DeMeco Ryans was drafted No. 33 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft out of Alabama. 140 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 58 career approximate value
2006 NFL Draft · Rd 2, Pick 1 · #33 overall
DeMeco Ryans Alabama Draft
DeMeco Ryans was drafted No. 33 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft out of Alabama. 140 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 58 career approximate value
2× Pro Bowl
- Overall pick
- #33
- Round
- 2
- Draft class
- 2006
- NFL games
- 140
- Years as starter
- 8
- Career AV
- 5815th at Alabama
- Pro Bowls
- 2
The pick
How DeMeco Ryans came off the board in 2006.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- College
-
Alabama
SEC at the draft
- Measurables
- 6'1" · 236 lbs
- Pre-draft board
- No. 42 prospect87.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
140 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 58 career approximate value
- Games played
- 140
- Seasons as a starter
- 8
- Career approximate value
- 5815th among Alabama picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 3967% of career value
- Final season
- 20159 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 2× Pro Bowl
Around pick 33
Who came off the board on either side of DeMeco Ryans.
Miami
Boston College
Maryland · 1× Pro Bowl
Alabama in the 2006 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from Alabama
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Alabama · Hall of Fame · 2× All-Pro · 9× Pro Bowl
#2
Cornelius Bennett
LB · IND · 1987
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl
#17
C.J. Mosley
LB · BAL · 2014
Alabama · 5× Pro Bowl
#25
Dont'a Hightower
LB · NE · 2012
Alabama · 2× Pro Bowl
#5
E.J. Junior
LB · ARI · 1981
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
#3
Will Anderson
LB · HOU · 2023
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
DeMeco Ryans in the 2006 NFL Draft
DeMeco Ryans is a Linebacker out of Alabama selected No. 33 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft. 140 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 58 career approximate value Alabama has produced 263 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was DeMeco Ryans drafted?
DeMeco Ryans was selected No. 33 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft (Rd 2, Pick 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2006/demeco-ryans.
What college did DeMeco Ryans play for?
DeMeco Ryans played college football at Alabama in the SEC. See every Alabama draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/alabama-crimson-tide.
How did DeMeco Ryans's NFL career turn out?
140 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 58 career approximate value Accolades: 2× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2006/demeco-ryans.