1974 NFL draft explained

1974 NFL draft
Date:	January 29–30, 1974
Time:	10:00am EST
Location:	Americana Hotel in New York City, NY
Network:	no television coverage
League:	NFL
Mr Irrelevant:	Ken Dickerson, DB Miami Dolphins
First:	Ed "Too Tall" Jones, DE Dallas Cowboys
Fewnum:	10
Fewest:	Houston Oilers
Mostnum:	25
Most:	Baltimore Colts
Overall:	442
Rounds:	17
Prev:	1973
Next:	1975

The 1974 NFL draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City, New York, on January 29–30, 1974.^{[1] [2]} Each of the 26 NFL teams were granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks.^[3]

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 (Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster). A fifth Hall of Famer, Donnie Shell, was signed by Pittsburgh after going unselected in the draft.^[4] 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 (Roger Staubach, Mel Renfro, and Bob Hayes.^[5] The Green Bay Packers also selected three Hall of Famers in 1958 (Jim Taylor, Ray Nitschke, and Jerry Kramer).

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.^[6] 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 five. 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 (the first quarterback taken, with the first pick in the third round) and fourth round pick Mike Boryla reaching the Pro Bowl, and even Boryla was out of the NFL by 1978.^[7]

In the seventeenth round, the Green Bay Packers selected wide receiver Randy Woodfield of Portland State (428th overall). Cut in training camp, he later became a convicted serial killer, known as the 'I-5 killer'.^[8]

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

Pro Bowler ^[9]

Hall of Famer

= compensatory selection † = Pro Bowler ‡ = Hall of Famer^[10]

Round thirteen

Pick #	width=40% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	NFL team !	width=20% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Player !	width=13% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Position !	College
313	Houston Oilers	Dan Dixon	Guard	Boise State
314	San Diego Chargers	Brian Vertefeuille	Tackle	Idaho State
315	New York Giants	Dennis Colvin	Tackle	Southwest Texas State
316	Chicago Bears	Joe Barnes	Quarterback	Texas Tech
317	Baltimore Colts	Randy Hall	Defensive back	Idaho
318	New York Jets	John Tate	Linebacker	Jackson State
319	St. Louis Cardinals	Jimmy Poulos	Running back	Georgia
320	New Orleans Saints	Mike Truax	Linebacker	Tulane
321	New England Patriots	Phil Bennett	Running back	Boston College
322	San Francisco 49ers	Tom Owen	Quarterback	Wichita State
323	Philadelphia Eagles	Lars Ditlev	Defensive end	South Dakota Tech
324	Green Bay Packers	Emmanuel Armstrong	Linebacker	San Jose State
325	Detroit Lions	Fred Rothwell	Center	Kansas State
326	Denver Broncos	John Clerkley	Defensive tackle	Fort Valley State
327	Cleveland Browns	Mike Seifert	Defensive end	Wisconsin
328	Kansas City Chiefs	Norm Romagnoli	Linebacker	Kentucky State
329	Atlanta Falcons	Ralph Powell	Running back	Nebraska
330	Oakland Raiders	Mike Dennery	Linebacker	Southern Mississippi
331	Buffalo Bills	Ed Gatewood	Linebacker	Tennessee State
332	Washington Redskins	Stu O'Dell	Linebacker	Indiana
333	Pittsburgh Steelers	Frank Kolch	Quarterback	Eastern Michigan
334	Dallas Cowboys	Fred Lima	Kicker	Colorado
335	Cincinnati Bengals	Ted Jornov	Linebacker	Iowa State
336	Los Angeles Rams	Pete Solverson	Tackle	Drake
337	Minnesota Vikings	Gary Keller	Defensive tackle	Utah
338	Miami Dolphins	Clayton Heath	Running back	Wake Forest

Round fourteen

Pick #	width=40% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	NFL team !	width=20% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Player !	width=13% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Position !	College
339	Buffalo Bills	Phil Lamm	Defensive back	North Carolina
340	New York Giants	Mike Hayes	Tackle	Virginia State
341	San Diego Chargers	Greg Bailey	Defensive back	Long Beach State
342	Chicago Bears	Paul Vellano	Defensive tackle	Maryland
343	New York Jets	Greg Fountain	Guard	Mississippi State
344	Baltimore Colts	Ed Collins	Wide receiver	Rice
345	St. Louis Cardinals	Charles Smith	Running back	Yankton
346	New England Patriots	Cecil Bowens	Running back	Kentucky
347	San Francisco 49ers	Walt Williamson	Defensive end	Michigan
348	New Orleans Saints	Kent Marshall	Defensive back	Texas Christian
349	Philadelphia Eagles	Dave Smith	Linebacker	Oklahoma
350	Green Bay Packers	Andrew Neloms	Defensive tackle	Kentucky State
351	Detroit Lions	David Jones	Defensive back	Howard Payne
352	Cleveland Browns	Bob Hunt	Running back	Heidelberg
353	Kansas City Chiefs	Frank Pomarico	Guard	Notre Dame
354	Denver Broncos	Rich Marks	Defensive back	Northern Illinois
355	Buffalo Bills	Phil Gurbada	Defensive back	Mayville
356	Atlanta Falcons	John Givens	Guard	Villanova
357	Oakland Raiders	Don Willingham	Running back	Wisconsin–Milwaukee
358	Pittsburgh Steelers	Bruce Henley	Defensive back	Rice
359	Dallas Cowboys	Doug Richards	Defensive back	Brigham Young
360	Cincinnati Bengals	Mike Phillips	Tackle	Cornell
361	Washington Redskins	Don Van Galder	Quarterback	Utah
362	Los Angeles Rams	Ananias Carson	Wide receiver	Langston
363	Minnesota Vikings	Alan Dixon	Running back	Harding
364	Miami Dolphins	Sam Johnson	Linebacker	Arizona State

Round fifteen

Pick #	width=40% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	NFL team !	width=20% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Player !	width=13% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Position !	College
365	Houston Oilers	Billy Johnson	Wide receiver	Widener
366	San Diego Chargers	Charles Anthony	Linebacker	USC
367	New York Giants	Larry Jones	Wide receiver	N.E. Missouri
368	Chicago Bears	Oliver Alexander	Tight end	Grambling
369	Baltimore Colts	Pat Kelly	Linebacker	Richmond
370	New York Jets	Willie Brister	Tight end	Southern
371	St. Louis Cardinals	Vince Ancell	Defensive back	Arkansas State
372	San Francisco 49ers	Leonard Gray	Tight end	Long Beach State
373	New Orleans Saints	Larry Cipa	Quarterback	Michigan
374	New England Patriots	Sam Hunt	Linebacker	Stephen F. Austin
375	Philadelphia Eagles	Sid Bond	Tackle	Texas Christian
376	Green Bay Packers	Dave Wannstedt	Tackle	Pittsburgh
377	Detroit Lions	John Wells	Guard	Kansas State
378	Kansas City Chiefs	Lem Burnham	Linebacker	U.S. International
379	Denver Broncos	Peil Pennington	Quarterback	Massachusetts
380	Cleveland Browns	Ransom Terrell	Linebacker	Arizona
381	Atlanta Falcons	Willie Jones	Wide receiver	Iowa State
382	Buffalo Bills	Ken Williams	Linebacker	Southwestern Louisiana
383	Oakland Raiders	Greg Mathis	Defensive back	Idaho State
384	Dallas Cowboys	Bruce Craft	Tackle	Geneva
385	Cincinnati Bengals	Isaac Jackson	Running back	Kansas State
386	San Diego Chargers	Greg Meczka	Tight end	Bowling Green
387	Pittsburgh Steelers	Larry Hunt	Defensive tackle	Iowa State
388	Los Angeles Rams	Bob Thomas	Kicker	Notre Dame
389	Minnesota Vikings	Kurt Wachtler	Defensive tackle	St. John's
390	Miami Dolphins	Larry Gates	Defensive back	Western Michigan

Round sixteen

Pick #	width=40% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	NFL team !	width=20% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Player !	width=13% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Position !	College
391	Houston Oilers	Matthew Williams	Running back	N.E. Louisiana
392	New York Giants	Buddy Brown	Guard	Alabama
393	San Diego Chargers	Neal Skarin	Defensive end	Arizona State
394	Chicago Bears	Randy Geist	Defensive back	Colorado
395	New York Jets	Jazz Jackson	Running back	Western Kentucky
396	Baltimore Colts	Dave Margavage	Tackle	Kentucky
397	St. Louis Cardinals	Alonzo Emery	Running back	Arizona State
398	New Orleans Saints	Don Coleman	Linebacker	Michigan
399	New England Patriots	Lucious Selmon	Defensive tackle	Oklahoma
400	San Francisco 49ers	Jack Conners	Defensive back	Oregon
401	Philadelphia Eagles	Jim Smith	Linebacker	Monmouth
402	Green Bay Packers	Mark Cooney	Linebacker	Colorado
403	Detroit Lions	Myron Wilson	Defensive back	Bowling Green
404	Denver Broncos	Darrell Austin	Tackle	South Carolina
405	Kansas City Chiefs	Barry Beers	Guard	William & Mary
406	Buffalo Bills	Sanford Qvale	Tackle	North Dakota State
407	Cleveland Browns	Preston Anderson	Defensive back	Rice
408	Atlanta Falcons	Sylvester McGee	Running back	Rhode Island
409	Oakland Raiders	Delario Robinson	Wide receiver	Kansas
410	Cincinnati Bengals	Darryl Bishop	Defensive back	Kentucky
411	Washington Redskins	Nate Anderson	Running back	Eastern Illinois
412	Pittsburgh Steelers	Octavus Morgan	Linebacker	Illinois
413	Dallas Cowboys	Gene Killian	Guard	Tennessee
414	Los Angeles Rams	Dave Ottmar	Punter	Stanford
415	Minnesota Vikings	John Goebel	Running back	St. Thomas
416	Miami Dolphins	Jessie Wolf	Defensive tackle	Prairie View A&M

Round seventeen

Pick #	width=40% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	NFL team !	width=20% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Player !	width=13% style="background:#A8BDEC;"	Position !	College
417	Houston Oilers	Bill Hedge	Tackle	Northeast Missouri
418	San Diego Chargers	Charles DeJurnett	Defensive tackle	San Jose State
419	New York Giants	Steve Crosby	Running back	Fort Hays State
420	Chicago Bears	Craig Holland	Quarterback	Texas-Arlington
421	Baltimore Colts	Tim Berra	Wide receiver	Massachusetts
422	New York Jets	Doug Lowrey	Guard	Arkansas State
423	St. Louis Cardinals	John Moseley	Defensive back	Missouri
424	New England Patriots	Gary Hudson	Defensive back	Boston College
425	San Francisco 49ers	Levi Stanley	Guard	Hawaii
426	New Orleans Saints	Marvin Williams	Wide receiver	Western Illinois
427	Philadelphia Eagles	Cliff Brown	Running back	Notre Dame
428	Green Bay Packers	Randy Woodfield	Wide receiver	Portland State
429	Detroit Lions	Collis Temple	Defensive end	Louisiana State
430	Cleveland Browns	Carlton Buchanan	Defensive tackle	SW Oklahoma State
431	Kansas City Chiefs	David Langner	Defensive back	Auburn
432	Denver Broncos	Boyd Brown	Tight end	Alcorn A&M
433	Atlanta Falcons	Al Davis	Guard	Boise State
434	Buffalo Bills	Sal Casola	Kicker	Cincinnati
435	Oakland Raiders	James Morris	Defensive tackle	Missouri Valley College
436	Baltimore Colts	Buzzy Lewis	Defensive back	Florida State
437	Pittsburgh Steelers	Larry Moore	Defensive end	Angelo State
438	Dallas Cowboys	Lawrie Skolrood	Tackle	North Dakota
439	Cincinnati Bengals	Jim Smith	Running back	North Carolina Central
440	Los Angeles Rams	Willie Townsend	Wide receiver	Notre Dame
441	Minnesota Vikings	Earl Garrett	Defensive back	Boston State College
442 ^[11]	Miami Dolphins	Ken Dickerson	Defensive back	Tuskegee

Pro Bowler

Hall of Famer

Notable undrafted players

^†

Pro Bowler

Hall of Famer

Hall of Famers

• Jack Lambert, linebacker from Kent State, taken 2nd round 46th overall by Pittsburgh Steelers

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1990.^[12]

• Mike Webster, center from Wisconsin, taken 5th round 125th overall by Pittsburgh Steelers

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1997.

• Lynn Swann, wide receiver from Southern California, taken 1st round 21st overall by Pittsburgh Steelers

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2001.^[13]

• Dave Casper, tight end from Notre Dame, taken 2nd round 45th overall by Oakland Raiders

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2002.^[13]

• John Stallworth, wide receiver from Alabama A&M, taken 4th round 82nd overall by Pittsburgh Steelers

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2002.^[13]

• Donnie Shell, safety from South Carolina State, undrafted and signed by Pittsburgh Steelers

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2020.^[13]

• Randy Gradishar, linebacker from Ohio State, taken 1st round 14th overall by Denver Broncos

Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2024.^[13]

External links

• NFL.com – 1974 Draft
• databaseFootball.com – 1974 Draft
• Pro Football Hall of Fame

Notes and References

1. Web site: NFL Draft Locations . . October 2, 2014 . FootballGeography.com . October 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905090250/http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-draft-sites/ . September 5, 2015 . dead .
2. News: Salomone . Dan . NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015 . June 3, 2015 . . Giants.com . October 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930065327/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/NFL-Draft-headed-to-Chicago-in-2015/3ac322b1-3b4c-4a16-aba7-6e08d31b1756 . September 30, 2015 . dead .
3. News: Noll Seeks First-Round Draft Ace No. 6. October 25, 2011. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 29, 1974.
4. News: Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class thick with NFL history. Judy. Battista. NFL.com. January 15, 2020. January 15, 2020.
5. Web site: Archer . Todd . Three Hall of Famers make 1964 Cowboys' best draft class . ESPN . 25 April 2016 . 27 January 2022.
6. Web site: Dallas Cowboys.com: Cowboys Top 50 List: No. 26 Ed Too Tall Jones. https://web.archive.org/web/20090720064304/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=F979DBDA-E6DC-62DE-0692F849C18A9EA9. July 20, 2009.
7. Web site: NFL Draft History: Quarterback Draft Class Facts/Figures. ELDORADO.
8. Web site: Randall Woodfield, the I-5 killer, former Green Bay Packer .
9. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
10. Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
11. This last selection is commonly referred to as Mr. Irrelevant.
12. List of 1990s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com ^{Web site: Pro Football Hall of Fame . October 25, 2011.}
13. List of 2000s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com ^{Web site: Pro Football Hall of Fame . October 25, 2011.}