The Razorbacks have had at least one player selected in the NFL Draft every season since 1995, and 2023 was no different. Drew Sanders was the first Razorback to hear his name called during the NFL Draft, being selected in the third round by the Denver Broncos on Friday night to extend Arkansas’ streak to 28 consecutive drafts with at least one Hog being called.
Sanders became the first Arkansas linebacker to be selected since Dre Greenlaw in 2019 and the highest selected since Quinton Caver was taken 55th overall by Philadelphia in 2001. Sanders is the first Razorback taken by Denver since McTelvin Agim was also taken in the third round in the 2020 draft.
In his lone season at Arkansas, Sanders was phenomenal in 12 games that earned him unanimous All-America status and became the first Arkansas linebacker to be named First-Team All-America by the Associated Press since Ronnie Caveness in 1964.
Sanders led the Hogs in tackles (103), tackles for loss (13.5) and sacks (9.5) while forcing three fumbles, recovering one and picking off one pass. The junior led the team in tackles in seven games during the 2022 campaign and registered double-digit tackles six times.
Stromberg is the first Arkansas center selected since Frank Ragnow was the first pick of the Detroit Lions in the 2018 Draft and first offensive lineman drafted since 2019 when New England took Hjalte Froholdt in the fourth round. The Commanders made Stromberg their first Arkansas pick since taking Kam Curl in the seventh round of the 2020 draft.
A staple of the Arkansas offensive line during his four seasons, Stromberg started his final 25 straight games with 44 overall starts during his career. His senior season capped an impressive career as he became the fourth Razorback to earn the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy – given annually to the league’s top offensive lineman – joining Shawn Andrews (2002, 2003), Jonathan Luigs (2007) and Sebastian Tretola (2015).