Winston-Salem State has produced 11 NFL draft picks since 1980 — 157th all-time among college programs.
CIAA · NFL draft picks 1980–2008 · 157th nationally
Winston-Salem State College Draft History
Winston-Salem State has produced 11 NFL draft picks since 1980 — 157th all-time among college programs.
- Total picks
- 11
- First-rounders
- 0
- No. 1 overall
- 0
- Pro Bowlers
- 19% of picks
- Pro Bowl nods
- 2
- Hall of Famers
- 0
Notable Winston-Salem State draft picks
Ranked by Hall of Fame status, Pro Bowls, and career value.
Yancey Thigpen
San Diego Chargers
2× Pro Bowl
112 games · 4 yrs as starter
Donald Evans
Los Angeles Rams
90 games · 5 yrs as starter
William Hayes
Tennessee Titans
137 games · 4 yrs as starter
Timmy Newsome
Dallas Cowboys
121 games · 4 yrs as starter
Richard Huntley
Atlanta Falcons
63 games · 1 yrs as starter
Anthony Blaylock
Cleveland Browns
71 games · 2 yrs as starter
Arrington Jones
San Francisco 49ers
1 games
Derrick Beasley
New England Patriots
No regular-season snaps
Winston-Salem State draft trends
Picks by class year, position group, and the NFL clubs that shop here most.
Picks by draft class
Positions produced
- RB 4
- DE 3
- DB 2
- WR 2
NFL clubs that draft here
- ATL Atlanta Falcons 1
- CLE Cleveland Browns 1
- DAL Dallas Cowboys 1
- LAC San Diego Chargers 1
- LAR Los Angeles Rams 1
- LV Los Angeles Raiders 1
- NE New England Patriots 1
- NO New Orleans Saints 1
Every Winston-Salem State draft pick
11 selections, newest class first.
| Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 |
William Hayes
|
DE | TEN Tennessee Titans | 137 games · 4 yrs as starter 32 career AV |
| 1996 | Richard Huntley | RB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 63 games · 1 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1991 | Yancey Thigpen 2× Pro Bowl | WR | LAC San Diego Chargers | 112 games · 4 yrs as starter 48 career AV |
| 1991 | Dennis Johnson | WR | LV Los Angeles Raiders | No regular-season snaps |
| 1990 | Broderick Graves | RB | NO New Orleans Saints | No regular-season snaps |
| 1988 | Anthony Blaylock | DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 71 games · 2 yrs as starter 14 career AV |
| 1987 | Donald Evans | DE | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 90 games · 5 yrs as starter 41 career AV |
| 1987 | Derrick Beasley | DB | NE New England Patriots | No regular-season snaps |
| 1981 | Arrington Jones | RB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 1 games |
| 1980 | Daniel Jacobs | DE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Timmy Newsome | RB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 121 games · 4 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
CIAA programs by draft picks
How Winston-Salem State compares with the rest of the league.
About this program's draft record
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Winston-Salem State in the NFL draft
Winston-Salem State has produced 11 NFL draft picks between 1980 and 2008, including 0 first-round selections. 1 of those picks (9%) went on to make a Pro Bowl.
Winston-Salem State ranks among college football’s most productive NFL pipelines. FantasyHQ lists every Winston-Salem State draft pick from 1980 through 2008 — 11 selections, 0 first-rounders, 1 Pro Bowl alumni. Current conference: CIAA.
How to use this page
- Scan the notable alumni for the program's highest-impact NFL careers.
- Read the class-by-class bars to spot the peak recruiting-to-draft cycles.
- Open a draft year to see the full class, or a conference peer to compare pipelines.
Frequently asked questions
How many NFL draft picks has Winston-Salem State produced?
Winston-Salem State has 11 NFL draft picks in FantasyHQ’s archive (1980–2008), including 0 first-rounders. See the full list at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/winston-salem-state-rams.
Who are the most accomplished NFL players from Winston-Salem State?
Notable Winston-Salem State draftees include Yancey Thigpen, Donald Evans, William Hayes, Timmy Newsome. Browse career outcomes at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/winston-salem-state-rams.
When was Winston-Salem State’s most recent NFL draft pick?
Winston-Salem State’s most recent pick in the archive is from the 2008 NFL Draft. See year-by-year totals at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/winston-salem-state-rams.