Twitter
    Sportspress Northwest
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • NCAA
    • Hockey
    • Soccer
    • Basketball
    Twitter
    Sportspress Northwest
    Twitter
    Home » Nobody Asks But Us: Hall of Famers & the draft
    Uncategorized

    Nobody Asks But Us: Hall of Famers & the draft

    Steve RudmanBy Steve RudmanApril 27, 2011No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn Email

    Terry Bradshaw was one of two future Hall of Famers picked by Pittsburgh in 1979. / Wikimedia Commons

    The National Football League held its first college draft in 1933. Since then, which team had the best single draft, and has there ever been an instance in which a team selected two future Hall of Fame players in the same draft?

    Several teams grabbed two future Hall of Famers in the same body snatch, but it hasn’t occurred in quite a while. Back in 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers, about to launch a mini dynasty, selected quarterback Terry Bradshaw in the first round (First overall) and cornerback Mel Blount in the third round (53rd overall). That gave the Steelers a leg up on winning four Super Bowls over the next decade.

    But the best draft, by far, came in 1974, again orchestrated by the Steelers. That year, Pittsburgh selected four players who would go on to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame (and help the Steelers win the last two of the four Super Bowls).

    Pittsburgh took wide receiver Lynn Swann at No. 21 overall in the first round, linebacker Jack Lambert (coached at Kent State by Don James) at No. 46 overall in the second round, wide receiver John Stallworth 82nd overall in the fourth round, and center Mike Webster at 125th overall in the fifth round.

    Between 1969 and 1974, Pittsburgh selected nine players who would one day deliver a speech in Canton, Ohio. In the 36 NFL drafts since 1974, the Steelers have drafted just one future Hall of Famer, Rod Woodson in 1987.

    On more than one occasion, a team drafted two future Hall of Famers, and never received the benefit of either of them. Ponder the fate of the 1964 Buffalo Bills. Then an American Football League franchise, the Bills selected defensive end Carl Eller and defensive back Paul Krause that year. Eller (elected to the Hall of Fame in 2004) snubbed the Bills and signed with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. Krause (elected to the Hall of Fame in 1998) also rejected the Bills, opting to play for the Washington Redskins.

    That same year, the AFL’s Denver Broncos selected Paul Krause (Hall of Fame, 1998) and wide receiver (and Olympic gold medalist) Bob Hayes. Krause went to Washington and Hayes signed with the Dallas Cowboys.

    Among the teams that picked two future Hall of Famers in the same draft, our favorite is the 1965 Bears. That year, Chicago took running back Gale Sayers with the first overall pick and linebacker Dick Butkus. Teams selecting two or more future Hall of Famers in the same draft:

    Year Team Player//HOF Player Player Player Total
    1974 Steelers Lynn Swann (2001) Jack Lambert (1990) John Stallworth (2002) Mike Webster (1997) 4
    1957 Browns Jim Brown (1971) Henry Jordan (1995) Gene Hickerson (2007) 3
    1936 Bears Dan Fortman (1965) Joe Stydahar (1967) 2
    1945 Browns Elroy Hirsch (1968) Tom Fears (1970) 2
    1956 Packers Bart Starr (1977) Forrest Gregg (1977) 2
    1957 Eagles Tommy McDonald (1998) Sonny Jurgensen (1983) 2
    1958 Packers Jim Taylor (1976) Ray Nitschke (1978) 2
    1964 Texans Bobby Bell (1983) Buck Buchanon (1990) 2
    1964 Bills Carl Eller (2004) Paul Warfield

    (1983)

    2
    1964 Redskins Charley Taylor (1984) Paul Krause (1998) 2
    1964 Browns Paul Warfield (1983) Leroy Kelly (1994) 2
    1964 Oilers Charley Taylor (1984) Dave Wilcox (2000) 2
    1964 Broncos Paul Krause (1998) Bob Hayes (2009) 2
    1965 Bears Gale Sayers (1970) Dick Butkus (1979) 2
    1970 Steelers Terry Bradshaw (1989) Mel Blount (1989) 2
    Share. Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn Email

    Related Posts

    Is DeBoer ‘special’? Only if he gets Huskies their money

    November 30, 2021

    Wilson has lots of time, as long as he doesn’t have to do it all

    September 10, 2021

    Kraken’s coach took the hard way to Seattle

    June 25, 2021

    Comments are closed.

    • Follow @Art_Thiel on Twitter
    Use our affiliate link on Amazon

    Subscribe to Our Weekly Roundup

    Get the top stories sent to your inbox every Thursday.

    Art Thiel on KNKX 88.5FM

    Kirsten Kendrick's Q. & A. with Thiel can be heard every Friday during Morning Edition at 5:45am and 7:45am and again that same day on All Things Considered at 4:44pm. It also airs Saturday at 9:35am.

    Listen now!
    Latest Posts

    A few musings about sports journalism as the unwinding begins

    February 18, 2022

    Carroll’s staff makeover seeks to get Wilson back in the game

    February 16, 2022

    Arizona loss unmasks truths about Hopkins, UW hoops

    February 15, 2022

    Rams win a survivors contest called the Super Bowl

    February 14, 2022
    Twitter
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • NCAA
    • Hockey
    • Soccer
    • Basketball
    © 2023 Sportspress Northwest

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.