1966 NFL draft

The 1966 NFL draft was held at the Summit Hotel in New York City on Saturday, November 27, 1965.

The expansion Atlanta Falcons were awarded the first pick in each round as well as the final pick in each of the first five rounds. The first overall selection was Tommy Nobis, a linebacker from Texas. The league also provided the Falcons with an expansion draft six weeks later.

This was the last draft in which the NFL and the AFL selected their players separate of one another. As a result, most players drafted by teams from both leagues chose to play for the more established NFL, but not all. Similar to 1965, the AFL draft was held on the same day. After the merger agreement in June 1966, a common draft was held in March 1967.

Player selections = Pro Bowler Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career.= AFL All-StarPlayers are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star team at any time in their career.= Hall of Famer

Round 1

Pick # NFL team Player Position College1Atlanta FalconsTommy NobisLinebackerTexas2Los Angeles RamsTom MackOffensive tackleMichigan3Pittsburgh SteelersDick LeftridgeRunning backWest Virginia4Philadelphia EaglesRandy BeislerDefensive endIndiana5Dallas CowboysJohn NilandOffensive guardIowa6Washington RedskinsCharlie GogolakKickerPrinceton7Minnesota VikingsJerry ShayOffensive tacklePurdue8St. Louis CardinalsCarl McAdamsLinebackerOklahoma9Green Bay PackersJim GrabowskiRunning back Illinois10New York GiantsFrancis PeayOffensive tackleMissouri11San Francisco 49ersStan HindmanDefensive endOle 'Miss12Chicago BearsGeorge RiceOffensive tackleLSU13Green Bay PackersGale GillinghamGuardMinnesota14Cleveland BrownsMilt MorinTight endUMass15Baltimore ColtsSam BallOffensive tackleKentucky16Atlanta FalconsRandy JohnsonQuarterbackTexas A&I HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame

Round 2

Pick # NFL team Player Position College17Atlanta FalconsNick RassasSafetyNotre Dame18Los Angeles RamsMike GarrettMike Garrett, 1965 Heisman Trophy winner Running backUSC19Pittsburgh SteelersLarry GagnerGuardFlorida20Philadelphia EaglesGary PettigrewDefensive endStanford21Washington RedskinsWalter BarnesTackleNebraska22Dallas CowboysWillie TownesTackleTulsa23St. Louis CardinalsHarold LucasTackleMichigan State24Detroit LionsNick EddyRunning backNotre Dame25New York GiantsDon DavisTackleCal State-Los Angeles26San Francisco 49ersBob WindsorTight endKentucky27Minnesota VikingsJim LindseyRunning backArkansas28Chicago BearsCharlie BrownDefensive backSyracuse29Cleveland BrownsRick NortonQuarterbackKentucky30Green Bay PackersTom CichowskiTackleMaryland31Baltimore ColtsButch AllisonTackleMissouri32Atlanta FalconsJerry JonesTackleBowling Green

Round 3

Pick # NFL team Player Position College33Atlanta FalconsMike DennisRunning backMississippi34Los Angeles RamsDick TysonGuardTulsa35Pittsburgh SteelersPat KillorinCenterSyracuse36Philadelphia EaglesBen HawkinsWide receiverArizona State37San Francisco 49ersAl RandolphRunning backIowa38Washington RedskinsTom BarringtonRunning backOhio State39Detroit LionsBill MalinchakWide receiverIndiana40New York GiantsTom FisherLinebackerTennessee41San Francisco 49ersDan BlandDefensive backMississippi State42Minnesota VikingsDon HansenLinebackerIllinois43St. Louis CardinalsDave LongDefensive endIowa44Chicago BearsBob PickensTackleNebraska45Green Bay PackersFred HeronTackleSan Jose State46Green Bay PackersTony JeterEndNebraska47Baltimore ColtsRick KestnerWide receiverKentucky48Atlanta FalconsPhil SheridanWide receiverNotre Dame

Round 4

Pick # NFL team Player Position College49Atlanta FalconsKen ReavesDefensive backNorfolk State50Los Angeles RamsHenry DyerRunning backGrambling51Chicago BearsRandy JacksonTackleFlorida52Philadelphia EaglesFrank EmanuelLinebackerTennessee53Washington RedskinsBilly ClayDefensive backMississippi54Baltimore ColtsRod ShermanWide receiverUSC55Detroit LionsDoug Van HornGuardOhio State56San Francisco 49ersDon ParkerGuardVirginia57Minnesota VikingsRon AcksDefensive backIllinois58St. Louis CardinalsGary SnookQuarterbackIowa59Detroit LionsWillie WalkerWide receiverTennessee State60Chicago BearsDoug BuffoneLinebackerLouisville61Cleveland BrownsPete DurankoDefensive endNotre Dame62Green Bay PackersJohn RoderickWide receiverSouthern Methodist63Baltimore ColtsHoyle GrangerRunning backMississippi State64Atlanta FalconsWillie AsburyRunning backKent State

Round 5

Pick # NFL team Player Position College65Atlanta FalconsBill WolskiRunning backNotre Dame66Los Angeles RamsDiron TalbertTackleTexas67Detroit LionsBill CodyLinebackerAuburn68Philadelphia EaglesDan BerryRunning backCalifornia69San Francisco 49ersMel PhillipsDefensive backNorth Carolina A&T70Washington RedskinsDick LeMayTackleVanderbilt71San Francisco 49ersSteve SmithWide receiverMichigan72Minnesota VikingsDoug DavisTackleKentucky73St. Louis CardinalsJack ClancyWide receiverMichigan74Cleveland BrownsRandy SchultzRunning backNorthern Iowa75New York GiantsBill BriggsDefensive endIowa76Minnesota VikingsBob HallDefensive backBrown77Los Angeles RamsDick ArndtTackleIdaho78Cleveland BrownsDan FulfordWide receiverAuburn79Dallas CowboysWalt GarrisonRunning backOklahoma State80Atlanta FalconsMartin KahnTackleNorth Texas State

Round 6

Pick # NFL team Player Position College81Atlanta FalconsCharley CaseyWide receiverFlorida82Los Angeles RamsBruce AndersonTackleWillamette83Minnesota VikingsWilbur AylorTackleSouthwest Texas State84Philadelphia EaglesBob SherlagDefensive backMemphis State85Chicago BearsDennis BrewsterTackleBrigham Young86Dallas CowboysBob DunlevyWide receiverWest Virginia87Detroit LionsWayne DeSutterTackleWestern Illinois88St. Louis CardinalsTim Van GalderQuarterbackIowa State89Philadelphia EaglesMel TomLinebackerSan Jose State90Cleveland BrownsJim BattleDefensive endSouthern91San Francisco 49ersCharlie JohnsonDefensive tackleLouisville92Chicago BearsFranklin McRaeDefensive tackleTennessee State93Cleveland BrownsFred HoaglinCenterPittsburgh94Washington RedskinsEarl YatesTackleDuke95Baltimore ColtsStas MaliszewskiLinebackerPrinceton

Round 7

Pick # NFL team Player Position College96Atlanta FalconsWilliam JohnsonRunning backUniversity of the South97Los Angeles RamsGeorge YoungbloodDefensive backCal State-Los Angeles98Pittsburgh SteelersEmerson BoozerRunning backMaryland-Eastern Shore99Philadelphia EaglesDavid LinceTackleNorth Dakota100Dallas CowboysArt RobinsonWide receiverFlorida A&M101Washington RedskinsGeorge PattonTackleGeorgia102St. Louis CardinalsCharley ArkwrightTackleGeorgia103Detroit LionsJohnnie RobinsonWide receiverTennessee State104New York GiantsPhil HarrisRunning backTexas105Baltimore ColtsDave EllisDefensive endNorth Carolina State106Minnesota VikingsBob MeersEndMassachusetts107Chicago BearsRon MeyerQuarterbackSouth Dakota State108Green Bay PackersRay MillerDefensive endIdaho109Cleveland BrownsLeroy CarterWide receiverGrambling110Baltimore ColtsRay PerkinsWide receiverAlabama

Round 8

Pick # NFL team Player Position College111Atlanta FalconsBill GossLinebackerTulane112Los Angeles RamsVilnis EzerinsRunning backWisconsin–Whitewater113New York GiantsCharlie HarperTackleOklahoma State114Philadelphia EaglesJohn MasonEndStanford115Washington RedskinsStan MitchellRunning backTennessee116Dallas CowboysDon KunitRunning backPenn State117Detroit LionsJohn PincavageRunning backVirginia118New York GiantsBill MatanWide receiverKansas State119San Francisco 49ersDick WitcherWide receiverUCLA120Baltimore ColtsJerry AllenRunning backNebraska-Omaha121St. Louis CardinalsDan GoichEndCalifornia122Chicago BearsDoug McFallsDefensive backGeorgia123Cleveland BrownsTom TalagaWide receiverNotre Dame124Green Bay PackersKen McLeanWide receiverTexas A&M125Baltimore ColtsJack WhiteQuarterbackPenn State

Round 9

Pick # NFL team Player Position College126Atlanta FalconsBob SandersCenterNorth Texas State127Los Angeles RamsBurton MatthiesRunning backWayne State128Pittsburgh SteelersDale StewartDefensive endPittsburgh129Philadelphia EaglesJim ToddRunning backBall State130Dallas CowboysDarrell ElamWide receiverWest Virginia Tech131Washington RedskinsJack ShinholserLinebackerFlorida State132New York GiantsFreeman WhiteWide receiverNebraska133San Francisco 49ersKent KramerWide receiverMinnesota134Minnesota VikingsRon GreenWide receiverNorth Dakota135St. Louis CardinalsCharlie BryantWide receiverAllen136Detroit LionsDick CunninghamGuardArkansas137Chicago BearsFritz GreenleeWide receiverNorthern Arizona138Green Bay PackersRon RectorRunning backNorthwestern139Cleveland BrownsJack GregoryDefensive endDelta State140Baltimore ColtsJerry GrossRunning backAuburn

Round 10

Pick # NFL team Player Position College141Atlanta FalconsMike BenderGuardArkansas142Los Angeles RamsMike CapshawTackleAbilene Christian143Pittsburgh SteelersJerry MarionDefensive backWyoming144Philadelphia EaglesJohn OsmondCenterTulsa145Washington RedskinsCaesar BelserDefensive backArkansas-Pine Bluff146Dallas CowboysMason MitchellRunning backWashington147San Francisco 49ersRon SbrantiDefensive endUtah State148Detroit LionsBruce YatesTackleAuburn149St. Louis CardinalsMike RingerRunning backOklahoma150Detroit LionsTom BrighamDefensive endWisconsin151New York GiantsJeff SmithLinebackerUSC152Chicago BearsBobby BurnettRunning backArkansas153Cleveland BrownsMonte LedbetterWide receiverNorthwestern State (LA)154Green Bay PackersSam MontgomeryDefensive endSouthern155Baltimore ColtsClaude BrownleeDefensive endBenedictine

Round 11

Pick # NFL team Player Position College156Atlanta FalconsSteve SloanQuarterbackAlabama157Los Angeles RamsDarrell HooverRunning backArizona158Pittsburgh SteelersCharley WashingtonRunning backGrambling159Philadelphia EaglesWelford WaltonDefensive endNevada-Reno160Dallas CowboysAustin DenneyWide receiverTennessee161Washington RedskinsDick RedingWide receiverNorthwestern State (LA)162Minnesota VikingsStan QuintanaDefensive backNew Mexico163St. Louis CardinalsBobby WilliamsRunning backCentral State (OK)164Detroit LionsJack O'BillovichLinebackerOregon State165New York GiantsCliff WilderWide receiverIowa166San Francisco 49ersPreston RidlehuberRunning backGeorgia167Chicago BearsTerry OwensWide receiverJacksonville State168Green Bay PackersRalph WenzelGuardSan Diego State169Cleveland BrownsTony FireTackleBowling Green170Baltimore ColtsEric CrabtreeWide receiverPittsburgh

Round 12

Pick # NFL team Player Position College171Atlanta FalconsKen HollisterTackleIndiana172Los Angeles RamsGeorge ClaytonDefensive backFairmont State173Dallas CowboysLes ShyDefensive backLong Beach State174Philadelphia EaglesBruce Van DykeGuardMissouri175Washington RedskinsJohn StipechLinebackerUtah176Dallas CowboysCraig BaynhamRunning backGeorgia Tech177St. Louis CardinalsRickey JohnsonTackleClemson178Detroit LionsRandy WinklerTackleTarleton State179New York GiantsKen AveryLinebackerSouthern Mississippi180San Francisco 49ersLyle LoebachTackleSimpson181Minnesota VikingsBob PetrellaDefensive backTennessee182Chicago BearsWayne PageDefensive endClemson183Cleveland BrownsRich CzapTackleNebraska184Green Bay PackersJim MankinsRunning backFlorida State185Baltimore ColtsJim CarerGuardTennessee State

Round 13