Houston Texans | Tight End | ||
| Round 3 | Christian Kirksey | Cleveland Browns | Linebacker | ||
| Round 4 | Anthony Hitchens | Dallas Cowboys | Linebacker | ||
| 2013 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 5 | Micah Hyde | Green Bay Packers | Cornerback | ||
| 2012 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 1 | Riley Reiff | Detroit | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 4 | Mike Daniels | Green Bay | Defensive Line | ||
| Round 5 | Adam Gettis | Washington | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 5 | Shaun Prater | Cincinnati | Defensive back | ||
| Round 6 | Marvin McNutt | Philadelphia | Wide receiver | ||
| Round 7 | Jordan Bernstine | Washington | Defensive back | ||
| 2011 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 1 | Adrian Clayborn | Tampa Bay | Defensive end | ||
| Round 4 | Christian Ballard | Minnesota | Defensive Line | ||
| Round 5 | Ricky Stanzi | Kansas City | Quarterback | ||
| Round 5 | Karl Klug | Tennessee | Defensive Line | ||
| Round 5 | Julian Vandervelde | Philadelphia | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 6 | Tyler Sash | New York Giants | Defensive back | ||
| 2010 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 1 | Bryan Bulaga | Green Bay | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 2 | Pat Angerer | Indianapolis | Linebacker | ||
| Round 3 | Amari Spievey | Detroit | Defensive back | ||
| Round 3 | Tony Moeaki | Kansas City | Tight end | ||
| Round 4 | A.J. Edds | Miami | Linebacker | ||
| Round 7 | Kyle Calloway | Buffalo | Offensive Line | ||
| 2009 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 3 | Shonn Greene | New York Jets | Running back | ||
| Round 3 | Bradley Fletcher | St. Louis | Defensive back | ||
| Round 4 | Seth Olsen | Denver | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 6 | Brandon Myers | Oakland | Tight end | ||
| 2008 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 3 | Charles Godfrey | Carolina | Defensive back | ||
| Round 4 | Kenny Iwebema | Arizona | Defensive end | ||
| Round 6 | Mike Humpal | Pittsburgh | Linebacker | ||
| 2007 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 3 | Marshal Yanda | Baltimore | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 4 | Scott Chandler | San Diego | Tight end | ||
| Round 7 | Mike Elgin | New England | Offensive Line | ||
| 2006 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 1 | Chad Greenway | Minnesota | Linebacker | ||
| Round 3 | Abdul Hodge | Green Bay | Linebacker | ||
| 2005 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 2 | Matt Roth | Miami | Defensive end | ||
| Round 2 | Jonathan Babineaux | Atlanta | Defensive Line | ||
| Round 4 | Sean Considine | Philadelphia | Defensive Back | ||
| Round 6 | Tony Jackson | Seattle | Tight end | ||
| Round 6 | Pete McMahon | Oakland | Offensive Line | ||
| 2004 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 1 | Robert Gallery | Oakland | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 2 | Bob Sanders | Indianapolis | Defensive Back | ||
| Round 3 | Nate Kaeding | San Diego | Place kicker | ||
| Round 7 | Jared Clauss | Tennessee | Defensive Line | ||
| Round 7 | Erik Jensen | St. Louis | Tight end | ||
| 2003 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 1 | Dallas Clark | Indianapolis | Tight end | ||
| Round 2 | Eric Steinbach | Cincinnati | Offensive Line | ||
| Round 2 | Bruce Nelson | Carolina | Center | ||
| Round 5 | Derek Pagel | New York Jets | Defensive Back | ||
| Round 5 | Ben Sobieski | Buffalo | Offensive Line | ||
| 2002 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 2 | Ladell Betts | Washington | Running Back | ||
| Round 5 | Aaron Kampman | Green Bay | Defensive Line | ||
| Round 6 | Kahlil Hill | Atlanta | Wide receiver | ||
| 2001 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 6 | Kevin Kasper | Denver | Wide receiver | ||
| 2000 NFL Draft | |||||
| Round 5 | Austin Wheatley | New Orleans | Tight end | ||
| Round 6 | Matt Bowen | St. Louis | Defensive Back | ||
