Highlighted by two first-round picks and five selections in the first two days, a record 19 players from the American Athletic Conference were chosen in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The American's total surpasses the 18 players selected in 2018 as the most that the conference has had in a single NFL draft. The 36 players taken in the last two drafts are the most for The American in a two-year stretch in the league's eight-year history.
Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins, a consensus All-America pick and the winner of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award as college football’s best defensive player, was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 16 pick. Houston defensive end Payton Turner was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the first round with the 28th pick.
Collins and Turner became the 12th and 13th first-round draft picks from the American Athletic Conference in the conference’s eight-year history. The American has now had at least one first-round pick following seven of its eight seasons and has had multiple first-round picks four times.
Three players from The American were chosen on Day 2 of the draft. UCF safety Richie Grant went early in the second round to the Atlanta Falcons (No. 40 overall), while his partner in the Knights’ defensive backfield, cornerback Aaron Robinson, went in the third round to the New York Giants (No. 71 overall). SMU cornerback Brandon Stephens was taken by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round with the 104th overall pick.
Five American Athletic Conference players went in the fourth round, including back-to-back selections when Cincinnati offensive tackle James Hudson went to Cleveland with the 110th pick and Tulane defensive end Cameron Sample was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals with the next pick. SMU tight end Kylen Granson, East Carolina offensive tackle D'Ante Smith and UCF wide receier Jacob Harris rounded out The American's contingent in the fourth round.
The American had two players taken in the fifth and sixth rounds and five in the seventh round.
Eight of the 11 American Athletic Conference schools produced at least one pick in this year's draft, while five schools - UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, SMU and Tulane - had multiple picks. UCF and Cincinnati led the way with four picks each.
The Arizona Cardinals had three players from The American among their seven draft picks. The Cardinals took Collins in the first round, Gowan in the sixth round and Wiggins in the seventh round.
American Athletic Conference Players Chosen in the 2021 NFL Draft
| Round | Overall | Player | Pos | School | NFL Team | |
| 1 | 16 | Zaven Collins | LB | Tulsa | Arizona | |
| 1 | 28 | Payton Turner | DL | Houston | New Orleans | |
| 2 | 40 | Richie Grant | S | UCF | Atlanta | |
| 3 | 71 | Aaron Robinson | CB | UCF | NY Giants | |
| 3 | 104 | Brandon Stephens | CB | SMU | Baltimore | |
| 4 | 110 | James Hudson | OT | Cincinnati | Cleveland | |
| 4 | 111 | Cameron Sample | DE | Tulane | Cincinnati | |
| 4 | 127 | Kylen Granson | TE | SMU | Indianapolis | |
| 4 | 139 | D’Ante Smith | OT | ECU | Cincinnati | |
| 4 | 141 | Jacob Harris | WR | UCF | LA Rams | |
| 5 | 150 | Kenneth Gainwell | RB | Memphis | Philadelphia | |
| 5 | 163 | Darrick Forrest | S | Cincinnati | Washington | |
| 6 | 203 | Marquez Stevenson | WR | Houston | Buffalo | |
| 6 | 223 | Tay Gowan | CB | UCF | Arizona | |
| 7 | 234 | Patrick Johnson | OLB | Tulane | Philadelphia | |
| 7 | 242 | Tre Nixon | WR | UCF | New England | |
| 7 | 243 | James Wiggins | S | Cincinnati | Arizona | |
| 7 | 244 | Gerrid Doaks | RB | Cincinnati | Miami | |
| 7 | 259 | Grant Stuard | LB | Houston | Tampa Bay |
Notes
The American’s 19 draft selections ranked sixth among NCAA conferences. The American was three picks shy of the Big 12’s 22 draft picks.
Sixteen of the 32 NFL teams selected at least one American Athletic Conference player. The Arizona Cardinals (three) the Cincinnati Bengals (two) and the Philadelphia Eagles (two) were the three clubs with multiple picks from The American.
The American had six defensive backs selected to lead all position groups. The conference's haul included three wide receivers, three linebackers, two defensive linemen, two offensive linemen, two running backs and a tight end.
UCF's five selections move the Knights ahead of Temple with a league-leading 16 NFL draft picks since 2014, the first
draft following the formation of the conference. The Owls have had 15 picks, while Houston is next with 14 picks since 2014.
Memphis is the only school from the conference to have at least one player taken in all eight drafts since the formation of The American.
Tulane has had at least one player selected in the draft in each of the last five years, marking the first five-year stretch with a player drafted from the Green Wave since 1971-91, when Tulane had players taken in 21 consecutive drafts.
Zaven Colllins became the first Tulsa player taken in the first round since 1977, when offensive lineman Steve August was selected at No. 14 by the Seattle Seahawks.
The final pick of the draft was Houston linebacker Grant Stuard, who became the third American Athletic Conference player to earn the title of Mr. Irrelevant in eight years. The first two - Memphis safety Lonnie Ballentine (2014) and SMU wide receiver Trey Quinn (2018) both enjoyed three-year careers in the NFL, while Quinn remains in the league as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders.
