1981 NFL Draft

332 picks · 12 rounds · Showing 149

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Round

All Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4-7

Side

All Offense Defense Special

Round 1

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
2	Lawrence Taylor★ LB · North Carolina · 10 Pro Bowls · 8 All-Pros · 184 games	LB	NYG	North Carolina	10	8	184
4	Kenny Easley★ DB · UCLA · 5 Pro Bowls · 3 All-Pros · 89 games	DB	SEA	UCLA	5	3	89
5	E.J. Junior LB · Alabama · 2 Pro Bowls · 1 All-Pro · 170 games	LB	STL	Alabama	2	1	170
7	Hugh Green LB · Pittsburgh · 2 Pro Bowls · 136 games	LB	TAM	Pittsburgh	2	0	136
8	Ronnie Lott★ DB · USC · 10 Pro Bowls · 6 All-Pros · 192 games	DB	SFO	USC	10	6	192
9	Mel Owens LB · Michigan · 122 games	LB	RAM	Michigan	0	0	122
15	Dennis Smith DB · USC · 6 Pro Bowls · 184 games	DB	DEN	USC	6	0	184
17	Keith Gary DE · Oklahoma · 86 games	DE	PIT	Oklahoma	0	0	86
18	Donnell Thompson DE · North Carolina · 147 games	DE	BAL	North Carolina	0	0	147
21	Ted Watts DB · Texas Tech · 74 games	DB	OAK	Texas Tech	0	0	74
22	Hanford Dixon DB · Southern Miss · 3 Pro Bowls · 2 All-Pros · 131 games	DB	CLE	Southern Miss	3	2	131
25	Bobby Butler DB · Florida St. · 169 games	DB	ATL	Florida St.	0	0	169
27	Leonard Mitchell DE · Houston · 89 games	DE	PHI	Houston	0	0	89

Round 2

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
29	Russell Gary DB · Nebraska · 80 games	DB	NOR	Nebraska	0	0	80
36	John Harty NT · Iowa · 42 games	NT	SFO	Iowa	0	0	42
38	Mike Singletary★ LB · Baylor · 10 Pro Bowls · 7 All-Pros · 179 games	LB	CHI	Baylor	10	7	179
40	Eric Wright DB · Missouri · 2 Pro Bowls · 1 All-Pro · 110 games	DB	SFO	Missouri	2	1	110
43	Jim Collins LB · Syracuse · 1 Pro Bowl · 93 games	LB	RAM	Syracuse	1	0	93
44	Anthony Washington DB · Fresno St. · 57 games	DB	PIT	Fresno St.	0	0	57
45	Robin Sendlein LB · Texas · 72 games	LB	MIN	Texas	0	0	72
46	Curtis Green DE · Alabama St. · 123 games	DE	DET	Alabama St.	0	0	123
48	Howie Long★ DE · Villanova · 8 Pro Bowls · 2 All-Pros · 179 games	DE	OAK	Villanova	8	2	179
49	Chris Williams DB · LSU · 21 games	DB	BUF	LSU	0	0	21
51	Rickey Jackson★ LB · Pittsburgh · 6 Pro Bowls · 227 games	LB	NOR	Pittsburgh	6	0	227
54	Lyman White LB · LSU · 18 games	LB	ATL	LSU	0	0	18

Round 3

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
57	Frank Warren DE · Auburn · 189 games	DE	NOR	Auburn	0	0	189
60	Ben Rudolph DT · Long Beach St. · 88 games	DT	NYJ	Long Beach St.	0	0	88
61	Jeff Griffin DB · Utah · 50 games	DB	STL	Utah	0	0	50
63	Greg Meisner NT · Pittsburgh · 135 games	NT	RAM	Pittsburgh	0	0	135
64	John Simmons DB · SMU · 72 games	DB	CIN	SMU	0	0	72
65	Carlton Williamson DB · Pittsburgh · 2 Pro Bowls · 88 games	DB	SFO	Pittsburgh	2	0	88
66	Robert Cobb DE · Arizona · 11 games	DE	RAM	Arizona	0	0	11
77	Irvin Phillips DB · Arkansas Tech · 20 games	DB	SDG	Arkansas Tech	0	0	20
78	Lloyd Burruss DB · Maryland · 1 Pro Bowl · 145 games	DB	KAN	Maryland	1	0	145
80	Scott Woerner DB · Georgia · 17 games	DB	ATL	Georgia	0	0	17
83	Robert Geathers DT · South Carolina St.	DT	BUF	South Carolina St.	0	0	—

Round 4

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
86	Al Washington LB · Ohio St. · 16 games	LB	NYJ	Ohio St.	0	0	16
89	John Holt DB · West Texas A&M · 109 games	DB	TAM	West Texas A&M	0	0	109
91	Scott Pelluer LB · Washington St. · 65 games	LB	DAL	Washington St.	0	0	65
92	Mike Robinson DE · Arizona · 18 games	DE	CLE	Arizona	0	0	18
93	Guy Frazier LB · Wyoming · 74 games	LB	CIN	Wyoming	0	0	74
95	Todd Bell DB · Ohio St. · 1 Pro Bowl · 103 games	DB	CHI	Ohio St.	1	0	103
101	John Swain DB · Miami (FL) · 77 games	DB	MIN	Miami (FL)	0	0	77
102	Don Blackmon LB · Tulsa · 89 games	LB	NWE	Tulsa	0	0	89
105	Richard Turner NT · Oklahoma · 30 games	NT	GNB	Oklahoma	0	0	30
108	Derrie Nelson LB · Nebraska · 48 games	LB	DAL	Nebraska	0	0	48
111	Johnny Robinson NT · Louisiana Tech · 27 games	NT	OAK	Louisiana Tech	0	0	27

Round 5

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
113	Tyrone Keys DE · Mississippi St. · 74 games	DE	NYJ	Mississippi St.	0	0	74
115	Bill Neill NT · Pittsburgh · 40 games	NT	NYG	Pittsburgh	0	0	40
116	John Gillen LB · Illinois · 28 games	LB	STL	Illinois	0	0	28
117	Byron Braggs DE · Alabama · 55 games	DE	GNB	Alabama	0	0	55
118	James Davis DB · Southern · 83 games	DB	OAK	Southern	0	0	83
119	Dexter Manley DE · Oklahoma St. · 1 Pro Bowl · 1 All-Pro · 143 games	DE	WAS	Oklahoma St.	1	1	143
121	Lynn Thomas DB · Pittsburgh · 24 games	DB	SFO	Pittsburgh	0	0	24
123	Wendell Ray DE · Missouri	DE	MIN	Missouri	0	0	—
126	Ken Poole DE · La-Monroe · 16 games	DE	MIA	La-Monroe	0	0	16
128	Jerry Boyarsky NT · Pittsburgh · 98 games	NT	NOR	Pittsburgh	0	0	98
130	Steve Clark DE · Kansas St. · 7 games	DE	NWE	Kansas St.	0	0	7
131	Keith Ferguson DE · Ohio St. · 134 games	DE	SDG	Ohio St.	0	0	134
133	Delbert Fowler LB · West Virginia	LB	HOU	West Virginia	0	0	—
135	Calvin Clark DE · Purdue	DE	BUF	Purdue	0	0	—
137	Danny Spradlin LB · Tennessee · 63 games	LB	DAL	Tennessee	0	0	63

Round 6

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
140	Steve Durham DE · Clemson · 8 games	DE	SEA	Clemson	0	0	8
142	John Woodring LB · Brown · 52 games	LB	NYJ	Brown	0	0	52
143	Dave Ahrens LB · Wisconsin · 130 games	LB	STL	Wisconsin	0	0	130
144	Johnnie Poe DB · Missouri · 100 games	DB	NOR	Missouri	0	0	100
147	Pete Kugler NT · Penn St. · 81 games	NT	SFO	Penn St.	0	0	81
148	Larry Kubin LB · Penn St. · 43 games	LB	WAS	Penn St.	0	0	43
149	Bubba Green DT · North Carolina St. · 15 games	DT	BAL	North Carolina St.	0	0	15
150	Reuben Henderson DB · San Diego St. · 46 games	DB	CHI	San Diego St.	0	0	46
152	Mack Moore DE · Texas A&M · 26 games	DE	MIA	Texas A&M	0	0	26
153	Dock Luckie DT · Florida	DT	KAN	Florida	0	0	—
154	Fulton Walker DB · West Virginia · 81 games	DB	MIA	West Virginia	0	0	81
155	Sam Johnson DB · Maryland	DB	DET	Maryland	0	0	—
156	Bryan Hinkle LB · Oregon · 163 games	LB	PIT	Oregon	0	0	163
158	William Daniels DT · Alabama St.	DT	RAM	Alabama St.	0	0	—
159	Bill Kay DB · Purdue · 56 games	DB	HOU	Purdue	0	0	56
160	Ron Simmons DT · Florida St.	DT	CLE	Florida St.	0	0	—
163	Vince Skillings DB · Ohio St.	DB	DAL	Ohio St.	0	0	—
164	Harry Stanback DE · North Carolina · 2 games	DE	ATL	North Carolina	0	0	2
166	Glen Redd LB · BYU · 76 games	LB	NOR	BYU	0	0	76

Round 7

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
169	Kenny Neil DE · Iowa St. · 42 games	DE	NYJ	Iowa St.	0	0	42
171	Kevin Donnalley DB · North Dakota St. · 1 games	DB	STL	North Dakota St.	0	0	1
172	Bill Whitaker DB · Missouri · 39 games	DB	GNB	Missouri	0	0	39
173	Ron Fellows DB · Missouri · 112 games	DB	DAL	Missouri	0	0	112
176	Jeff Schuh LB · Minnesota · 87 games	LB	CIN	Minnesota	0	0	87
177	Jeff Fisher DB · USC · 49 games	DB	CHI	USC	0	0	49
181	Steve Busick LB · USC · 78 games	LB	DEN	USC	0	0	78
183	David Little LB · Florida · 1 Pro Bowl · 179 games	LB	PIT	Florida	1	0	179
187	Eddie Johnson LB · Louisville · 148 games	LB	CLE	Louisville	0	0	148
188	Steve Doolittle LB · Colorado	LB	BUF	Colorado	0	0	—
190	Mike Clark DE · Florida · 14 games	DE	RAM	Florida	0	0	14
191	Ken Miller DB · Eastern Michigan	DB	DAL	Eastern Michigan	0	0	—
192	Doak Field LB · Baylor · 7 games	LB	PHI	Baylor	0	0	7
193	Don Washington DB · Texas A&M-Kingsville	DB	HOU	Texas A&M-Kingsville	0	0	—

Round 8

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
200	Larry Werts LB · Jackson St.	LB	GNB	Jackson St.	0	0	—
202	Bobby Kemp DB · Cal State-Fullerton · 95 games	DB	CIN	Cal State-Fullerton	0	0	95
204	Ken Sitton DB · Oklahoma	DB	BAL	Oklahoma	0	0	—
205	Scott Zettek DT · Notre Dame	DT	CHI	Notre Dame	0	0	—
208	William Judson DB · South Carolina St. · 115 games	DB	MIA	South Carolina St.	0	0	115
213	J.C. Watts DB · Oklahoma	DB	NYJ	Oklahoma	0	0	—
214	Gene Gladys LB · Penn St.	LB	NOR	Penn St.	0	0	—
215	Kevin Evans DB · Arkansas	DB	NOR	Arkansas	0	0	—
217	Willie Tullis DB · Troy · 106 games	DB	HOU	Troy	0	0	106
218	Paul Piurowski LB · Florida St.	LB	DAL	Florida St.	0	0	—
219	Clifford Toney DB · Auburn	DB	ATL	Auburn	0	0	—
220	Hosea Taylor DE · Houston · 20 games	DE	BAL	Houston	0	0	20

Round 9

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
224	Byron Hunt LB · SMU · 100 games	LB	NYG	SMU	0	0	100
225	Admiral Dewey Larry DB · UNLV	DB	NYJ	UNLV	0	0	—
231	Darryl Grant DT · Rice · 141 games	DT	WAS	Rice	0	0	141
233	Tim Gooch DT · Kentucky	DT	BAL	Kentucky	0	0	—
234	Rusty Olsen DE · Washington	DE	DEN	Washington	0	0	—
237	Anthony Vereen DB · Southeastern Louisiana	DB	KAN	Southeastern Louisiana	0	0	—
238	Hugh Jernigan DB · Arkansas	DB	DET	Arkansas	0	0	—
239	James Hunter NT · USC · 9 games	NT	PIT	USC	0	0	9
240	David Martin DB · Villanova · 7 games	DB	DET	Villanova	0	0	7
242	Ron Seawell LB · Portland St.	LB	RAM	Portland St.	0	0	—
243	Avon Riley LB · UCLA · 91 games	LB	HOU	UCLA	0	0	91

Round 10

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
250	Mike Barker DT · Grambling St.	DT	NYG	Grambling St.	0	0	—
251	Marty Wetzel LB · Tulane · 5 games	LB	NYJ	Tulane	0	0	5
254	Ken McCune DE · Texas	DE	TAM	Texas	0	0	—
256	Gregg Gerken LB · Northern Arizona	LB	BAL	Northern Arizona	0	0	—
259	Trent Bryant DB · Arkansas · 32 games	DB	BAL	Arkansas	0	0	32
264	Andy Cannavino LB · Michigan	LB	DET	Michigan	0	0	—
265	Mike Mayock DB · Boston Col. · 9 games	DB	PIT	Boston Col.	0	0	9
271	Dean Prater DE · Oklahoma St. · 77 games	DE	CLE	Oklahoma St.	0	0	77
273	Pat Graham DT · California	DT	DAL	California	0	0	—
274	Robert Murphy DB · Ohio St.	DB	ATL	Ohio St.	0	0	—

Round 11

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
278	Ed Gall DT · Maryland	DT	NYJ	Maryland	0	0	—
282	Forrest Valora LB · Oklahoma	LB	GNB	Oklahoma	0	0	—
283	Johnny Ray Smith DB · Lamar · 26 games	DB	TAM	Lamar	0	0	26
285	Robert Jackson DB · Central Michigan · 90 games	DB	CIN	Central Michigan	0	0	90
289	Frank Case DE · Penn St. · 7 games	DE	KAN	Penn St.	0	0	7
294	Willie Jackson DB · Mississippi St.	DB	DET	Mississippi St.	0	0	—
296	Marcellus Greene DB · Arizona · 14 games	DB	RAM	Arizona	0	0	14
298	Larry Friday DB · Mississippi St. · 1 games	DB	CLE	Mississippi St.	0	0	1
300	Carlos Bradley LB · Wake Forest · 54 games	LB	SDG	Wake Forest	0	0	54

Round 12

#	Player	Pos	Team	College	Pro Bowls	All-Pros	Games
305	Jim Wilks DE · San Diego St. · 183 games	DE	NOR	San Diego St.	0	0	183
306	Jeff Bednarek DT · Pacific	DT	SEA	Pacific	0	0	—
310	Brad White NT · Tennessee · 73 games	NT	TAM	Tennessee	0	0	73
311	Cliff Lewis LB · Southern Miss · 57 games	LB	GNB	Southern Miss	0	0	57
315	Eric Scoggins LB · USC · 3 games	LB	BAL	USC	0	0	3
316	Bob Shupryt LB · New Mexico	LB	CHI	New Mexico	0	0	—
317	John Hankerd LB · Notre Dame	LB	DEN	Notre Dame	0	0	—
318	John Alford DT · South Carolina St.	DT	MIA	South Carolina St.	0	0	—
323	Cris Crissy DB · Princeton · 1 games	DB	NWE	Princeton	0	0	1
326	Keith Clark LB · Memphis	LB	BUF	Memphis	0	0	—
330	Mark McCants DB · Temple	DB	ATL	Temple	0	0	—
331	Ray Ellis DB · Ohio St. · 100 games	DB	PHI	Ohio St.	0	0	100

Source: nflverse draft_picks release. Pro Bowls / All-Pros / Games are career totals · ★ = Pro Football Hall of Fame.