1981 NFL draft
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox sports draft The 1981 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held during April 28–29, 1981, at the New York Sheraton Hotel in New York City.[1][2] The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.
For the first time, the top two picks of the draft, running back George Rogers selected by the New Orleans Saints and linebacker Lawrence Taylor picked by the New York Giants, were named Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, respectively.
Player selections
| = Pro Bowler [3] | = Hall of Famer |
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Supplemental draft
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Hall of Famers
- Mike Singletary, linebacker from Baylor, taken 2nd round 38th overall by the Chicago Bears
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1998.[5]
- Lawrence Taylor, linebacker from North Carolina, taken 1st round 2nd overall by the New York Giants
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1999.[5]
- Ronnie Lott, cornerback from Southern California, taken 1st round 8th overall by the San Francisco 49ers
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2000.[6]
- Howie Long, defensive tackle from Villanova, taken 2nd round 48th overall by the Oakland Raiders
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2000.[6]
- Rickey Jackson, linebacker from Pittsburgh, taken 2nd round 51st overall by the New Orleans Saints
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2010.[7]
- Russ Grimm, offensive guard from Pittsburgh, taken 3rd round 69th overall by the Washington Redskins
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2010.[7]
- Kenny Easley, safety from UCLA, taken 1st round 4th overall by the Seattle Seahawks
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2017.
- Sam Mills, linebacker from Montclair State, signed undrafted by the Cleveland Browns
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2022 (posthumous).
Notable undrafted players
| † | = Pro Bowler[3] | = Hall of Famer |
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References
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
- ↑ Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- ↑ a b List of 1990s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b List of 2000s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010 announced Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".