Detroit Lions Have Drafted Out of NCAA Division III Before

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Aug 15, 2009; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions helmets in the teams bench area with the new logo during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Stadium. The Lions beat the Falcons 27-26. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

Chris Greenwood? From Albion? The one in Michigan, right? That’s a division III school! Perhaps this is how you or another Lions fan you know reacted to the Lions selection of Chris Greenwood in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Yes, one of the three cornerbacks the Detroit Lions drafted last month is a product of NCAA Division III football. While the jump from DIII to the NFL is rare, it isn’t as unprecedented as some might think, even as far as the Lions are concerned.

The Lions last drafted a DIII player in 1999 when they took University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point linebacker Clint Kriewaldt in the sixth round. Kriewaldt went on to become a solid special teams performer for the Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers and lasted nine years in the NFL.

Here is the list of Division III players drafted since 1991 from d3football.com:

Year	Player, pos., school	Team	Round-overall
2012	Chris Greenwood, CB, Albion	Lions	5-148
2011	Cecil Shorts, WR, Mount Union	Jaguars	4-114
2008	Andy Studebaker, DE/LB, Wheaton (Ill.)	Eagles	6-203
2008	Pierre Garcon, WR, Mount Union	Colts	6-205
2007	Michael Allan, TE, Whitworth	Chiefs	7-231
2007	Derek Stanley, WR/RET, UW-Whitewater	Rams	7-249
2003	Ryan Hoag, WR, Gustavus Adolphus	Raiders	7-262
2002	Tony Beckham, CB, UW-Stout	Titans	4-115
2002	Michael Coleman, WR, Widener	Falcons	7-217
2000	Tim Watson, DE, Rowan	Seahawks	6-185
1999	Clint Kriewaldt, LB, UW-Stevens Point	Lions	6-177
1996	Ethan Brooks, OL, Williams	Falcons	7-229
1992	Nate Kirtman, DB, Pomona-Pitzer	Cowboys	9-248
1992	Barry Rose, WR, UW-Stevens Point	Bills	10-279
1991	Pete Lucas, OL, UW-Stevens Point	Falcons	10-258
1991	Larry Wanke, QB, John Carroll	Giants	12-334