The 1972 NFL draft was the 37th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft was held on February 1 and 2 at the Essex House in New York City, New York.
With the first overall pick of the draft, the Buffalo Bills selected defensive end Walt Patulski. Patulski would become viewed as a draft bust, after the Bills released him in 1976 — coincidentally replacing Patuski with second overall choice Sherman White of California. NFL historians have frequently described 1972 as one of the league's worst draft classes ever, especially regarding the failure of the majority of 1st round draftees, which has become viewed worse than other notably weak drafts like 2002 and 2009. Only seven of 26 first rounders made the Pro Bowl in their career, and the whole 1972 draft produced just two Hall of Fame members, one of whom, wide receiver Cliff Branch, was inducted posthumously. This was the fewest of any draft class since the 1959 draft, which had only Dick LeBeau enshrined in Canton.
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 1–9
Round 10
Pick # NFL team Player Position College235Buffalo BillsMaurice TylerDefensive backMorgan State236New York GiantsJohn OdomDefensive backTexas Tech237Cincinnati BengalsBrian FosterDefensive backColorado238St. Louis CardinalsEric WashingtonDefensive backTexas-El Paso239Denver BroncosRichard WilkinsDefensive endMaryland State240Houston OilersRhett DawsonWide receiverFlorida State241New Orleans SaintsAndy KuppGuardIdaho242Green Bay PackersKeith WortmanGuardNebraska243Pittsburgh SteelersBob BrownDefensive tackleTampa244New York JetsHarley TurnerDefensive backTennessee-Chattanooga245New England PatriotsMel CarawayDefensive backN.E. Oklahoma246San Diego ChargersLon KolstadLinebackerWhitewater (Wis)247Chicago BearsJack TurnbullCenterOregon State248Philadelphia Eagles John Bunting LinebackerNorth Carolina249Detroit LionsJim TealLinebackerPurdue250St. Louis CardinalsMike FranksQuarterbackEastern New Mexico251Los Angeles RamsJim MasseyDefensive backLinfield252San Francisco 49ersSteve WilliamsDefensive tackleWestern Carolina253Cleveland BrownsHershal MosierDefensive tackleN.W. Oklahoma254Oakland RaidersPhillip PriceDefensive backIdaho State255Washington RedskinsMike OldhamWide receiverMichigan256Baltimore ColtsDave ShillingRunning backOregon State257Kansas City ChiefsRich RuppertTackleHawaii258Minnesota VikingsWillie AldridgeRunning backSouth Carolina State259Houston OilersJimmy ButlerTight endTulsa260Dallas CowboysRichard AmmanDefensive tackleFlorida State
Round 11
Pick # NFL team Player Position College261Cincinnati BengalsKent PedersonTight endCalifornia-Santa Barbara262New York GiantsJohn RobertsonDefensive backKansas State263Denver BroncosLarry BrunsonWide receiverColorado264Houston OilersRon EvansTackleBaylor265St. Louis CardinalsRon JonesLinebackerArkansas266Green Bay PackersDavid BaileyWide receiverAlabama267New Orleans SaintsPaul DongieuxLinebackerMississippi268New York JetsRobert StevensonLinebackerTennessee State269New England PatriotsRodney CasonTackleAngelo State270San Diego ChargersJohn TurnerTight endLong Beach State271Buffalo BillsBill LightLinebackerMinnesota272Chicago BearsEd WimberlyDefensive backJackson State273Pittsburgh SteelersJoe GilliamQuarterbackTennessee State274Philadelphia EaglesDennis SweeneyDefensive endWestern Michigan275Atlanta FalconsJack PhillipsWide receiverGrambling276Detroit LionsBob WaldronDefensive tackleTulane277Oakland RaidersJoe CarrollLinebackerPittsburgh278Cleveland BrownsMel LongLinebackerToledo279San Francisco 49ersTom LaputkaDefensive endSouthern Illinois280Los Angeles RamsAlbert SchmidtRunning backPittsburg State (KS)281Washington RedskinsJeff WelchDefensive backArkansas Tech282Baltimore ColtsFred DeBernardiDefensive endTexas-El Paso283Kansas City ChiefsElbert WalkerTackleWisconsin284Minnesota VikingsWillie McKeltonDefensive backSouthern285Miami DolphinsEd JenkinsWide receiverHoly Cross286Dallas CowboysLonnie LeonardDefensive endNorth Carolina A&T
Round 12
Pick # NFL team Player Position College287Buffalo BillsJeff BakerWide receiverU.S. International288New York GiantsJay AndersonDefensive tackleMayville289Cincinnati BengalsFrederick WegisDefensive backCal Poly-San Luis Obispo290Houston OilersWillie RodgersRunning backKentucky State291St. Louis CardinalsTommy GayDefensive tackleArkansas AM&N292Denver BroncosRandy McDougallDefensive backWeber State293New Orleans SaintsSteve LockhartTight endArkansas State294Green Bay PackersMike RichRunning backFlorida295San Diego ChargersSam KeyLinebackerElon296New England PatriotsSteve BoorasDefensive endMesa Jr. College297Chicago BearsDoug NeillRunning backTexas A&M298Pittsburgh SteelersRon CurlTackleMichigan State299New York JetsJohn BjorklundRunning backPrinceton300Philadelphia EaglesDon ZimmermanWide receiverN.E. Louisiana301Detroit LionsPaul BradleyWide receiverSouthern Methodist302Atlanta FalconsLarry MialikTight endWisconsin303Los Angeles RamsDavid HootDefensive backTexas A&M304San Francisco 49ersSteve SetzlerDefensive endSt. John's305Cleveland BrownsBernard ChapmanDefensive backTexas-El Paso306Oakland RaidersKent GaydosTight endFlorida State307Washington RedskinsDon BunceQuarterbackStanford308Baltimore ColtsGary TheilerTight endTennessee309Kansas City ChiefsMike WilliamsDefensive tackleOregon310Minnesota VikingsBob BanaughDefensive backMontana State311Miami DolphinsAshley BellTight endPurdue312Dallas CowboysJimmy HarrisWide receiverOhio State
Round 13
Pick # NFL team Player Position College313Buffalo BillsEd MossRunning backSoutheast Missouri State314Cincinnati BengalsJames HamiltonQuarterbackArkansas State315New York GiantsChuck HeardDefensive endGeorgia316St. Louis CardinalsTom CampanaDefensive backOhio State317Denver BroncosBob WarnerRunning backBloomsburg (PA)318Houston OilersWillie RobertsDefensive backHouston319Green Bay PackersJesse LakesRunning backCentral Michigan320New Orleans SaintsCephus WeatherspoonWide receiverFort Lewis321San Diego ChargersAndy SelfridgeLinebackerVirginia322Chicago BearsJay RoodTackleSouthern (S.D.)323Pittsburgh SteelersErnie MesmerTackleVillanova324New York JetsSteve SullivanTackleNorth Texas State325New England PatriotsSam ElmoreDefensive backEastern Michigan326Philadelphia EaglesPreston CarpenterDefensive endMississippi327Atlanta FalconsHenry SovioTight endHawaii328Detroit LionsJohn KirschnerTight endMemphis State329Los Angeles RamsJaime NunezKickerWeber State330Cleveland BrownsBrian SipeQuarterbackSan Diego State331San Francisco 49ersLeon PettigrewTackleSan Fernando Valley332Washington RedskinsFrank GrantWide receiverSouthern Colorado333Oakland RaidersTed CovingtonWide receiverSan Fernando Valley334Baltimore ColtsHerb WashingtonWide receiverMichigan State335Kansas City ChiefsTyler HellamsDefensive backSouth Carolina336Minnesota VikingsFranklin RobertsRunning backAlcorn A&M337Miami DolphinsArchie RobinsonDefensive backHillsdale338Dallas CowboysJean FugettTight endAmherst
Round 14
Pick # NFL team Player Position College339New York GiantsJames EvansLinebackerSouth Carolina State340Buffalo BillsKarl SalbDefensive tackleKansas341Cincinnati BengalsSteve PorterWide receiverIndiana342Denver BroncosJerome KundichGuardTexas-El Paso343Houston OilersGary CrockettCenterLamar344St. Louis CardinalsPat McTeerKickerNew Mexico State345New Orleans SaintsSteve BarriosWide receiverTulane346Green Bay PackersLarry HefnerLinebackerClemson347Chicago BearsBob BrownWide receiverRice348Pittsburgh SteelersTom DurranceRunning backFlorida349New York JetsLouis AgeGuardSouthwestern Louisiana350New England PatriotsEd RideoutWide receiverBoston College351San Diego ChargersJohn Van ReenenDefensive endWashington State352Philadelphia EaglesBill OvermyerLinebackerAshland353Detroit LionsEric KelleyTackleWhitworth354Atlanta FalconsTom ChandlerLinebackerMinnesota355Los Angeles RamsLarry BrooksDefensive endVirginia State356San Francisco 49ersEric GuthrieQuarterbackBoise State357Cleveland BrownsEd StewartGuardEast Central Oklahoma358Oakland RaidersDennis CambalRunning backWilliam & Mary359Baltimore ColtsJohn MorrisCenterMissouri Valley360Kansas City ChiefsDavid ChaneyLinebackerSan Jose State361Minnesota VikingsMarv OwensRunning backSan Diego State362Miami DolphinsWillie JonesLinebackerTampa363Dallas CowboysAlan ThompsonRunning backWisconsin364Washington RedskinsMike O'QuinnGuardMcNeese State
Round 15
Pick # NFL team Player Position College365Oakland RaidersCharles HesterRunning backCentral State (OH)366Cincinnati BengalsHosea MinnieweatherDefensive tackleJackson State367New York GiantsKen Kavanaugh Jr.Tight endLSU368Pittsburgh SteelersJohn HuleckiGuardMassachusetts369St. Louis CardinalsMark HermanTight endYankton370Denver BroncosHarold ParmenterDefensive tackleMassachusetts371Green Bay PackersRick ThoneWide receiverArkansas Tech372New Orleans SaintsRusty LachausseeQuarterbackTulane373Pittsburgh SteelersCharles HarringtonGuardWichita State374New York JetsPhil SullivanDefensive backGeorgia375New England PatriotsJoel KlimeTight endPittsburgh376San Diego ChargersCharles NeugentDefensive backTuskegee377Chicago BearsRoger LawsonRunning backWestern Michigan378Philadelphia EaglesTom SullivanRunning backMiami (FL)379Atlanta FalconsOscar JenkinsDefensive backVirginia Union380Detroit LionsSteve RoachLinebackerKansas381Los Angeles RamsKenny PageLinebackerKansas382Cleveland BrownsJewel McCullarLinebackerChico State383San Francisco 49ersBob MaddoxDefensive endFrostburg State (MD)384Oakland RaidersDave SnesrudLinebackerHamline385Washington RedskinsCarl TaibiDefensive endColorado386Baltimore ColtsRobin ParkhouseLinebackerAlabama387Kansas City ChiefsLarry MarshallRunning backMaryland388Minnesota VikingsMike SivertGuardEast Tennessee State389Miami DolphinsBill DavisDefensive tackleWilliam & Mary390Dallas CowboysCarlos AlvarezWide receiverFlorida
Round 16
Pick # NFL team Player Position College391Buffalo BillsBrian LinstromQuarterbackArizona392New York GiantsNeovia GreyerDefensive backWisconsin393Cincinnati BengalsJohn WiegmanWide receiverCal Poly-Pomona394St. Louis CardinalsHenry AlfordDefensive endPittsburgh395Denver BroncosTom BougusRunning backBoston College396Houston OilersGuy MurdockCenterMichigan397New Orleans SaintsJoe BalthropGuardTennessee398Green Bay PackersCharles BurrellDefensive tackleArkansas AM&N399New York JetsGary KipfmillerCenterNebraska-Omaha400New England PatriotsEric DahlDefensive backSan Jose State401San Diego ChargersJames ShawDefensive backTulsa402Chicago BearsBill McKinneyLinebackerWest Texas State403Pittsburgh SteelersNate HawkinsWide receiverNevada-Las Vegas404Philadelphia EaglesSteve BielenbergLinebackerOregon State405Detroit LionsLeon JenkinsDefensive backWest Virginia406Atlanta FalconsLarry ButlerLinebackerStanford407Los Angeles RamsJim KirbyWide receiverLong Beach State408San Francisco 49ersRon DavisGuardVirginia State409Cleveland BrownsRichard WakefieldWide receiverOhio State410Oakland RaidersWillie WrightTight endNorth Carolina A&T411Washington RedskinsSteve HigginbottomDefensive backAlabama412Baltimore ColtsGary WichardQuarterbackC.W. Post413Kansas City ChiefsBob JohnsonDefensive endHanover (Ind)414Minnesota VikingsNeil GraffQuarterbackWisconsin415Miami DolphinsAl HannahWide receiverWisconsin416Dallas CowboysGordon LongmireQuarterbackUtah
Round 17