The 1971 NFL draft was held January 28–29, 1971, at the Belmont Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York. The Boston Patriots, who did not officially change their name to New England Patriots until after the draft, used the first overall pick to select quarterback Jim Plunkett, the Heisman Trophy winner. It was the first draft where the first three selections were quarterbacks (Plunkett, Archie Manning, and Dan Pastorini).
During round 17, after Falcons coach Norm Van Brocklin had yelled to his staff "Do we want the roughest, toughest s.o.b. in the draft?!", the team drafted the then-64-year-old actor John Wayne, though saying he was from "Fort Apache State" (Wayne actually played football at USC); NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle rejected the selection.
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 1–10
Round 11
Pick # NFL team Player Position College261Boston PatriotsDan SchneissTight endNebraska262New Orleans SaintsBob PollardDefensive endWeber State263Buffalo BillsAndy BrowderTackleTexas A&I264Philadelphia EaglesAlbert DavisRunning backTennessee State265Houston OilersMacon HughesWide receiverRice266New York JetsVernon StuddardWide receiverMississippi267Atlanta FalconsLarry ShearsDefensive backLincoln (MO)268Pittsburgh SteelersMike WagnerDefensive backWestern Illinois269Denver BroncosRoger RoitschDefensive tackleRice270Chicago BearsCliff HardyDefensive backMichigan State271Green Bay PackersJohn LanierRunning backParsons272Washington RedskinsGeorge StarkeTackleColumbia273San Diego ChargersDon PinsonDefensive backTennessee State274Cleveland BrownsMike SikichGuardNorthwestern275Cincinnati BengalsEdward MarshallWide receiverCameron State276Kansas City ChiefsNate AllenDefensive backTexas Southern277St. Louis CardinalsRick OgleLinebackerColorado278New York GiantsMarshall EllisonGuardDayton279Oakland RaidersJim PostonDefensive tackleSouth Carolina280Los Angeles RamsCharlie RichardsQuarterbackRichmond281Detroit LionsPhil WebbDefensive backColorado State282Miami DolphinsVic SurmaTacklePenn State283San Francisco 49ersJoe ReedQuarterbackMississippi State284Minnesota VikingsMike WalkerLinebackerTulane285Dallas CowboysErnest BonwellDefensive tackleLane (Tenn.)286Baltimore ColtsDave JonesLinebackerBaylor
Round 12
Pick # NFL team Player Position College287Boston PatriotsJohn RodmanTackleNorthwestern288New Orleans SaintsRon GathrightDefensive backMorehead State289Philadelphia EaglesRich SaathoffDefensive endNorthern Arizona290Houston OilersJohn ThompsonGuardMinnesota291Buffalo BillsJim SheffieldKickerTexas A&M292New York JetsRich SowellsDefensive backAlcorn A&M293Atlanta FalconsRonnie LoweWide receiverFt. Valley State294Baltimore ColtsBob WuenschTackleTexas295Denver BroncosFloyd FranksWide receiverMississippi296Green Bay PackersGreg HendrenGuardCalifornia297Washington RedskinsJeff SeversonDefensive backCal State-Long Beach298Chicago BearsSteve BoorasDefensive endMesa Jr. College299San Diego ChargersWesley GarnettWide receiverUtah State300Cleveland BrownsTony BlanchardTight endNorth Carolina301Cincinnati BengalsJames HaydenDefensive endMemphis State302Kansas City ChiefsTony EspositoRunning backPittsburgh303St. Louis CardinalsTim Von DulmQuarterbackPortland State304New York GiantsTom BlanchardKickerOregon305Oakland RaidersHorace JonesDefensive tackleLouisville306Los Angeles RamsKirk BehrendtTackleWhitewater307Miami DolphinsLeroy ByarsRunning backAlcorn A&M308Detroit LionsBill PilconisWide receiverPittsburgh309San Francisco 49ersJim BunchDefensive tackleWisconsin–Platteville310Minnesota VikingsReggie HolmesDefensive backWisconsin–Stout311Dallas CowboysSteve GoepelQuarterbackColgate312Baltimore ColtsBill TriplettWide receiverMichigan State
Round 13
Pick # NFL team Player Position College313Boston PatriotsLewis SwainDefensive backAlabama A&M314New Orleans SaintsDon BurchfieldTight endBall State315Houston OilersJoe HoingGuardArkansas Tech316Buffalo BillsBusty UnderwoodQuarterbackTexas Christian317Philadelphia EaglesDanny LesterDefensive backTexas318New York JetsJohn EggoldDefensive endArizona319Atlanta FalconsDan CrooksDefensive backWisconsin320Pittsburgh SteelersAlfred YoungWide receiverSouth Carolina State321Denver BroncosCraig BlackfordQuarterbackEvansville322Washington RedskinsDan RyczekCenterVirginia323Chicago BearsEd NicholasTackleNorth Carolina State324Green Bay PackersJack MartinRunning backAngelo State325San Diego ChargersSammy MilnerWide receiverMississippi State326Cleveland BrownsThad JamulaTackleLehigh327Cincinnati BengalsDavid KnapmanTight endCentral Washington328Kansas City ChiefsChuck HixsonQuarterbackSouthern Methodist329St. Louis CardinalsJeff AllenDefensive backIowa State330New York GiantsDave RollerDefensive tackleKentucky331Los Angeles RamsRussell HarrisonRunning backKansas State332Detroit LionsDavid AbercrombieRunning backTulane333Miami DolphinsLionel HepburnDefensive backTexas Southern334Oakland RaidersMick NatzelDefensive backCentral Michigan335San Francisco 49ersJohn BullockRunning backPurdue336Minnesota VikingsBenny FryCenterHouston337Dallas CowboysJames FordRunning backTexas Southern338Baltimore ColtsTom NevilleLinebackerYale
Round 14
Pick # NFL team Player Position College339Boston PatriotsAlfred SykesWide receiverFlorida A&M340New Orleans SaintsBobby ScottQuarterbackTennessee341Buffalo BillsJim HootsDefensive endMissouri Southern342Philadelphia EaglesRobert CreechLinebackerTexas Christian343Houston OilersDick AdamsDefensive backMiami (OH)344New York JetsJohn HarpringGuardMichigan345Atlanta FalconsDaryl ComerTight endTexas346Pittsburgh SteelersMcKinney EvansDefensive backNew Mexico Highlands347Chicago BearsWillie LewisRunning backArizona348Green Bay PackersLeRoy SpearsDefensive endMoorhead (MN)349Washington RedskinsBill BynumQuarterbackW. New Mexico350Denver BroncosTommy LyonsCenterGeorgia351San Diego ChargersEdward O'DanielDefensive endTexas Southern352Cleveland BrownsRick KingreaLinebackerTulane353Cincinnati BengalsIrvin MalloryDefensive backVirginia Union354Kansas City ChiefsBruce BergeyDefensive endUCLA355St. Louis CardinalsDoug KlausenTackleArizona356New York GiantsCharlie EvansRunning backUSC357Oakland RaidersTom GipsonDefensive tackleNorth Texas State358Los Angeles RamsLionel ColemanDefensive backOregon359Miami DolphinsDavid VaughnTight endMemphis State360Detroit LionsTom LorenzTight endIowa State361San Francisco 49ersBill DunstanDefensive endUtah State362Minnesota VikingsJim GallagherLinebackerYale363Dallas CowboysTyrone CoveyDefensive backUtah State364Baltimore ColtsMike MikolayunasRunning backDavidson
Round 15
Pick # NFL team Player Position College365Boston PatriotsNick McGarryTight endMassachusetts366New Orleans SaintsBart GravesTackleTulane367Philadelphia EaglesEd FisherGuardPrairie View A&M368Houston OilersAndy HopkinsRunning backStephen F. Austin369Buffalo BillsCharles ColeRunning backToledo370New York JetsDan DychesCenterSouth Carolina371Atlanta FalconsWallace ClarkRunning backAuburn372Pittsburgh SteelersRay MakinGuardKentucky373Denver BroncosLarry JamesRunning backNorfolk State374Green Bay PackersLen GarrettTight endNew Mexico Highlands375Washington RedskinsAnthony ChristnovichGuardLaCrosse (Wisc)376Chicago BearsRon MaciejowskiQuarterbackOhio State377San Diego ChargersEric HumstonLinebackerMuskingum378Cleveland BrownsBill GreenDefensive backWestern Kentucky379Cincinnati BengalsBob ThomasRunning backArizona State380Kansas City ChiefsMike MontgomeryDefensive backSouthwest Texas State381St. Louis CardinalsTed HeiskellRunning backHouston382New York GiantsJim WrightLinebackerNotre Dame383Oakland RaidersAndy GilesDefensive endWilliam & Mary384Los Angeles RamsVontez Norman VIGuardNotre Dame385Detroit LionsEd CoatesWide receiverCentral Missouri386Miami DolphinsBob RichardsGuardCalifornia387San Francisco 49ersJohn LennonTackleColgate388Minnesota VikingsJeff WrightDefensive backMinnesota389Dallas CowboysBob YoungTight endDelaware390Baltimore ColtsMike HoganLinebackerMichigan State
Round 16
Round 17
Pick # NFL team Player Position College417Boston PatriotsRonald LeighDefensive endElizabeth City State418Los Angeles RamsRandy VatahaWide receiverStanford419Buffalo BillsPat MorrisonTight endArkansas420Philadelphia EaglesJohn SageLinebackerLSU421Houston OilersCalvin FoxLinebackerMichigan State422New York JetsGreg FlaskaDefensive endWestern Michigan423Atlanta FalconsWillie MartinRunning backJohnson C. Smith424Pittsburgh SteelersDanny EhleRunning backHoward Payne425Denver BroncosJack SimcsakKickerVirginia Tech426Chicago BearsRay GarganesLinebackerMillersville (PA)427Green Bay PackersMonty JohnsonDefensive backOklahoma428New Orleans SaintsHermann EbenWide receiverOklahoma State429San Diego ChargersChip KellCenterTennessee430Cleveland BrownsLeo DillonCenterDayton431Kansas City ChiefsTravis HillDefensive backPrairie View A&M432Cincinnati BengalsSam PearsonDefensive backWestern Kentucky433St. Louis CardinalsPreston WatkinsWide receiverBluefield (WV)434New York GiantsColeman ZenoWide receiverGrambling435Los Angeles RamsJoe SweetWide receiverTennessee State436Detroit LionsGordon JolleyTackleUtah437Miami DolphinsCurt MarkLinebackerMayville (N.D.)438San Francisco 49ersLeroy CharltonDefensive backFlorida A&M439Minnesota VikingsKen DuncanPunterTulsa440Dallas CowboysJohn BomerCenterMemphis State441Baltimore ColtsDon NottinghamRunning backKent State442This last selection is commonly referred to as Mr. Irrelevant. Oakland RaidersCharles HillWide receiverSam Houston State
Notable undrafted players † = Pro Bowler
Hall of Famers Jack Ham, linebacker from Pennsylvania State, taken 2nd round 34th overall by Pittsburgh Steelers Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1988.List of 1980s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com John Riggins, running back from Kansas, taken 1st round 6th overall by New York Jets Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1992.List of 1990s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com Dan Dierdorf, offensive tackle from Michigan, taken 2nd round 43rd overall by St. Louis Cardinals Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1996. Jack Youngblood, defensive end from Florida, taken 1st round 20th overall by Los Angeles Rams Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2001.List of 2000s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com Harold Carmichael, wide receiver from Southern, taken 7th round 161st overall by Philadelphia Eagles Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2020
References
External links NFL.com – 1971 Draft
Pro Football Hall of Fame 1971 NFL Draft Listing at Pro Football Reference