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University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Howden Heads to Saints, Smith to the Bears
4/29/2023 4:16:00 PM | Football
Minnesota has had 14 players drafted in the last four years
University of Minnesota defensive backs Jordan Howden and Terell Smith were both selected today in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Howden, who started his career as a walk-on at Minnesota, was taken in the fifth round with the 146th pick by the New Orleans Saints. Smith went a few picks later when the Chicago Bears took the speedster in the fifth round with the 165th pick.
Howden and Smith follow in the footsteps of John Michael Schmitz who was drafted in the second round by the New York Giant with the 57th pick.
With three draft picks this year, Minnesota now has had 14 players drafted in the last four years (2020-23). That is the most draft picks in a four-year span for the Gophers since they also had 14 players picked from 1988-91. The current iteration of the NFL Draft is seven rounds, while the NFL Draft in the late 1980s and early 1990s had 12 rounds.
Howden and Smith continue the good fortune of Minnesota defensive backs being drafted, as the Gophers have now had a program-record five defensive backs taken in the last four drafts. Washington took Benjamin St-Juste in 2021 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Antoine Winfield Jr., in 2020, while the New York Giants took Chris Williamson the same year.
This year is the third time ever that the Gophers have had two defensive backs selected in the same draft, as they also did in 2020 and 1985.
Howden started 12 games at safety for Minnesota in 2022 and made 51 tackles (34 solo). He had 2.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two interceptions. An All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honoree last season, Howden participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl after the season. In his career, he played in 57 games for the Gophers and made 233 tackles (162 solo) with 4.5 tackles for loss, 19 pass breakups and four interceptions.
Howden is the fifth Gopher to be drafted by the New Orleans Saints and the first since defensive back Sean Lumpkin in 1992.
Smith came on strong in his fifth season at Minnesota in 2022 as he started all 13 contests at cornerback. He made 38 tackles (34 solo) and had 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks, broke up five passes, had two interceptions and forced one fumble. For his efforts, he was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and participated in the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl. In his career, he played in 38 games and made 109 tackles, which included 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He also broke up 20 passes and made four interceptions.
Smith is the 17th Gopher to go to the Bears and is the first since they selected defensive back Brock Vereen in 2014.
The 2023 draft was the fourth straight draft where Minnesota had an offensive and defensive player selected. The last time that happened was 1975-78.
Howden, who started his career as a walk-on at Minnesota, was taken in the fifth round with the 146th pick by the New Orleans Saints. Smith went a few picks later when the Chicago Bears took the speedster in the fifth round with the 165th pick.
Howden and Smith follow in the footsteps of John Michael Schmitz who was drafted in the second round by the New York Giant with the 57th pick.
With three draft picks this year, Minnesota now has had 14 players drafted in the last four years (2020-23). That is the most draft picks in a four-year span for the Gophers since they also had 14 players picked from 1988-91. The current iteration of the NFL Draft is seven rounds, while the NFL Draft in the late 1980s and early 1990s had 12 rounds.
Howden and Smith continue the good fortune of Minnesota defensive backs being drafted, as the Gophers have now had a program-record five defensive backs taken in the last four drafts. Washington took Benjamin St-Juste in 2021 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Antoine Winfield Jr., in 2020, while the New York Giants took Chris Williamson the same year.
This year is the third time ever that the Gophers have had two defensive backs selected in the same draft, as they also did in 2020 and 1985.
Howden started 12 games at safety for Minnesota in 2022 and made 51 tackles (34 solo). He had 2.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two interceptions. An All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honoree last season, Howden participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl after the season. In his career, he played in 57 games for the Gophers and made 233 tackles (162 solo) with 4.5 tackles for loss, 19 pass breakups and four interceptions.
Howden is the fifth Gopher to be drafted by the New Orleans Saints and the first since defensive back Sean Lumpkin in 1992.
Smith came on strong in his fifth season at Minnesota in 2022 as he started all 13 contests at cornerback. He made 38 tackles (34 solo) and had 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks, broke up five passes, had two interceptions and forced one fumble. For his efforts, he was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and participated in the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl. In his career, he played in 38 games and made 109 tackles, which included 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He also broke up 20 passes and made four interceptions.
Smith is the 17th Gopher to go to the Bears and is the first since they selected defensive back Brock Vereen in 2014.
The 2023 draft was the fourth straight draft where Minnesota had an offensive and defensive player selected. The last time that happened was 1975-78.
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