{{Infobox NFL 1981 NAFL Draft and each teams free agent selections
Draft
| year = 1981
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| date = April 28–29, 1981
| time =
| location = New York City
| network =
| first = George Rogers , RBNew Orleans Saints
| mr_irrelevant = Phil Nelson , TEOakland Raiders
| most =
| fewest =
| overall = 332
}}
The 1981 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 April 28–29, 1981 . The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.
Player selections [ ]
Round one [ ]
Round two [ ]
Round three [ ]
Round four [ ]
Round five [ ]
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
112
New Orleans Saints
Louis Oubre
Tackle
Oklahoma
113
New York Jets
Tyrone Keys
Defensive end
Mississippi State
114
Seattle Seahawks
Edwin Bailey
Guard
South Carolina State
115
New York Giants
Bill Neill
Defensive tackle
Pittsburgh
116
St. Louis Cardinals
John Gillen
Linebacker
Illinois
117
Green Bay Packers
Byron Braggs
Defensive tackle
Alabama
118
Oakland Raiders
James Davis
Defensive back
Southern
119
Washington Redskins
Dexter Manley
Defensive end
Oklahoma State
120
Cincinnati Bengals
Benjie Pryor
Tight end
Pittsburgh
121
San Francisco 49ers
Lynn Thomas
Defensive back
Pittsburgh
122
San Francisco 49ers
Arrington Jones
Running back
Winston-Salem State
123
Minnesota Vikings
Wendell Ray
Defensive end
Missouri
124
Kansas City Chiefs
Todd Thomas
Tackle
North Dakota
125
Denver Broncos
Ken Lanier
Tackle
Florida State
126
Miami Dolphins
Ken Poole
Defensive end
N.E. Louisiana
127
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ricky Martin
Wide receiver
New Mexico
128
New Orleans Saints
Jerry Boyarsky
Defensive tackle
Pittsburgh
129
Detroit Lions
Larry Lee
Guard
UCLA
130
New England Patriots
Steve Clark
Defensive tackle
Kansas State
131
San Diego Chargers
Keith Ferguson
Linebacker
Ohio State
132
Washington Redskins
Gary Sayre
Guard
Cameron
133
Houston Oilers
Delbert Fowler
Linebacker
West Virginia
134
Cleveland Browns
Steve Cox
Punter/Kicker
Arkansas
135
Buffalo Bills
Calvin Clark
Defensive end
Purdue
136
Atlanta Falcons
Eric Sanders
Tackle
Nevada
137
Dallas Cowboys
Danny Spradlin
Linebacker
Tennessee
138
Miami Dolphins
Tommy Vigorito
Running back
Virginia
Round six [ ]
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
139
New Orleans Saints
Nat Hudson
Guard
Georgia
140
Seattle Seahawks
Steve Durham
Defensive end
Clemson
141
San Diego Chargers
Andy Gissinger
Tackle
Syracuse
142
New York Jets
John Woodring
Linebacker
Brown
143
St. Louis Cardinals
Dave Ahrens
Linebacker
Wisconsin
144
New Orleans Saints
Johnnie Poe
Defensive back
Missouri
145
New York Giants
Mel Hoover
Wide receiver
Arizona State
146
Cincinnati Bengals
Rex Robinson
Kicker
Georgia
147
San Francisco 49ers
Pete Kugler
Defensive tackle
Penn State
148
Washington Redskins
Larry Kubin
Linebacker
Penn State
149
Baltimore Colts
Bubba Green
Defensive tackle
North Carolina State
150
Chicago Bears
Reuben Henderson
Defensive back
San Diego State
151
Denver Broncos
Alvin Lewis
Running back
Colorado State
152
Miami Dolphins
Mack Moore
Defensive end
Texas A&M
153
Kansas City Chiefs
Dock Luckie
Defensive tackle
Florida
154
Miami Dolphins
Fulton Walker
Defensive back
West Virginia
155
Detroit Lions
Sam Johnson
Defensive back
Maryland
156
Pittsburgh Steelers
Bryan Hinkle
Linebacker
Oregon
157
New England Patriots
Ron Wooten
Guard
North Carolina
158
Los Angeles Rams
William Daniels
Defensive tackle
Alabama State
159
Houston Oilers
Bill Kay
Defensive back
Purdue
160
Cleveland Browns
Ron Simmons
Defensive tackle
Florida State
161
Buffalo Bills
Robert Holt
Wide receiver
Baylor
162
San Diego Chargers
Bobby Duckworth
Wide receiver
Arkansas
163
Dallas Cowboys
Vince Skillings
Defensive back
Ohio State
164
Atlanta Falcons
Harry Stanback
Defensive tackle
North Carolina
165
New York Giants
Edward O'Neal
Running back
Tuskegee
166
New Orleans Saints
Glen Redd
Linebacker
Brigham Young
Round seven [ ]
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
167
New Orleans Saints
Kevin Williams
Wide receiver
USC
168
New York Giants
Louis Jackson
Running back
Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
169
New York Jets
Kenny Neil
Defensive end
Iowa State
170
Seattle Seahawks
Ron Johnson
Wide receiver
Long Beach State
171
St. Louis Cardinals
Kevin Donnalley
Defensive back
North Dakota State
172
Green Bay Packers
Bill Whitaker
Defensive back
Missouri
173
Dallas Cowboys
Ron Fellows
Defensive back
Missouri
174
Philadelphia Eagles
Alan Duncan
Kicker
Tennessee
175
Los Angeles Rams
Ron Battle
Tight end
North Texas State
176
Cincinnati Bengals
Jeff Schuh
Linebacker
Minnesota
177
Chicago Bears
Jeff Fisher
Defensive back
USC
178
Baltimore Colts
Obed Ariri
Kicker
Clemson
179
Miami Dolphins
Mike Daum
Tackle
Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
180
Kansas City Chiefs
Billy Jackson
Running back
Alabama
181
Denver Broncos
Steve Busick
Linebacker
USC
182
Detroit Lions
Lee Spivey
Tackle
Southern Methodist
183
Pittsburgh Steelers
David Little
Linebacker
Florida
184
Minnesota Vikings
Don Shaver
Running back
Kutztown (PA)
185
New England Patriots
Ken Toler
Wide receiver
Mississippi
186
Seattle Seahawks
Brad Scovill
Tight end
Penn State
187
Cleveland Browns
Eddie Johnson
Linebacker
Louisiana Tech
188
Buffalo Bills
Steve Doolittle
Linebacker
Colorado
189
San Diego Chargers
Pete Holohan
Tight end
Notre Dame
190
Los Angeles Rams
Mike Clark
Defensive end
Florida
191
Dallas Cowboys
Ken Miller
Defensive back
Eastern Michigan
192
Philadelphia Eagles
Doak Field
Linebacker
Baylor
193
Houston Oilers
Don Washington
Defensive back
Texas A&I
Round eight [ ]
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
194
New England Patriots
Ken Naber
Kicker
Stanford
195
New York Jets
Lloyd Jones
Wide receiver
Brigham Young
196
Seattle Seahawks
Eric Lane
Running back
Brigham Young
197
New York Giants
John Powers
Guard
Michigan
198
St. Louis Cardinals
Mike Fisher
Wide receiver
Baylor
199
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Denver Johnson
Tackle
Tulsa
200
Green Bay Packers
Larry Werts
Linebacker
Jackson State
201
Washington Redskins
Charlie Brown
Wide receiver
South Carolina State
202
Cincinnati Bengals
Bobby Kemp
Defensive back
Fullerton State
203
San Francisco 49ers
Garry White
Running back
Minnesota
204
Baltimore Colts
Ken Sitton
Defensive back
Oklahoma
205
Chicago Bears
Scott Zettek
Defensive tackle
Notre Dame
206
Kansas City Chiefs
David Dorn
Wide receiver
Rutgers
207
New York Giants
Mark Reed
Quarterback
Morehead State
208
Miami Dolphins
William Judson
Defensive back
South Carolina State
209
Pittsburgh Steelers
Frank Wilson
Running back
Rice
210
Minnesota Vikings
Wade Wilson
Quarterback
East Texas State
211
Detroit Lions
Bob Niziolek
Tight end
Colorado
212
New England Patriots
Lin Dawson
Tight end
North Carolina State
213
New York Jets
J. C. Watts
Defensive back
Oklahoma
214
New Orleans Saints
Gene Gladys
Linebacker
Penn State
215
New Orleans Saints
Kevin Evans
Defensive back
Arkansas
216
Los Angeles Rams
Art Plunkett
Tackle
UNLV
217
Houston Oilers
Willie Tullis
Wide receiver
Troy State
218
Dallas Cowboys
Paul Piurowski
Linebacker
Florida State
219
Atlanta Falcons
Cliff Toney
Defensive back
Auburn
220
Baltimore Colts
Hosea Taylor
Defensive Tackle
Houston
221
New York Giants
Bill Ard
Guard
Wake Forest
Round nine [ ]
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
222
New Orleans Saints
Toussaint Tyler
Running back
Washington
223
Seattle Seahawks
Jim Stone
Running back
Notre Dame
224
New York Giants
Byron Hunt
Linebacker
Southern Methodist
225
New York Jets
Admiral Dewey Larry
Defensive back
UNLV
226
St. Louis Cardinals
Stump Mitchell
Running back
Citadel
227
Green Bay Packers
Tim Huffman
Tackle
Notre Dame
228
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike Ford
Quarterback
Southern Methodist
229
Cincinnati Bengals
Jim Hannula
Tackle
Northern Illinois
230
Cincinnati Bengals
Samoa Samoa
Running back
Washington State
231
Washington Redskins
Darryl Grant
Guard
Rice
232
Chicago Bears
Frank Ditta
Guard
Baylor
233
Baltimore Colts
Tim Gooch
Defensive tackle
Kentucky
234
Denver Broncos
Rusty Olsen
Defensive end
Washington
235
Miami Dolphins
John Noonan
Wide receiver
Nebraska
236
Seattle Seahawks
Jim Whatley
Wide receiver
Washington State
237
Kansas City Chiefs
Tony Vereen
Defensive back
Southeastern Louisiana
238
Detroit Lions
Hugh Jernigan
Defensive back
Arkansas
239
Pittsburgh Steelers
James Hunter
Tackle
USC
240
Detroit Lions
Dave Martin
Defensive back
Villanova
241
Buffalo Bills
Rob Riddick
Running back
Millersville (PA)
242
Los Angeles Rams
Ron Seawell
Linebacker
Portland State
243
Houston Oilers
Avon Riley
Linebacker
UCLA
244
Cleveland Browns
Randy Schleusener
Guard
Nebraska
245
Atlanta Falcons
Calvin Fance
Running back
Rice
246
Dallas Cowboys
Mike Wilson
Wide receiver
Washington State
247
Philadelphia Eagles
Chuck Commiskey
Offensive Lineman
Mississippi
248
Oakland Raiders
Curt Mohl
Tackle
UCLA
Round ten [ ]
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
249
New Orleans Saints
Hokie Gajan
Running back
Louisiana State
250
New York Giants
Mike Barker
Defensive tackle
Grambling
251
New York Jets
Marty Wetzel
Linebacker
Tulane
252
Seattle Seahawks
Ken Dawson
Running back
Savannah State
253
St. Louis Cardinals
James Mallard
Wide receiver
Alabama
254
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ken McCune
Defensive end
Texas
255
Green Bay Packers
Nickie Hall
Quarterback
Tulane
256
Baltimore Colts
Gregg Gerken
Linebacker
Northern Arizona
257
Washington Redskins
Phil Kessel
Quarterback
Northern Michigan
258
Cincinnati Bengals
Hubert Simpson
Running back
Tennessee
259
Baltimore Colts
Trent Bryant
Defensive back
Arkansas
260
Chicago Bears
Tim Clifford
Quarterback
Indiana
261
Miami Dolphins
Steve Folsom
Tight end
Utah
262
Kansas City Chiefs
Les Studdard
Guard
Texas
263
St. Louis Cardinals
Jim Joiner
Wide receiver
Miami (FL)
264
Detroit Lions
Andy Cannavino
Linebacker
Michigan
265
Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Mayock
Defensive back
Boston College
266
Minnesota Vikings
James Murphy
Wide receiver
Utah State
267
Washington Redskins
Allan Kennedy
Tackle
Washington State
268
San Diego Chargers
Robert Parham
Running back
Grambling
269
Los Angeles Rams
Robert Alexander
Running back
West Virginia
270
Houston Oilers
Larry Jones
Running back
Colorado State
271
Cleveland Browns
Dean Prater
Defensive end
Oklahoma State
272
Buffalo Bills
Justin Cross
Tackle
Western Colorado
273
Dallas Cowboys
Pat Graham
Defensive tackle
California
274
Atlanta Falcons
Robert Murphy
Defensive back
Ohio State
275
Philadelphia Eagles
Hubert Oliver
Running back
Arizona
276
Oakland Raiders
Frank Hawkins
Running back
Nevada
Round eleven [ ]
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
277
New Orleans Saints
Lester Mickens
Wide receiver
Kansas
278
New York Jets
Ed Gall
Defensive tackle
Maryland
279
Seattle Seahawks
Lance Olander
Running back
Colorado
280
San Diego Chargers
Matt Petrzelka
Tackle
Iowa
281
St. Louis Cardinals
Mike Sherrod
Tight end
Illinois
282
Green Bay Packers
Forrest Valora
Linebacker
Oklahoma
283
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Johnny Ray Smith
Defensive back
Lamar
284
Washington Redskins
Jerry Hill
Wide receiver
North Alabama
285
Cincinnati Bengals
Robert Jackson
Defensive back
Central Michigan
286
San Francisco 49ers
Rob DeBose
Tight end
UCLA
287
Chicago Bears
Lonnie Johnson
Running back
Indiana
288
Baltimore Colts
Holden Smith
Wide receiver
California
289
Kansas City Chiefs
Frank Case
Defensive end
Penn State
290
Denver Broncos
Pat Walker
Wide receiver
Miami (FL)
291
Miami Dolphins
Jim Jensen
Quarterback
Boston University
292
Pittsburgh Steelers
Rick Trocano
Quarterback
Pittsburgh
293
Minnesota Vikings
Bill Stephanos
Tackle
Boston College
294
Detroit Lions
Willie Jackson
Defensive back
Mississippi State
295
New England Patriots
Brian Buckley
Quarterback
Harvard
296
Los Angeles Rams
Marcellus Greene
Defensive back
Arizona
297
Houston Oilers
Claude Matthews
Guard
Auburn
298
Cleveland Browns
Larry Friday
Defensive back
Mississippi State
299
Buffalo Bills
Buster Barnett
Tight end
Jackson State
300
San Diego Chargers
Carlos Bradley
Linebacker
Wake Forest
301
Atlanta Falcons
Keith Chappelle
Wide receiver
Iowa
302
Dallas Cowboys
Tim Morrison
Guard
Georgia
303
Philadelphia Eagles
Gail Davis
Defensive tackle
Virginia Union
304
Oakland Raiders
Chester Willis
Running back
Auburn
0
New England Patriots (Supplemental Draft)
Chy Davidson
Wide receiver
Rhode Island
Round twelve [ ]
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
305
New Orleans Saints
Jim Wilks
Defensive tackle
San Diego State
306
Seattle Seahawks
Jeff Bednarek
Defensive tackle
Pacific
307
New York Giants
Mike Maher
Tight end
Western Illinois
308
New York Jets
Mike Moeller
Tackle
Drake
309
St. Louis Cardinals
Joe Adams
Guard
Nebraska
310
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brad White
Defensive tackle
Tennessee
311
Green Bay Packers
Cliff Lewis
Linebacker
Southern Mississippi
312
Cincinnati Bengals
Mark O'Connell
Quarterback
Ball State
313
San Francisco 49ers
Major Ogilvie
Running back
Alabama
314
Washington Redskins
Clint Didier
Tight end
Portland State
315
Baltimore Colts
Eric Scoggins
Linebacker
USC
316
Chicago Bears
Bob Shupryt
Linebacker
New Mexico
317
Denver Broncos
John Hankerd
Linebacker
Notre Dame
318
Miami Dolphins
John Alford
Defensive tackle
South Carolina State
319
Kansas City Chiefs
Bob Gagliano
Quarterback
Utah State
320
Minnesota Vikings
Brian Williams
Tight end
Southern
321
Denver Broncos
Mandel Robinson
Running back
Wyoming
322
San Francisco 49ers
Joe Adams
Quarterback
Tennessee State
323
New England Patriots
Cris Crissy
Defensive back
Princeton
324
Houston Oilers
Bill Capece
Kicker
Florida State
325
Cleveland Browns
Kevin McGill
Tackle
Oregon
326
Buffalo Bills
Keith Clark
Linebacker
Memphis State
327
San Diego Chargers
Stacy Charles
Wide receiver
Bethune-Cookman
328
Los Angeles Rams
Jairo Penaranda
Running back
UCLA
329
Dallas Cowboys
Nate Lundy
Wide receiver
Indiana
330
Atlanta Falcons
Mark McCants
Defensive back
Temple
331
Philadelphia Eagles
Ray Ellis
Defensive back
Ohio State
332 [3]
Oakland Raiders
Phil Nelson
Tight end
Delaware
= Pro Bowler [1]
= Hall of Famer
Hall of famers [ ]
Mike Singletary, Linebacker from Baylor University taken 2nd round 38th overall by the Chicago Bears.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 1998.[4]
Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill taken 1st round 2nd overall by the New York Giants.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 1999.[4]
Ronnie Lott, Defensive Back from the University of Southern California taken 1st round 8th overall by the San Francisco 49ers.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2000.[5]
Howie Long, Defensive Tackle from Villanova University taken 2nd round 48th overall by the Oakland Raiders.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2000.[5]
Rickey Jackson, Linebacker from University of Pittsburgh taken 2nd round 51st overall by the New Orleans Saints.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010.[6]
Russ Grimm, Offensive Guard from University of Pittsburgh taken 3rd round 69th overall by the Washington Redskins.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010.[6]
Undrafted players of note [ ]
Everson Walls , Cornerback from Grambling State University , was not selected in the draft's 12 rounds, but signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys . Walls made an early impact by leading the league in interceptions in each of his first two seasons and was selected First-Team All-Pro in his third. Walls played 13 seasons in the NFL, earning four Pro Bowl bids, and was the starting RCB for the Super Bowl XXV Champion New York Giants ..
Chuck Pitcock , Center from Tulane University . While passed over by the NFL, Pitcock enjoyed a strong career with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL . Pitcock also played for the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Joe Jacoby , Offensive Tackle from University of Louisville , was not chosen in the draft. He signed with the Washington Redskins , and along with Russ Grimm , anchored the left side of the offensive line for many years. He was selected to 4 pro bowls, and 2 AP All Pro teams , won three Super Bowl rings and four National Football Conference championships during his tenure.
Jay Hilgenberg
Leslie Frazier
References [ ]
External links [ ]