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The 1966 NFL Expansion Draft was a National Football League (NFL) draft in which a new expansion team, named the Atlanta Falcons, selected its first players. On June 30, 1965, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle awarded the first NFL franchise in the Deep South to the city of Atlanta, Georgia and granted ownership to Rankin Smith Sr.[1]

So that the Falcons could become competitive with existing teams, the league awarded the Falcons the first pick in the 1966 NFL Draft, supplemented with the final pick in the first five rounds.[1] The NFL also gave the new team the opportunity to select current players from existing teams. That selection was provided by the expansion draft, held on February 15, 1966.[1] In this draft, held six weeks after the regular draft, the existing franchises listed players from which the Falcons could select to switch to the new team.

Player selections[]

Player Position College Team Original NFL Team
Roger Anderson Defensive Tackle Virginia Union New York Giants
Larry Benz Safety Northwestern Cleveland Browns
Lee Calland Defensive Back Louisville Minnesota Vikings
Dennis Claridge Quarterback Nebraska Green Bay Packers
Junior Coffey Fullback Washington Green Bay Packers
Ed Cook Offensive Guard Notre Dame St. Louis Cardinals
Dave Crossan Center Maryland Washington Redskins
Perry Lee Dunn Half back Mississippi Dallas Cowboys
Bobby Franklin Safety Mississippi Cleveland Browns
Dan Grimm Offensive Guard Colorado Green Bay Packers
Alex Hawkins Flanker South Carolina Baltimore Colts
Ralph Heck Linebacker Colorado Philadelphia Eagles
Bob Jencks Tight End- Kicker Miami (OH) Washington Redskins
Bill Jobko Linebacker Ohio State Minnesota Vikings
Rudy Johnson Half back Nebraska San Francisco 49ers
Frank Lasky Offensive Tackle Florida New York Giants
Danny Lewis Fullback Wisconsin Washington Redskins
Errol Linden Offensive Tackle Houston Minnesota Vikings
Bill (Red) Mack Flanker Notre Dame Pittsburgh Steelers
Frank Marchlewski Center Minnesota Los Angeles Rams
Billy Martin Tight End Georgia Tech Chicago Bears
Dale Memmelaar Offensive Guard Wyoming Cleveland Browns
Dale Messer Flanker Fresno State San Francisco 49ers
Max Messner Linebacker Cincinnati Pittsburgh Steelers
Dennis Murphy Defensive Tackle Florida Chicago Bears
Neal Petties Split End San Diego State Baltimore Colts
Tim Powell Defensive End Northwestern Los Angeles Rams
Dave Recher Center Iowa Philadelphia Eagles
Guy Reese Offensive Tackle SMU Baltimore Colts
Bob Richards Defensive End LSU Philadelphia Eagles
Jerry Richardson Defensive Back West Texas State Los Angeles Rams
Marion Rushing Linebacker Southern Illinois St. Louis Cardinals
Bob Sherman Defensive Back Iowa Pittsburgh Steelers
Chuck Sieminski Defensive Tackle Penn State San Francisco 49ers
Carl Silvestri Defensive Back Wisconsin St. Louis Cardinals
Jim Simon Offensive Guard-Tackle Miami Detroit Lions
Ron Smith Defensive Back Wisconsin Chicago Bears
Don Talbert Offensive Tackle Texas Dallas Cowboys
Ernie Wheelwright Fullback Southern Illinois New York Giants
Bob Whitlow Center Arizona Detroit Lions
Sam Williams Defensive End Michigan State Detroit Lions
Maury Youmans Defensive End Syracuse Dallas Cowboys

See also[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "1966 NFL Draft". Pro Football Hall of Fame. http://www.profootballhof.com/history/story.jsp?story_id=1998. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
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