1971 NFL Draft

1971 NFL Draft was the 36th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) teams to select newly eligible players, including Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning, and Dan Dierdorf. The draft took place on January 28-29, 1971, at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City, with NBC providing television coverage, featuring play-by-play announcer Curt Gowdy and color commentator Al DeRogatis. The New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, and New York Giants were among the teams that made significant selections during the draft, which included players from top college football programs like University of Notre Dame, University of Southern California, and University of Michigan.

● Overview of

the 1971 NFL Draft The 1971 NFL Draft was a pivotal event in the history of the National Football League, with 17 rounds of selections and 442 players chosen by the 26 NFL teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The draft marked a significant turning point for several teams, including the Miami Dolphins, who selected players like Jim Mandich and Vern Den Herder, and the Kansas City Chiefs, who chose players like Elmo Wright and Wilbur Young. The draft also featured players from notable college football programs, such as Ohio State University, University of Texas, and University of Alabama, including Jack Tatum, Tommy Casanova, and Ken Stabler.

● Player Selections

The player selections in the 1971 NFL Draft were led by Jim Plunkett, a quarterback from Stanford University, who was chosen by the New England Patriots with the first overall pick, followed by Archie Manning, a quarterback from University of Mississippi, who was selected by the New Orleans Saints. Other notable players selected in the early rounds included Dan Dierdorf, a tackle from University of Michigan, who was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals, and Jack Ham, a linebacker from Penn State University, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The draft also included players like John Riggins, a running back from University of Kansas, who was chosen by the New York Jets, and Isiah Robertson, a linebacker from University of Southern California, who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams.

● Notable Players

The 1971 NFL Draft produced several notable players, including Jim Plunkett, who went on to win the Heisman Trophy and play for the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers, and Archie Manning, who played for the New Orleans Saints and Houston Oilers. Other notable players from the draft included Dan Dierdorf, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Jack Ham, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and was a key member of their Super Bowl-winning teams, including Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X. The draft also included players like John Riggins, who played for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins, and Isiah Robertson, who played for the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills.

● Draft Order

The draft order for the 1971 NFL Draft was determined by the teams' win-loss records from the previous season, with the teams having the worst records selecting first, including the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints. The New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams also had high draft picks, selecting players like Dave Tipton and Isiah Robertson. The draft order was as follows: the New England Patriots selected first, followed by the New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers, and Pittsburgh Steelers, with the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers selecting later in the first round.

● NFL Teams' Draft Selections

The NFL teams' draft selections in the 1971 NFL Draft were significant, with several teams making key picks that would shape their franchises for years to come, including the Miami Dolphins, who selected players like Jim Mandich and Vern Den Herder, and the Kansas City Chiefs, who chose players like Elmo Wright and Wilbur Young. The New York Jets selected players like John Riggins and Rich Sowells, while the Oakland Raiders chose players like Jack Tatum and Phil Villapiano. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected players like Jack Ham and Ernie Holmes, who would become key members of their Super Bowl-winning teams.

● Aftermath and Legacy

The aftermath of the 1971 NFL Draft had a significant impact on the National Football League, with several teams experiencing success in the following seasons, including the Miami Dolphins, who won Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl VIII, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X. The draft also marked the beginning of a new era for several teams, including the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints, who would go on to experience success in the following decades, including the Patriots' Super Bowl wins under the leadership of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. The legacy of the 1971 NFL Draft continues to be felt in the NFL today, with many of the players selected in the draft going on to have successful careers and being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including Dan Dierdorf, Jack Ham, and John Riggins. Category:National Football League drafts