The 1977 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1977, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, New York.[1][2] The league also held its first supplemental draft, which took place after the regular draft and before the regular season.
This was the first draft in the common draft era (since 1967) with twelve rounds, five rounds fewer than the previous decade. The draft had twelve rounds until reduced to eight in 1993 and seven the following year, where it has remains.
The draft began with commissioner Pete Rozelle dedicating a moment of silence to California quarterback Joe Roth, one of the most electric passers in college football. Eligible for this draft, he died in February from skin cancer at the age of 21.
With the first overall pick of the draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected USC running back Ricky Bell. Next was Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett of national champion Pittsburgh, taken by the Dallas Cowboys.
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- ^ a b May sometimes be referred to as an edge rusher (EDGE)
- ^ Also known as offensive guard (OG)
- ^ Also known as placekicker (PK)
- ^ Also known as inside linebacker (ILB)
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
252 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Robert Morgan |
Running back |
Florida
|
253 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Alvin Cowans |
Defensive back |
Florida
|
254 |
Seattle Seahawks |
Sam Adkins |
Quarterback |
Wichita State
|
255 |
New York Giants |
Mike Jones |
Wide receiver |
Minnesota
|
256 |
New York Jets |
John Hennessy |
Defensive end |
Michigan
|
257 |
Atlanta Falcons |
Billy Ryckman |
Wide receiver |
Louisiana Tech
|
258 |
New Orleans Saints |
Rafael Septién |
Kicker |
Southwestern Louisiana
|
259 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
John Mastronardo |
Wide receiver |
Villanova
|
260 |
Green Bay Packers |
Jim Culbreath |
Running back |
Oklahoma
|
261 |
Kansas City Chiefs |
Mark Vitali |
Quarterback |
Purdue
|
262 |
Houston Oilers |
Harvey Hull |
Linebacker |
Mississippi State
|
263 |
Detroit Lions |
Gary Anderson |
Guard |
Stanford
|
264 |
Miami Dolphins |
Mark Carter |
Tight end |
Eastern Michigan
|
265 |
San Diego Chargers |
Curtis Townsend |
Linebacker |
Arkansas
|
266 |
Chicago Bears |
Dennis Breckner |
Defensive end |
Miami (FL)
|
267 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Aaron Ball |
Linebacker |
Fullerton State
|
268 |
Denver Broncos |
Oren Middlebrook |
Wide receiver |
Arkansas State
|
269 |
Cleveland Browns |
Tom Burkett |
Tackle |
North Carolina
|
270 |
St. Louis Cardinals |
Jim LeJay |
Wide receiver |
San Jose State
|
271 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Dave LaCrosse |
Linebacker |
Wake Forest
|
272 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
Bob Bialik |
Punter |
Hillsdale
|
273 |
Washington Redskins |
James Sykes |
Running back |
Rice
|
274 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Don Petersen |
Tight end |
Boston College
|
275 |
Dallas Cowboys |
Steve DeBerg |
Quarterback |
San Jose State
|
276 |
New England Patriots |
John Rasmussen |
Tackle |
Wisconsin
|
277 |
Baltimore Colts |
Ron Baker |
Guard |
Oklahoma State
|
278 |
Minnesota Vikings |
Dan Beaver |
Kicker |
Illinois
|
279 |
New England Patriots |
Giles Alexander |
Defensive end |
Tulsa
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
280 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Chuck Rodgers |
Defensive back |
North Dakota State
|
281 |
Seattle Seahawks |
Bill Westbeld |
Tackle |
Dayton
|
282 |
Buffalo Bills |
Nate Jackson |
Running back |
Tennessee State
|
283 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Rocco Moore |
Tackle |
Western Michigan
|
284 |
New York Giants |
Bill Helms |
Tight end |
San Diego State
|
285 |
New Orleans Saints |
John Blain |
Tackle |
San Jose State
|
286 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Mike Cordova |
Quarterback |
Stanford
|
287 |
Atlanta Falcons |
Dave Farmer |
Running back |
USC
|
288 |
Kansas City Chiefs |
Maurice Mitchell |
Wide receiver |
Northern Michigan
|
289 |
Houston Oilers |
Al Romano |
Linebacker |
Pittsburgh
|
290 |
Green Bay Packers |
Terry Randolph |
Defensive back |
American International
|
291 |
Miami Dolphins |
John Alexander |
Defensive end |
Rutgers
|
292 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
Joel Parrish |
Guard |
Georgia
|
293 |
Detroit Lions |
Tony Daykin |
Linebacker |
Georgia Tech
|
294 |
Chicago Bears |
Connie Zelencik |
Center |
Purdue
|
295 |
San Francisco 49ers |
Brian Billick |
Tight end |
Brigham Young
|
296 |
Cleveland Browns |
Charles Nash |
Wide receiver |
Arizona
|
297 |
Denver Broncos |
Phil Heck |
Linebacker |
California
|
298 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Lou West |
Defensive back |
Cincinnati
|
299 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
Carl Allen |
Defensive back |
Southern Mississippi
|
300 |
Washington Redskins |
Don Harris |
Defensive back |
Rutgers
|
301 |
St. Louis Cardinals |
Greg Lee |
Defensive back |
Western Illinois
|
302 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Carson Long |
Kicker |
Pittsburgh
|
303 |
New England Patriots |
Ray Costict |
Linebacker |
Mississippi State
|
304 |
Baltimore Colts |
Brian Ruff |
Linebacker |
The Citadel
|
305 |
Dallas Cowboys |
Don Wardlow |
Tight end |
Washington
|
306 |
Minnesota Vikings |
Keith Hartwig |
Wide receiver |
Arizona
|
307 |
New York Jets |
Dave Butterfield |
Defensive back |
Nebraska
|
Pick # |
NFL team |
Player |
Position |
College
|
308 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Chip Sheffield |
Wide receiver |
Lenoir-Rhyne
|
309 |
Buffalo Bills |
Charles Romes |
Defensive back |
North Carolina Central
|
310 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Jimmy Stephens |
Tight end |
Florida
|
311 |
New York Giants |
Elmo Simmons |
Running back |
Texas-Arlington
|
312 |
New York Jets |
Phil Gargis |
Running back |
Auburn
|
313 |
New York Jets |
Dave Conrad |
Tackle |
Maryland
|
314 |
St. Louis Cardinals |
Don Parrish |
Defensive end |
Pittsburgh
|
315 |
New Orleans Saints |
Oakley Dalton |
Defensive tackle |
Jackson State
|
316 |
Houston Oilers |
Ove Johansson |
Kicker |
Abilene Christian
|
317 |
Oakland Raiders |
Rod Martin |
Linebacker |
USC
|
318 |
Kansas City Chiefs |
Ray Burks |
Linebacker |
UCLA
|
319 |
San Diego Chargers |
Jim Stansik |
Tight end |
Eastern Michigan
|
320 |
Detroit Lions |
Dave Greenwood |
Guard |
Iowa State
|
321 |
Miami Dolphins |
Terry Anderson |
Wide receiver |
Bethune-Cookman
|
322 |
Chicago Bears |
Terry Irvin |
Defensive back |
Jackson State
|
323 |
San Francisco 49ers |
Scott Martin |
Guard |
North Dakota
|
324 |
Denver Broncos |
Scott Levenhagen |
Tight end |
Western Illinois
|
325 |
Cleveland Browns |
Leo Tierney |
Center |
Georgia Tech
|
326 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
Alex Percival |
Wide receiver |
Morehouse (GA)
|
327 |
Washington Redskins |
Curtis Kirkland |
Defensive end |
Missouri
|
328 |
St. Louis Cardinals |
Rick Fenlaw |
Linebacker |
Texas
|
329 |
Seattle Seahawks |
I. V. Wilson |
Defensive tackle |
Tulsa
|
330 |
Los Angeles Rams |
Barry Caudill |
Center |
Southern Mississippi
|
331 |
Baltimore Colts |
Bill Deutsch |
Running back |
North Dakota
|
332 |
Dallas Cowboys |
Greg Peters |
Guard |
California
|
333 |
New England Patriots |
Dave Preston |
Running back |
Bowling Green
|
334 |
Oakland Raiders |
Rolf Benirschke |
Kicker |
California-Davis
|
335 [5] |
Minnesota Vikings |
Jim Kelleher |
Running back |
Colorado
|
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= Pro Bowler [3] |
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|
= Hall of Famer
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Notable undrafted players
edit
- Tony Dorsett, running back from Pittsburgh, taken 1st round 2nd overall by Dallas Cowboys
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1994.[6]
- Tony Dungy, safety from Minnesota, undrafted and signed by Pittsburgh Steelers
- Inducted: For his Head Coaching achievements Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2016.
- Joe Klecko, defensive tackle from Temple, taken 6th round 144th overall by New York Jets
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023.