The 1970 NFL draft was the 35th National Football League draft and the first of the league's modern era, following the merger of the National Football League with the American Football League. It was held on January 27–28, 1970, at the Belmont Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York.
The first overall pick of the draft was quarterback Terry Bradshaw from Louisiana Tech University, who was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers (after winning a coin flip with the Chicago Bears, who had the same record as Pittsburgh). Bradshaw was one of two future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees drafted by the Steelers; the other being Mel Blount from Southern University in Round 3.
The last remaining active player from the 1970 draft class was kicker Mark Moseley, who played his final NFL game in the 1986 season, although he was absent in 1973.
Player selections * = compensatory selection † = Pro BowlerPlayers are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career. ‡= Hall of FamerPlayers are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Round 1–12
Round 13
Pick # NFL team Player Position College313Pittsburgh SteelersBilly MainRunning backOregon State314Chicago BearsJimmy GunnLinebackerUSC315Miami DolphinsDave BuddingtonRunning backSpringfield (Mass.)316Boston PatriotsRonnie ShellyDefensive backTroy State317Buffalo BillsSteve SchroederKickerPacific318Philadelphia EaglesRichard StevensOffensive tackleBaylor319Cincinnati BengalsPaul DunnWide receiverU.S. International320St. Louis CardinalsJack ThomasGuardMississippi State321San Francisco 49ersJim VandersliceLinebackerTexas Christian322New Orleans SaintsRalph MillerTight endAlabama State323Denver BroncosJim McKoyDefensive backParsons (Iowa)324Atlanta FalconsRich StepanekDefensive tackleIowa325New York GiantsGary InskeepTackleWisconsin–Stout326Houston OilersJess LewisLinebackerOregon State327San Diego ChargersBernard BradleyDefensive backUtah State328Green Bay PackersDave SmithRunning backUtah329Washington RedskinsJoe PattersonTackleLawrence330Baltimore ColtsDave PolakLinebackerBowling Green331Detroit LionsDave HaverdickDefensive tackleMorehead State332New York JetsWalter GrothDefensive tackleBaylor333Cleveland BrownsLarry RobertsRunning backCentral Missouri State334Los Angeles RamsMelvin JonesWide receiverFlorida A&M335Dallas CowboysMark WashingtonCornerbackMorgan State336Oakland RaidersDon HighsmithRunning backMichigan State337Minnesota VikingsRobert PearceDefensive backStephen F. Austin338Kansas City ChiefsTroy PatridgeDefensive endTexas-Arlington
Round 14
Pick # NFL team Player Position College339Chicago BearsJim MorganWide receiverHenderson State340Pittsburgh SteelersBert AsksonLinebackerTexas Southern341Miami DolphinsGary BrackettGuardHoly Cross342Buffalo BillsWilliam CostenTackleMorris Brown343Boston PatriotsGarvie CrawRunning backMichigan344Cincinnati BengalsJoe JohnsonWide receiverJohnson C. Smith345St. Louis CardinalsRay GrothWide receiverUtah346Philadelphia EaglesMark MoseleyKickerStephen F. Austin347San Francisco 49ersJack KingGuardClemson348New Orleans SaintsDoug SutherlandDefensive endWisconsin–Superior349Denver BroncosJeff SlippLinebackerBrigham Young350New York GiantsRodney BrandCenterArkansas351Atlanta FalconsChuck WaldWide receiverNorth Dakota State352Houston OilersClaire RasmussenGuardWisconsin–Oshkosh353Green Bay PackersBob LintsGuardEastern Michigan354San Diego ChargersTyrone CaldwellDefensive tackleSouth Carolina State355Washington RedskinsTony MoroRunning backDayton356Baltimore ColtsTom CurtisDefensive backMichigan357Detroit LionsCharlie BrownWide receiverNorthern Arizona358New York JetsJohn LittleLinebackerOklahoma State359Cleveland BrownsJim TharpeLinebackerLincoln (MO)360Los Angeles RamsBob GeddesLinebackerUCLA361Dallas CowboysJulian MartinWide receiverNorth Carolina Central362Oakland RaidersDon RileyKickerAuburn363Minnesota VikingsTommy SpinksWide receiverLouisiana Tech364Kansas City ChiefsGlenn DumontRunning backAmerican International
Round 15
Pick # NFL team Player Position College365Pittsburgh SteelersGlen KeppyDefensive tackleWisconsin–Platteville366Chicago BearsPhil AbrairaDefensive backFlorida State367Miami DolphinsPat HauserWide receiverEast Tennessee State368Boston PatriotsKent SchoolfieldWide receiverFlorida A&M369Buffalo BillsDave FarrisTight endCentral Michigan370St. Louis CardinalsRon WilsonWide receiverWestern Illinois371Philadelphia EaglesJohn CarlosWide receiverSan Jose State372Cincinnati BengalsMarvin WeeksDefensive backAlcorn A&M373San Francisco 49ersDave DelsignoreWide receiverYoungstown State374New Orleans SaintsJim VestDefensive endWashington State375Denver BroncosMaher BarakatKickerSouth Dakota Tech376Atlanta FalconsKeith MauneyDefensive backPrinceton377New York GiantsWarren MuirRunning backSouth Carolina378Houston OilersDavid SharpTackleStanford379San Diego ChargersEugene ChildsRunning backTexas-El Paso380Green Bay PackersMike CarterWide receiverSacramento State381Washington RedskinsVic LewandowskiCenterHoly Cross382Baltimore ColtsPhillip GaryDefensive endKentucky State383Detroit LionsBob HaneyTackleIdaho384New York JetsTom BaylessDefensive tacklePurdue385Cleveland BrownsGuy HomolyDefensive backIllinois State386Los Angeles RamsDag AzamGuardWest Texas State387Dallas CowboysKen DeLongTight endTennessee388Oakland RaidersFred MooreWide receiverWashington State389Minnesota VikingsBennie FrancisDefensive endChadron St. (Neb.)390Kansas City ChiefsBob LiggettDefensive tackleNebraska
Round 16
Pick # NFL team Player Position College391Chicago BearsRobert HelterbranGuardNorth Texas State392Pittsburgh SteelersFrank YanossyDefensive tackleTennessee393Miami DolphinsCharles WilliamsGuardTennessee State394Buffalo BillsLarry DavisWide receiverRice395Boston PatriotsOtis McDanielDefensive endTuskegee396Philadelphia EaglesTuufuli UperesaTackleMontana397Cincinnati BengalsLarry ElyLinebackerIowa398St. Louis CardinalsGary FowlerRunning backCalifornia399San Francisco 49ersScott PerkinsDefensive backLivingstone (N.C.)400New Orleans SaintsCliff GasperDefensive tackleGrambling401Denver BroncosBob StewartQuarterbackNorthern Arizona402New York GiantsVic NoltingDefensive backXavier403Atlanta FalconsSteve ParnellWide receiverMassachusetts404Houston OilersChris MyersWide receiverKenyon405Green Bay PackersJim HeacockDefensive backMuskingum406San Diego ChargersMike GreenRunning backNebraska407Washington RedskinsSteve BushoreWide receiverEmporia State408Baltimore ColtsJack MaitlandRunning backWilliams409Detroit LionsJerry ToddDefensive backMemphis State410New York JetsClaude HerardDefensive tackleMississippi411Cleveland BrownsJohn RedebaughTight endBemidji State412Los Angeles RamsRoland ReichardtKickerWest Texas State413Dallas CowboysSeabern HillDefensive backArizona State414Oakland RaidersTim RothDefensive backSouth Dakota State415Minnesota VikingsBruce CeroneWide receiverEmporia State416Kansas City ChiefsRandy RossLinebackerKansas State
Round 17
Pick # NFL team Player Position College417Pittsburgh SteelersHarry KeyTight endMississippi Valley State418Chicago BearsJoe BrunsonDefensive tackleFurman419Miami DolphinsGeorge MylesDefensive tackleMorris Brown420Boston PatriotsJoe KillingsworthWide receiverOklahoma421Buffalo BillsGeorge BevanLinebackerLSU422Cincinnati BengalsRichard SmithRunning backWashington State423St. Louis CardinalsCliff PowellLinebackerArkansas424Philadelphia EaglesMike SizeloveTight endIdaho425San Francisco 49ersMike CultonPunterLaVerne426New Orleans SaintsDoug WyattDefensive backTulsa427Denver BroncosFrank KalfossKickerMontana State428Atlanta FalconsBill BellKickerKansas429New York GiantsWalter BreauxDefensive tackleGrambling430Houston OilersJulian FaganPunterMississippi431San Diego ChargersDavid SanksGuardLouisville432Green Bay PackersLarry KrauseRunning backSt. Norbert433Washington RedskinsEarl MaxfieldDefensive tackleBaylor434Baltimore ColtsAlvin PearmanWide receiverColgate435Detroit LionsJim MarshallDefensive tackleCentenary436New York JetsDick BeardRunning backKentucky437Cleveland BrownsCharles TabbRunning backMcMurry438Los Angeles RamsDon CrenshawDefensive backUSC439Dallas CowboysGlenn PattersonCenterNebraska440Oakland RaidersEric StolbergWide receiverIndiana441Minnesota VikingsBrian HealyDefensive backMichigan442Kansas City ChiefsRayford JenkinsDefensive backAlcorn A&M
Notable undrafted players † Pro Bowler ‡ Hall of Famer
Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw, quarterback from Louisiana Tech, taken 1st round 1st overall by Pittsburgh Steelers Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1989. Mel Blount, cornerback from Southern, taken 3rd round 53rd overall by Pittsburgh Steelers Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1989. Jim Langer, offensive lineman from South Dakota State, undrafted and signed by Miami Dolphins Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1987. Cliff Harris, safety from Ouachita Baptist College, undrafted and signed by Dallas Cowboys Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2020.
Notes
References
External links NFL.com – 1970 Draft
Pro Football Hall of Fame 1970 NFL Draft Listing at Pro Football Reference