Best New Orleans Saints Draft Choices From FBS Schools: Virginia

Who is the best player the New Orleans Saints ever drafted from the Virginia Cavaliers?

From May 1 until the start of the 2016 NFL season on September 11, we’re going to list the best players that the Saints ever drafted from all 128 FBS schools, as of 2015.

Of course, there are a number of schools, including Air Force, Appalachian St., Arizona, Army, Baylor, Boise St., Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Florida, Central Michigan, East Carolina, FAU, FIU, Hawaii, ULM, Miami (Ohio), Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Navy, Nevada, New Mexico, New Mexico St., Ohio, Rice, Rutgers, San Jose St., South Alabama, South Florida, Southern Miss, TCU, Temple, UNLV, Utah St., and UTEP, in which the Saints have never drafted a player.

Earlier, we looked at the best player that the Saints ever drafted out of Vanderbilt.

Today, we spotlight the best player the Saints ever drafted from Virginia.

When determining the best player that the Saints ever drafted out of the University of Virginia, the pick is limited to offensive lineman Jim Dombrowski (1986), linebacker David Griggs (1989), and running back Barry Word (1986).

The pick is going to be Dombrowski, an offensive lineman, who played 11 seasons for the Saints, from 1986-1996.

Dombrowski was selected by the Saints with the 6th-overall pick, in the first round, of the 1986 NFL Draft, the first draft by the team in the Jim Finks/Jim Mora era.

A native of Williamsville, New York, Dombrowski started three games at guard in his rookie year, getting a taste of life in the NFL.

The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Dombrowski became the team’s starting left tackle in 1987, starting 26 games at that position over a two-year period, before making the switch back to left guard, where he was the starter for the next seven years.

Dombrowski retired following the 1996 season.

In 11 NFL seasons, all with the Saints, Dombrowski appeared in 151 games, including 137 as a starter.