1970 NFL Draft

1970 NFL Draft
Name	1970 NFL Draft
Date	January 27–28, 1970
Location	New York City, New York (Waldorf Astoria)
League	National Football League
Overall	442
Rounds	17
First pick	Terry Bradshaw (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Fewest picks	New Orleans Saints (10)
Most picks	Pittsburgh Steelers (24)

1970 NFL Draft

The 1970 NFL Draft took place in late January at the Waldorf Astoria New York in New York City and marked the first common draft after the merger of the National Football League and the American Football League. The event set roster-building trajectories for franchises like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and Kansas City Chiefs, and influenced personnel strategies used by franchises including the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Miami Dolphins.

Background and league context

The draft occurred shortly after the completion of Super Bowl IV between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings-era contenders, while pending league-wide changes stemming from the NFL–AFL merger reshaped franchise priorities for teams such as the Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers. Owners including Leon Hess, Carroll Rosenbloom, Art Modell, Tex Schramm, and Lamar Hunt navigated common-draft rules alongside general managers like George Halas, Tex Schramm (executive), Carl Peterson (American football), Vince Lombardi, and Bud Grant. College pipelines from programs such as Alabama Crimson Tide football, Ohio State Buckeyes football, Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, USC Trojans football, and University of Michigan Wolverines football supplied prospects for franchises including the Baltimore Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Cardinals (football team), and Cleveland Browns.

Draft procedure and format

The draft used a 17-round format with 442 selections and a reverse-order selection priority based on 1969 standings, affecting picks for teams such as the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos (AFL team), Detroit Lions, New York Jets, and Atlanta Falcons. Rules from the NFL Competition Committee and agreements influenced eligibility for collegiate players from institutions like Penn State Nittany Lions football, University of Southern California, University of Texas Longhorns football, and University of Alabama. Scouting departments led by figures such as Chuck Noll, John Madden, Don Shula, Tom Landry, and Bud Grant evaluated prospects including players from the Heisman Trophy conversation and All-American lists featuring athletes from Nebraska Cornhuskers football, Oklahoma Sooners football, Syracuse Orange football, and Stanford Cardinal football.

First-round selections and notable picks

The first overall selection was Terry Bradshaw from Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football, taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers, followed by first-round choices including Duane Thomas (though later contract disputes involved Dallas Cowboys management such as Tex Schramm), Joe Greene-era defensive planning by teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Oilers, and strategic moves affecting franchises including the Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, and New York Giants. Other prominent draftees and college stars selected in early rounds hailed from programs such as Auburn Tigers football, Florida Gators football, Oklahoma State Cowboys football, and Florida State Seminoles football, impacting position groups monitored by coaches like Bill Walsh and George Allen.

Key undrafted players and supplemental draft

Several future contributors went undrafted or entered via supplemental mechanisms, influencing rosters for teams including the Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, and Baltimore Colts. The supplemental draft and free-agent signings allowed franchises such as the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, and Green Bay Packers to acquire talent from institutions like Texas A&M Aggies football, Clemson Tigers football, Louisville Cardinals football, Rutgers Scarlet Knights football, and Vanderbilt Commodores football. Scouts and personnel directors including Bill Parcells (early career scouting influence), Al Davis, Tex Schramm, and Arnie Weinmeister evaluated undrafted prospects alongside veterans such as Roger Staubach-era backups and depth players from Syracuse University.

Trades and team selections analysis

Complex trades involving draft picks and players affected selections for franchises like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Baltimore Colts, Green Bay Packers, and St. Louis Cardinals (football team). Notable front-office negotiators and coaches such as Tex Schramm, Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Chuck Noll, and Tom Landry executed deals tied to draft capital, impacting salary negotiations overseen by ownership figures including Art Modell, Lamar Hunt, Carroll Rosenbloom, George Halas, and Billy Sullivan. These transactions also involved players from collegiate programs like Michigan State Spartans football, Indiana Hoosiers football, Iowa Hawkeyes football, Arizona State Sun Devils football, and North Carolina Tar Heels football.

Impact and legacy

The selections influenced dynasty-building for the Pittsburgh Steelers and competitive windows for the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys, while shaping defensive philosophies adopted by teams such as the Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams. The draft's long-term effects are seen in Hall of Fame trajectories at the Pro Football Hall of Fame for players and executives including those linked to Terry Bradshaw, Chuck Noll, Joe Greene-era personnel decisions, and coaching trees extending to Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin. The merger-era draft process set precedents referenced in later collective bargaining discussions involving the NFL Players Association and influenced scouting resources at institutions like Walter Camp Football Foundation and award frameworks including the Heisman Trophy.

Complete draft list by round

Round-by-round selections encompassed 17 rounds and involved schools such as Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, Ohio State Buckeyes football, Alabama Crimson Tide football, USC Trojans football, Penn State Nittany Lions football, Oklahoma Sooners football, Nebraska Cornhuskers football, Auburn Tigers football, Florida State Seminoles football, Clemson Tigers football, Texas Longhorns football, Michigan Wolverines football, Syracuse Orange football, Stanford Cardinal football, Oklahoma State Cowboys football, Louisiana State University Tigers football, Mississippi State Bulldogs football, Arkansas Razorbacks football, Iowa State Cyclones football, Purdue Boilermakers football, Indiana Hoosiers football, Minnesota Golden Gophers football, Michigan State Spartans football, West Virginia Mountaineers football, Boston College Eagles football, Wake Forest Demon Deacons football, Vanderbilt Commodores football, Rutgers Scarlet Knights football, Louisville Cardinals football, Arizona State Sun Devils football, North Carolina Tar Heels football, Virginia Cavaliers football, Maryland Terrapins football, Kansas Jayhawks football, Colorado Buffaloes football, Baylor Bears football, SMU Mustangs football, TCU Horned Frogs football, and Rice Owls football among others, with selections distributed across franchises such as the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks (later expansion context), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (later expansion context), Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Oilers, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Cardinals (football team), New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and Green Bay Packers.

Category:National Football League drafts Category:1970 in American football