1974 NFL draft


The 1974 NFL draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City, New York, on January 29–30, 1974. Each of the 26 NFL teams were granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks.
Many experts consider the Pittsburgh Steelers to have had the best draft class in NFL history as they selected four players later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A fifth Hall of Famer, Donnie Shell, was signed by Pittsburgh after going unselected in the draft. The closest any other team has come to this success in a draft is the Dallas Cowboys' 1964 draft, when three Hall of Famers were taken.
The Houston Oilers had the first pick in the 1974 draft based on their one-win record in 1973, but they traded the first overall pick—as well as the first pick of the third round, #53 overall—to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for defensive end Tody Smith and wide receiver Billy Parks. Dallas used the two picks to select two future Pro Bowlers, defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones and quarterback Danny White.
This was the first NFL draft since 1938 to not have any quarterbacks taken in the first round, and one of only six. Along with 1988, it is the only draft where no quarterback was taken in the first two rounds, and 1974 is generally regarded as one of the worst quarterback draft classes of all time, with only Danny White and fourth round pick Mike Boryla reaching the Pro Bowl, and even Boryla was out of the NFL by 1978.
In the seventeenth round, the Green Bay Packers selected wide receiver Randy Woodfield of Portland State. Cut in training camp, he later became a convicted serial killer, known as the 'I-5 killer'.
The last remaining active player in the NFL from the 1974 draft class was center Mike Webster, who retired after the 1990 season.

Player selections

Round 1–12

Round 13

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
313Houston OilersDan DixonGuardBoise State
314San Diego ChargersBrian VertefeuilleTackleIdaho State
315New York GiantsDennis ColvinTackleSouthwest Texas State
316Chicago BearsJoe BarnesQuarterbackTexas Tech
317Baltimore ColtsRandy HallDefensive backIdaho
318New York JetsJohn TateLinebackerJackson State
319St. Louis CardinalsJimmy PoulosRunning backGeorgia
320New Orleans SaintsMike TruaxLinebackerTulane
321New England PatriotsPhil BennettRunning backBoston College
322San Francisco 49ersTom OwenQuarterbackWichita State
323Philadelphia EaglesLars DitlevDefensive endSouth Dakota Tech
324Green Bay PackersEmmanuel ArmstrongLinebackerSan Jose State
325Detroit LionsFred RothwellCenterKansas State
326Denver BroncosJohn ClerkleyDefensive tackleFort Valley State
327Cleveland BrownsMike SeifertDefensive endWisconsin
328Kansas City ChiefsNorm RomagnoliLinebackerKentucky State
329Atlanta FalconsRalph PowellRunning backNebraska
330Oakland RaidersMike DenneryLinebackerSouthern Mississippi
331Buffalo BillsEd GatewoodLinebackerTennessee State
332Washington RedskinsStu O'DellLinebackerIndiana
333Pittsburgh SteelersFrank KolchQuarterbackEastern Michigan
334Dallas CowboysFred LimaKickerColorado
335Cincinnati BengalsTed JornovLinebackerIowa State
336Los Angeles RamsPete SolversonTackleDrake
337Minnesota VikingsGary KellerDefensive tackleUtah
338Miami DolphinsClayton HeathRunning backWake Forest

Round 14

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
339Buffalo BillsPhil LammDefensive backNorth Carolina
340New York GiantsMike HayesTackleVirginia State
341San Diego ChargersGreg BaileyDefensive backLong Beach State
342Chicago BearsPaul VellanoDefensive tackleMaryland
343New York JetsGreg FountainGuardMississippi State
344Baltimore ColtsEd CollinsWide receiverRice
345St. Louis CardinalsCharles SmithRunning backYankton
346New England PatriotsCecil BowensRunning backKentucky
347San Francisco 49ersWalt WilliamsonDefensive endMichigan
348New Orleans SaintsKent MarshallDefensive backTexas Christian
349Philadelphia EaglesDave SmithLinebackerOklahoma
350Green Bay PackersAndrew NelomsDefensive tackleKentucky State
351Detroit LionsDavid JonesDefensive backHoward Payne
352Cleveland BrownsBob HuntRunning backHeidelberg
353Kansas City ChiefsFrank PomaricoGuardNotre Dame
354Denver BroncosRich MarksDefensive backNorthern Illinois
355Buffalo BillsPhil GurbadaDefensive backMayville
356Atlanta FalconsJohn GivensGuardVillanova
357Oakland RaidersDon WillinghamRunning backWisconsin–Milwaukee
358Pittsburgh SteelersBruce HenleyDefensive backRice
359Dallas CowboysDoug RichardsDefensive backBrigham Young
360Cincinnati BengalsMike PhillipsTackleCornell
361Washington RedskinsDon Van GalderQuarterbackUtah
362Los Angeles RamsAnanias CarsonWide receiverLangston
363Minnesota VikingsAlan DixonRunning backHarding
364Miami DolphinsSam JohnsonLinebackerArizona State

Round 15

Pick #NFL teamPlayerPositionCollege
365Houston OilersBilly JohnsonWide receiverWidener
366San Diego ChargersCharles AnthonyLinebackerUSC
367New York GiantsLarry JonesWide receiverN.E. Missouri
368Chicago BearsOliver AlexanderTight endGrambling
369Baltimore ColtsPat KellyLinebackerRichmond
370New York JetsWillie BristerTight endSouthern
371St. Louis CardinalsVince AncellDefensive backArkansas State
372San Francisco 49ersLeonard GrayTight endLong Beach State
373New Orleans SaintsLarry CipaQuarterbackMichigan
374New England PatriotsSam HuntLinebackerStephen F. Austin
375Philadelphia EaglesSid BondTackleTexas Christian
376Green Bay PackersDave WannstedtTacklePittsburgh
377Detroit LionsJohn WellsGuardKansas State
378Kansas City ChiefsLem BurnhamLinebackerU.S. International
379Denver BroncosPeil PenningtonQuarterbackMassachusetts
380Cleveland BrownsRansom TerrellLinebackerArizona
381Atlanta FalconsWillie JonesWide receiverIowa State
382Buffalo BillsKen WilliamsLinebackerSouthwestern Louisiana
383Oakland RaidersGreg MathisDefensive backIdaho State
384Dallas CowboysBruce CraftTackleGeneva
385Cincinnati BengalsIsaac JacksonRunning backKansas State
386San Diego ChargersGreg MeczkaTight endBowling Green
387Pittsburgh SteelersLarry HuntDefensive tackleIowa State
388Los Angeles RamsBob ThomasKickerNotre Dame
389Minnesota VikingsKurt WachtlerDefensive tackleSt. John's
390Miami DolphinsLarry GatesDefensive backWestern Michigan