Stanford football saw three of its players earn roster spots on NFL teams by the end of the NFL Draft weekend. 

Tight end Sam Roush was selected by the Chicago Bears and wide receiver CJ Williams was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars after seven rounds of drafting concluded this past Saturday. Cornerback Collin Wright was signed by the Houston Texans immediately after the draft as a free agent. 

Roush, a three-year starter at The Farm, was the first Stanford player selected in the draft. After appearing in 48 games as a Cardinal, catching 119 passes for 1,201 yards and four touchdowns, the Bears drafted Roush with the 69th overall pick in the third round. Roush will join last year’s first-round pick Colston Loveland and veteran Cole Kmet in Chicago’s tight end room. Roush should provide more physicality in a Bears’ offense, led by head coach Ben Johnson, that relies heavily on multi-tight end sets.

Roush’s selection also continues Stanford’s long tradition of sending tight ends to the big leagues. He became the 16th Stanford tight end selected in the NFL Draft since 1970 and the eighth in the last 15 years. Colby Parkinson, a fourth-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2020, was the last Stanford tight end to be drafted. Roush’s final college season helped raise his draft stock: he was named second-team All-ACC honors after setting career highs with 49 catches, 545 yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

The day after Roush’s selection, Williams became Stanford’s second draft pick when the Jaguars selected him in the sixth round with the 203rd overall pick. The selection followed a breakout season for Williams, who transferred to The Farm after beginning his career at USC and spending two seasons at Wisconsin. 

In his lone season with the Cardinal, Williams became Stanford’s most productive receiver. He finished with 59 receptions for a team-leading 749 yards and six touchdowns, while starting all but one game last season. Williams was the most explosive weapon for the Stanford offense, posting four 100-yard receiving games. He was the first Stanford receiver to reach that mark four times in a season since 2018. 

Wright rounded out the weekend by signing with the Texans after going undrafted. A full-season captain for the Cardinal this past season, Wright was one of the leaders of Stanford’s defense and finished his college career with 144 total tackles, 14 passes defended, five interceptions and a sack.  

Although Wright was not drafted, his path to Houston gives him an opportunity to compete for a roster spot with his hometown team. Wright grew up in Missouri City, Texas, just a 30-minute drive from Houston. Wright will look to contribute to a Texans defense that has consistently ranked in the top tier for the past few seasons.

For Stanford football, the weekend marked a successful step in rebuilding its NFL pipeline. Roush and Williams gave the Cardinal multiple draft picks for the first time since 2023.