Christian McCaffrey, Valor Christian grad, selected in first round of NFL Draft
Valor Christian graduate Christian McCaffrey was selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
The Stanford product was picked by the Carolina Panthers with the eighth overall selection.
“This is dream come true,” McCaffrey told the ESPN telecast. “It’s an unbelievable honor. … I’m out of words right now. I’m just so blessed to be a Carolina Panther.
“It’s been a dream of mine to play in this league since I can remember.”
He is the 13th former Colorado high school football player to ever be selected in the first round of the the NFL Draft, and the first since Buena Vista alum Nate Solder went 17th overall in 2011.
At No. 8 overall, he is the highest Colorado product to be drafted since Fairview alum Tony Boselli went No. 2 overall in 1995. McCaffrey is the sixth to be selected in the top-10.
McCaffrey entered the draft as a junior following a stellar career at Stanford. As a sophomore, he finished runner-up in Heisman Trophy voting. During the season, he set the NCAA’s single season record for all-purpose yardage.
He is the first former Valor Christian player to ever be taken in the NFL Draft, and the first Stanford running back to be drafted in the first round since 1992.
At Valor Christian, he set the Colorado high school record for all-purpose yards in a career while leading the Eagles to four-straight titles. Upon graduating in 2014, he finished his career second in career points, total touchdowns and receiving touchdowns.
He twice was named the Gatorade player of the year for Colorado, and was the Class 5A player of the year as a senior.
But McCaffrey wasn’t a single-sport athlete. He also starred in basketball, and qualified for the state track meet.
The McCaffrey family is well-known in Colorado. His parents, Lisa and Ed, were star athletes at Stanford. Ed went on to play 13 seasons in the NFL, including nine with the Denver Broncos.
McCaffrey’s older brother, Max, is on the Packers’ roster. His two younger brothers, Dylan and Luke, helped Valor Christian win the Class 5A football title in the fall, and the 4A boys basketball championship in the winter.
Dylan is set to graduate this spring, and then play for Michigan. Luke will be a junior next fall.
