1979 NFL draft
The 1979 National Football League Draft was the 44th annual player selection meeting of National Football League franchises to choose eligible college players, held over two days on May 3 and 4 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.[1][2] The draft featured 12 rounds and a total of 330 selections, with the Buffalo Bills holding the first overall pick—a choice acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in the 1978 trade that sent running back O. J. Simpson to Buffalo.[3][4] The Bills selected Ohio State linebacker Tom Cousineau first overall, though he initially opted to play in the Canadian Football League before joining the NFL in 1982.[5] Other early picks included Colorado State defensive end Mike Bell (second overall, Kansas City Chiefs), Washington State quarterback Jack Thompson (third overall, Cincinnati Bengals), Arkansas defensive tackle Dan Hampton (fourth overall, Chicago Bears), and Morehead State quarterback Phil Simms (seventh overall, New York Giants).[5][3] This draft is particularly renowned for its late-round steals that shaped franchise histories, including Pro Football Hall of Famers such as San Diego Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow (13th overall), Chicago Bears defensive end Dan Hampton (fourth overall), and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana (82nd overall, third round).[6][3] Additional impact players included St. Louis Cardinals running back Ottis Anderson (eighth overall, 1989 NFL MVP and two-time Pro Bowler) and 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark (249th overall, 10th round), whose selections under new head coach Bill Walsh laid the groundwork for San Francisco's dynasty, including four Super Bowl victories in the 1980s.[3][7]Background
League Context in 1978
The 1978 NFL season was contested among 28 teams, reflecting the full integration of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) merger that had taken effect at the start of the 1970 season. This structure remained stable, with no new expansion franchises added since the inclusion of the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1976. The season introduced an expanded playoff format, increasing the postseason field from eight to ten teams by adding a second wild-card qualifier in each conference, which aimed to heighten competition and fan engagement amid growing television revenues.[8] Team performances varied widely, with the Pittsburgh Steelers dominating the AFC Central Division at 14-2 and ultimately winning Super Bowl XIII over the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys, 35-31. At the opposite end, the [San Francisco 49ers](/page/San Francisco_49ers) endured the league's worst record of 2-14, allowing 350 points (23rd in the league) and surrendering 35 sacks, which positioned them to secure the No. 1 overall draft pick the following year. Other struggling franchises, like the Kansas City Chiefs (4-12) and St. Louis Cardinals (6-10), also highlighted the competitive disparities in a league still adjusting to post-merger alignments.[9][10] Rebuilding efforts were evident across several teams, exemplified by the Buffalo Bills, who finished 5-11 under new coach Chuck Knox and focused on roster turnover after a dismal 3-11 campaign in 1977. A notable transaction in the offseason was the Bills' trade of running back O.J. Simpson to the 49ers in March 1978 for five future draft picks (1978 second- and third-round picks, 1979 first- and fourth-round picks, and 1980 second-round pick), signaling their shift toward youth and future assets despite Simpson's status as a former star.[11] The 49ers, ironically, acquired Simpson in hopes of bolstering their offense but still plummeted to last place, underscoring the challenges of mid-season turnarounds.[12] On the economic front, the league navigated rising tensions over player compensation, as the NFL Players Association pushed for a more equitable revenue share through collective bargaining rather than individual negotiations. In late 1978, players considered proposals for a league-wide wage scale to address disparities, amid ongoing antitrust challenges to restrictive rules like the Rozelle Rule, which limited free agency.[13] These labor stirrings foreshadowed greater union leverage in the coming years, even as on-field play drew record attendance and TV viewership.Draft Eligibility and Order Determination
The eligibility criteria for the 1979 NFL Draft required players to have completed at least three years since high school graduation and to have exhausted their college eligibility, typically applying to seniors who had participated in four seasons of NCAA football during the preceding 1978 college season.[14] Underclassmen could petition for special eligibility through hardship waivers, permitting early entry if they demonstrated financial need or other exceptional circumstances that justified forgoing remaining college years.[15] This framework ensured the draft pool primarily featured graduating seniors while allowing limited exceptions for promising talents facing personal challenges. The draft order was established in reverse sequence of the 1978 NFL regular-season standings, with the worst-performing team receiving the first overall selection and the Super Bowl champion picking last.[14] Ties in win-loss records were resolved first by strength of schedule, calculated as the combined winning percentage of all opponents from the prior season (where ties counted as half a win and half a loss), awarding the higher pick to the team with the weaker opponents.[14] If strength of schedule did not break the tie, further criteria included head-to-head results (if applicable), records in games against common opponents, and potentially a coin toss as a final arbiter. Compensatory selections for teams losing unrestricted free agents were not implemented until later decades and played no role in the 1979 order.[14] A notable adjustment to the order occurred through a March 1978 trade in which the Buffalo Bills acquired the San Francisco 49ers' future draft selections in exchange for running back O.J. Simpson, including the 49ers' 1979 first-round pick, which became the No. 1 overall selection after San Francisco finished 2-14 in 1978.[16] The full trade terms involved the 49ers surrendering their 1978 second- and third-round picks, 1979 first- and fourth-round picks, and 1980 second-round pick to Buffalo.[16] Separately, the Pittsburgh Steelers forfeited their third-round pick (No. 57 overall) as punishment for violating off-season practice rules by conducting sessions with players wearing shoulder pads, which was prohibited at the time to prevent excessive contact during non-mandatory workouts.[17] This penalty shifted subsequent selections accordingly, ensuring the league maintained competitive integrity.Draft Process
Dates, Location, and Format
The 1979 NFL Draft took place over two days, May 3 and 4, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.[18][19] The 1979 draft was the final year the event was hosted at the Waldorf Astoria before moving to other New York City venues until the 2015 relocation outside the city.[19][20] The draft consisted of 12 rounds and a total of 330 selections distributed among the league's 28 teams.[3] The total of 330 selections resulted from trades, forfeits (such as the Steelers' third-round pick), and other adjustments, rather than an even distribution. It was conducted in person, with team representatives making oral announcements of their picks in a sequential order determined by the previous season's standings, reflecting the pre-free agency era when the draft played a central role in roster construction.[3][20] At that time, there was no centralized NFL Scouting Combine, with evaluations relying primarily on college performances, pro days, and individual team workouts.[21] Due to trades, the number of picks varied by team; the New York Jets received the most with 17 selections, while the Washington Redskins had the fewest at five.[22][23] The final selection, known as Mr. Irrelevant, was wide receiver Mike Almond from Northwestern State University, chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 330th overall pick.[3][24]Rules and Procedures
The 1979 NFL draft operated under a structured selection process where teams picked players in reverse order of their previous season's standings, beginning with the worst-performing team and proceeding to the Super Bowl champions last, unless altered by trades.[14] Each of the league's 28 teams held one pick per round across 12 rounds, with the draft conducted over two days in a conference room setting.[25] Time limits were imposed to maintain pace: 15 minutes per pick in the first two rounds and 5 minutes thereafter, though enforcement was relatively lenient compared to later years.[26] Trading mechanics allowed teams to negotiate swaps of draft picks at any point before or during the event, often verbally with formal documentation completed afterward; exchanges could involve current or future picks, established players, or cash considerations, enabling strategic adjustments to team needs.[14] These trades were facilitated by league officials on site to ensure compliance with overall draft order. Penalties for rule violations could result in forfeited picks, as exemplified by the Pittsburgh Steelers' loss of their third-round selection due to impermissible padded practices during the offseason mini-camps, a breach of league tampering restrictions.[17] Such forfeits were determined by the NFL commissioner and aimed to preserve competitive integrity, with no direct penalties for player holdouts or no-shows at the draft itself.[27] Following a selection, the drafting team gained exclusive negotiation rights to sign the player to a contract, typically handled in the weeks immediately after the draft without the constraints of a salary cap, leading to varied rookie compensation based on individual bargaining.[28] Unsigned draftees risked sitting out the season or entering a limited free agency pool, though the latter required compensation to the original team.[29] In contrast to modern drafts, the 1979 process featured fewer advanced scouting technologies like nationwide combines (which began in 1982), and operated without strict on-site medical evaluations or televised proceedings, emphasizing in-person negotiations over broadcast spectacle.[20]Key Events and Selections
Notable Trades and Controversies
One of the most notable controversies surrounding the 1979 NFL draft involved the Buffalo Bills' selection of linebacker Tom Cousineau with the first overall pick, acquired from the San Francisco 49ers as part of the 1978 trade that sent running back O.J. Simpson to the 49ers in exchange for five draft choices, including the 49ers' 1979 first-round selection.[16] Cousineau, an All-American from Ohio State, refused to sign with the Bills despite their offer exceeding previous No. 1 picks, opting instead for a more lucrative three-year, $1.2 million contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, where he played from 1979 to 1981.[30] This decision delayed his NFL debut until 1982, after the Alouettes folded and he signed with the Cleveland Browns via a special league provision allowing teams to negotiate with CFL players whose contracts had expired.[31] Another significant controversy arose when the New Orleans Saints used their 11th overall pick on kicker and punter Russell Erxleben from the University of Texas, a selection widely criticized as an egregious reach given the positional value of specialists in the first round during that era.[32] Erxleben, who had set NCAA records for punting average, was viewed by many as a luxury pick for a franchise needing defensive and offensive talent, sparking immediate debate over the Saints' draft strategy under general manager Buzz Nutter. The choice exemplified the risks of prioritizing non-skill positions early, as Erxleben struggled in the NFL, converting only 4 of 8 field goal attempts over four seasons and earning a reputation as one of the draft's most infamous busts.[33] In terms of trades, a prominent pre-draft deal occurred on April 13, 1978, when the Chicago Bears acquired the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' fourth overall pick in exchange for defensive end Wally Chambers and tight end Bob Moore (the latter named later in the transaction).[34] Chambers, a former Defensive Rookie of the Year who had been hampered by knee injuries, provided the Buccaneers with veteran pass-rush help, while the Bears used the pick to select defensive tackle Dan Hampton, a future Hall of Famer.[35] This player-for-pick swap highlighted the era's emphasis on immediate roster bolstering over accumulating draft capital. The draft also featured intense focus on quarterbacks, with three signal-callers selected in the first round ahead of Notre Dame's Joe Montana, who was taken in the third round (82nd overall) by the 49ers—underscoring flaws in the era's quarterback evaluation amid a perceived weak class at the position.[5] The Cincinnati Bengals chose Washington State's Jack Thompson third overall without trading up, viewing him as their franchise quarterback successor to Ken Anderson, while the New York Giants selected Morehead State's Phil Simms seventh overall, and the Kansas City Chiefs took Clemson's Steve Fuller 23rd overall.[5] These selections reflected teams' urgency to address quarterback needs through high picks, though none achieved the sustained success of Montana. The Bills, meanwhile, held two first-round selections—the traded No. 1 and their own No. 5 based on their 2-14 record from 1978—using the latter on wide receiver Jerry Butler from Clemson.[36]First-Round Picks
The first round of the 1979 NFL Draft consisted of 28 selections across the league's 28 teams, with a pronounced emphasis on defensive talent that saw 11 defensive players chosen, including multiple linebackers and defensive linemen in the top half of the round. This defensive-heavy approach reflected teams' priorities in rebuilding front sevens and pass rushes following the 1978 season's trends in scoring and defensive performances. The Buffalo Bills, who had acquired the top pick through a prior trade, employed a strategy of dual investments by selecting both a premier linebacker and a wide receiver early to balance their roster needs.[3] The complete list of first-round picks is presented below, including the overall selection number, drafting team, player name, position, and college. These selections occurred after any applicable trades, with teams focusing on immediate positional reinforcements such as quarterback stability, running back depth, and trench warfare upgrades.| Pick | Team | Player | Pos. | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buffalo Bills | Tom Cousineau | LB | Ohio State |
| 2 | Kansas City Chiefs | Mike Bell | DE | Colorado State |
| 3 | Cincinnati Bengals | Jack Thompson | QB | Washington State |
| 4 | Chicago Bears | Dan Hampton | DE | Arkansas |
| 5 | Buffalo Bills | Jerry Butler | WR | Clemson |
| 6 | Baltimore Colts | Barry Krauss | LB | Alabama |
| 7 | New York Giants | Phil Simms | QB | Morehead State |
| 8 | St. Louis Cardinals | Ottis Anderson | RB | Miami (FL) |
| 9 | Chicago Bears | Al Harris | DE | Arizona State |
| 10 | Detroit Lions | Keith Dorney | T | Penn State |
| 11 | New Orleans Saints | Russell Erxleben | P | Texas |
| 12 | Cincinnati Bengals | Charles Alexander | RB | LSU |
| 13 | San Diego Chargers | Kellen Winslow | TE | Missouri |
| 14 | New York Jets | Marty Lyons | DE | Alabama |
| 15 | Green Bay Packers | Eddie Lee Ivery | RB | Georgia Tech |
| 16 | Minnesota Vikings | Ted Brown | RB | NC State |
| 17 | Atlanta Falcons | Don Smith | NT | Miami (FL) |
| 18 | Seattle Seahawks | Manu Tuiasosopo | DT | UCLA |
| 19 | Los Angeles Rams | George Andrews | LB | Nebraska |
| 20 | Cleveland Browns | Willis Adams | WR | Houston |
| 21 | Philadelphia Eagles | Jerry Robinson | LB | UCLA |
| 22 | Denver Broncos | Kelvin Clark | T | Nebraska |
| 23 | Kansas City Chiefs | Steve Fuller | QB | Clemson |
| 24 | Miami Dolphins | Jon Giesler | T | Michigan |
| 25 | New England Patriots | Rick Sanford | DB | South Carolina |
| 26 | Los Angeles Rams | Kent Hill | G | Georgia Tech |
| 27 | Dallas Cowboys | Robert Shaw | C | Tennessee |
| 28 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Greg Hawthorne | RB | Baylor |