Iowa Hawkeyes, Detroit Lions have mostly positive NFL draft connection

The Detroit Lions have drafted 10 Iowa players historically, and the overall results are mostly positive.

Thursday, tackle Riley Reiff became the third first-rounder drafted by the Lions. He was picked No. 23 overall and will compete at both left tackle and right tackle.

The Lions' other two Iowa first-rounders - Alex Karras (1958) and Chuck Long (1986) - ended their Detroit careers on opposite ends of the Honolulu blue spectrum. Long, which most around here remember as Iowa's best-ever quarterback, was drafted No. 12 overall after leading the Hawkeyes to the Big Ten title and finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Long - like nearly all Detroit quarterbacks from the late 1950s through 2011 - did not enjoy great success. He started 21 games and lost 17. He led the NFL interceptions in 1987 with 20. He threw for a career-best 2,598 yards that year and tossed 11 touchdowns. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for a third-round pick in 1990 and returned to Detroit for one more season in 1991. He gave it a last shot in 1994 but did not stick.

Long's lone career highlight in Detroit came on Oct. 25, 1987 when he completed 33 passes for 362 yards in a 34-33 loss to Green Bay. Until the 2011 season finale, it was the most passing yards by a Lions quarterback against the Packers. Detroit and Green Bay have played 163 times.

Karras, however, was a terrific pick and one of the best players in NFL history not inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In fact, NFL Network ranked him No. 8 in that category. (See that video here). Karras played 12 seasons at defensive tackle for the Lions from 1958 through 1970, but was suspended for the 1963 season for gambling on football. Karras was a four-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro on the most underrated defense in NFL history.

(For more information on these players, check Pro-Football-Reference.com)

Karras is a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame and won the 1957 Outland Trophy at Iowa. With Detroit he played in 161 games, is a member of the Lions' All-Time team, intercepted four passes and recovered 16 fumbles. There are no statistics for tackles in Karras' era.

The Lions drafted two other Hawkeyes in Karras' era - running back Larry Ferguson (4th round, 1962) and do-it-all back/receiver Jerry Reichow (4th round, 1956). Ferguson competed in only seven games with the Lions in 1963. Reichow, however, had a solid career for three teams.

Reichow played three seasons with the Lions (1956, 57, 59), one year with Philadelphia (1960) and four more with Minnesota (1961-64). He holds the distinction of earning NFL titles with the Lions (1957) and Eagles (1960), the last years those franchises have won championships. After the Lions dumped Hall of Fame quarterback Bobby Layne in 1958, Reichow was asked to pass during the 1959 season. Reichow completed 9-of-27 passes that year.

Reichow starred in the Vikings' inaugural season in 1961 and became a standout wide receiver. He caught 50 passes for 859 yards and scored 11 touchdowns to earn a Pro Bowl nod that season.

Recently, the Lions have selected two Hawkeyes. Iowa cornerback Amari Spievey was chosen in the 2010 third round. He moved to strong safety and has started 24 games the last two seasons. He has five interceptions with Detroit.

Defensive lineman Jared DeVries was picked in the 1999 draft's third round and played 12 injury-riddled seasons for Detroit. He started 32 games and played in 120 until he was cut after a knee injury in 2010. He earned three team awards in his tenure - 2008 Joe Schmidt Leadership Award, 2007 Mike Utley Spirit Award, 2004 Ed Block Courage Award. His 12 seasons tie Karras for eighth most in Lions history.

DeVries registered 126 tackles and 16.5 sacks in his career. His best season was in 2007 when he recorded 6.5 sacks and started 10 games.

Three Iowa draft picks before the end of World War II - Erwin Prasse (1940), Bill Diehl

(1942), Ben Trickey (1945) - didn't suit up for the Lions.

One other Iowa player to consider in this category is tight end Jim Gibbons. The Cleveland Browns selected him in the 1958 fifth round but immediately traded him to Detroit. Gibbons played for 11 years and earned three Pro Bowl nods. He was the team's MVP in 1964 and caught 287 passes for 3,561 yards and 20 touchdowns. He ranks seventh in career receptions.

If there's one good sign for Reiff is his upcoming jersey number. He'll wear No. 71, the same number as Karras.