National Football League draft
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 .
^ 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
= Pro Bowler [ 3]
= Hall of Famer
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.