The 1973 NFL draft was held January 30–31, 1973, at the Americana Hotel in New York City, New York. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Houston Oilers selected defensive end John Matuszak.
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 College261Houston OilersLarry EaglinDefensive backStephen F. Austin262New Orleans SaintsJames OwensRunning backAuburn263Philadelphia EaglesGary Van ElstDefensive tackleMichigan State264New England PatriotsHomer MayTight endTexas A&M265Buffalo BillsRichard EarlTackleTennessee266Chicago BearsEd SieglerKickerClemson267St. Louis CardinalsDan SanspreeDefensive endAuburn268San Diego ChargersJay DouglasCenterMemphis State269Denver BroncosElton BrownDefensive endUtah State270Baltimore ColtsDan NealCenterKentucky271Los Angeles RamsJeff InmonRunning backNorth Carolina Central272New York JetsDavid KnightWide receiverWilliam & Mary273Atlanta FalconsByron BuelowDefensive backLacrosse274Minnesota VikingsGeary MurdockGuardIowa State275New York GiantsWilliam WidemanDefensive tackleNorth Carolina A&T276Kansas City ChiefsMonroe EleyRunning backArizona State277Cincinnati BengalsWilliam MontgomeryDefensive backMorehouse (Ga)278San Francisco 49ersTom DahlbergRunning backGustavus Adolphus279Detroit LionsScott FreemanWide receiverWyoming280Green Bay PackersPhil EngleDefensive tackleSouth Dakota State281Cleveland BrownsCarl BarisichDefensive tacklePrinceton282Dallas CowboysGerald CaswellGuardColorado State283Oakland RaidersJerry ListRunning backNebraska284Pittsburgh SteelersBob WhiteDefensive backArizona285Los Angeles RamsWillie JacksonWide receiverFlorida286Miami DolphinsChris KeteCenterBoston University
Round 12
Pick # NFL team Player Position College287Houston OilersBrad LymanWide receiverUCLA288Philadelphia EaglesJoe LavenderCornerbackSan Diego State289New Orleans SaintsPaul OrndorffRunning backTampa290New England PatriotsBruce BarnesPunterUCLA291Chicago BearsMike GriffinGuardArkansas292St. Louis CardinalsDean UnruhTackleOklahoma293San Diego ChargersLynn AhrensTackleEastern Montana294Buffalo BillsRonnie CarrollDefensive tackleSam Houston State295Baltimore ColtsBernard ThomasDefensive endWestern Michigan296Denver BroncosJim O'MalleyLinebackerNotre Dame297Los Angeles RamsRobert StorckDefensive tackleWisconsin298Atlanta FalconsMike SamplesLinebackerDrake299Minnesota VikingsAlan SpencerWide receiverPittsburg (KS)300New York JetsGarry PuetzTackleValparaiso301Kansas City ChiefsTom RamseyDefensive tackleNorthern Arizona302Cincinnati BengalsCharles "Boobie" ClarkRunning backBethune-Cookman303New York GiantsRon LumpkinDefensive backArizona State304Detroit LionsTom ScottWide receiverWashington305San Francisco 49ersLarry PettusTackleTennessee State306Cleveland BrownsStan SimmonsTight endLewis & Clark307Dallas CowboysJim ArnesonGuardArizona308Green Bay PackersLarry McCarrenCenterIllinois309Oakland RaidersJim KrapfGuardAlabama310Pittsburgh SteelersWillie LeeRunning backIndiana State311Washington RedskinsErnie WebsterGuardPittsburgh312Miami DolphinsMike MullenLinebackerTulane
Round 13
Pick # NFL team Player Position College313Houston OilersWillie MartinGuardN.E. Oklahoma314New Orleans SaintsRichard WatkinsDefensive tackleWeber State315Philadelphia EaglesStan DavisWide receiverMemphis State316New England PatriotsAlan LowryDefensive backTexas317St. Louis CardinalsEdward RobinsonDefensive backLamar318San Diego ChargersAlfred ReeseRunning backTennessee State319Denver BroncosEd SmithDefensive endColorado College320Chicago BearsJohn CieszkowskiRunning backNotre Dame321Denver BroncosEd WhiteRunning backTulsa322Baltimore ColtsTom PierantozziQuarterbackWest Chester323Los Angeles RamsRod MilburnWide receiverSouthern324Minnesota VikingsRon JustGuardMinot325New York JetsRobert ParrishDefensive tackleDuke326Atlanta FalconsChris StecherTackleClaremont-Mudd327Cincinnati BengalsBrooks WestDefensive tackleTexas-El Paso328New York GiantsClifton DavisRunning backAlcorn A&M329Kansas City ChiefsPaul MetalloDefensive backMassachusetts330San Francisco 49ersAlan KelsoCenterWashington331Detroit LionsJohn MossLinebackerPittsburgh332Dallas CowboysJohn SmithWide receiverUCLA333Green Bay PackersTim AldersonDefensive backMinnesota334Cleveland BrownsJim RomaniszynLinebackerEdinboro335Los Angeles RamsClinton SpearmanLinebackerMichigan336Pittsburgh SteelersRick FergersonWide receiverKansas State337Washington RedskinsDennis JohnsonDefensive tackleDelaware338Miami DolphinsJoe BookerRunning backMiami (OH)
Round 14
Pick # NFL team Player Position College339Houston OilersRon LouCenterArizona State340Philadelphia EaglesRalph SacraTackleTexas A&M341New Orleans SaintsPaul FersenTackleGeorgia342New England PatriotsRay HamiltonDefensive EndOklahoma343San Diego ChargersTony AdamsQuarterbackUtah State344Buffalo BillsMerv KrakauLinebackerIowa State345Chicago BearsDave JuengerWide receiverOhio346St. Louis CardinalsDan PeifferGuardSoutheast Missouri State347Baltimore ColtsEd WilliamsRunning backWest Virginia348Denver BroncosJohn HufnagelQuarterbackPenn State349Los Angeles RamsWalter RhoneDefensive backCentral Missouri350New York JetsJoe SchwartzRunning backToledo351Atlanta FalconsJohn MadeyaQuarterbackLouisville352Minnesota VikingsEddie BishopDefensive backSouthern353New York GiantsBrian KelleyLinebackerCal Lutheran354Kansas City ChiefsAlbert WhiteWide receiverFt. Valley State355Cincinnati BengalsHurles ScalesDefensive backNorth Texas State356Detroit LionsJay CoreyTackleSanta Clara357San Francisco 49ersDennis MorrisonQuarterbackKansas State358Green Bay PackersJames AndersonDefensive tackleNorthwestern359Cleveland BrownsRobert PopelkaDefensive backSouthern Methodist360Dallas CowboysBob ThorntonGuardNorth Carolina361Oakland RaidersBruce PolenDefensive backWilliam Penn362Pittsburgh SteelersRoger CowanDefensive endStanford363Washington RedskinsHerb MarshallDefensive backCameron364Miami DolphinsGreg BoydRunning backArizona
Round 15
Pick # NFL team Player Position College365Houston OilersRoger GoreeLinebackerBaylor366New Orleans SaintsMike EvensonCenterNorth Dakota State367Philadelphia EaglesKen SchlezesDefensive backNotre Dame368New England PatriotsCondie PughRunning backNorfolk State369Buffalo BillsJoe RizzoLinebackerKings Point370Chicago BearsDon RivesLinebackerTexas Tech371St. Louis CardinalsMelvin ParkerLinebackerDuke372San Diego ChargersGary ParrisTight endFlorida State373Denver BroncosCalvin JonesDefensive backWashington374Baltimore ColtsJackie BrownDefensive backSouth Carolina375Los Angeles RamsJerry BondDefensive backWeber State376Atlanta FalconsThomas GageDefensive backLamar377Minnesota VikingsTony ChandlerRunning backMissouri Valley378New York JetsMahlon WilliamsTight endNorth Carolina State379Buffalo BillsVince O'NeilRunning backKansas380Cincinnati BengalsTed McNultyQuarterbackIndiana381New York GiantsCarl SchaukowitchGuardPenn State382San Francisco 49ersMike BettigaWide receiverHumboldt State383San Francisco 49ersDan HansenDefensive backBYU384Cleveland BrownsDave SullivanWide receiverVirginia385Dallas CowboysWalt BaisyLinebackerGrambling386Green Bay PackersReggie EcholsWide receiverUCLA387Oakland RaidersDave LeffersCenterVanderbilt388Pittsburgh SteelersCharles CrossDefensive backIowa389Miami DolphinsBill PalmerTight endSt. Thomas390Los Angeles RamsCurt MatterDefensive endWashington
Round 16
Pick # NFL team Player Position College391Houston OilersTim DameronWide receiverEast Carolina392Philadelphia EaglesFrank DowsingDefensive backMississippi State393New Orleans SaintsHoward StevensRunning backLouisville394New England PatriotsMike KutterDefensive endConcordia (Moorhead)395Chicago BearsBill HartCenterMichigan396St. Louis CardinalsJim HannLinebackerMontana397San Diego ChargersJoe PettyDefensive backArizona State398Denver BroncosOliver RossRunning backAlabama A&M399Baltimore ColtsMarty JanuszkiewiczRunning backSyracuse400Denver BroncosKen MuhlbeierCenterIdaho401Los Angeles RamsFuller Cherry Defensive backArkansas-Monticello402Minnesota VikingsLarry SmileyDefensive endTexas Southern403New York JetsJohn CzerwinskiTackleBowling Green404Atlanta FalconsRufus FergusonRunning backWisconsin405Cincinnati BengalsHarry UngerRunning backAuburn406New York GiantsBen NitkaKickerColorado College407Kansas City ChiefsWilbur GroomsLinebackerTampa408Detroit LionsLarry NickelsWide receiverDayton409San Francisco 49ersMike OvenTight endGeorgia Tech410Dallas CowboysJohn ConleyTight endHawaii411Green Bay PackersKeith PrettyTight endWestern Michigan412Cleveland BrownsGeorge GreenfieldRunning backMurray State413Oakland RaidersJerry GadlinWide receiverWyoming414Pittsburgh SteelersGlen NardiDefensive tackleNavy415Washington RedskinsMike WedmanKickerColorado416Miami DolphinsJames JacksonDefensive endNorfolk State
Round 17
Pick # NFL team Player Position College417Houston OilersRandy BrabandLinebackerTexas418New Orleans SaintsBobby GarnerTight endWinston-Salem419Philadelphia EaglesGreg OliverRunning backTrinity420New England PatriotsEddie McAshanQuarterbackGeorgia Tech421St. Louis CardinalsEric CroneQuarterbackHarvard422San Diego ChargersBarry DarrowTackleMontana423Buffalo BillsJohn StearnsDefensive backColorado424Chicago BearsLarry RoachDefensive backOklahoma425Denver BroncosKenneth MorganTight endElon426Baltimore ColtsGuy FalkenhagenTackleNorthern Michigan427Los Angeles RamsFred HenryRunning backNew Mexico428Atlanta FalconsJim HodgeWide receiverArkansas429Minnesota VikingsDave WinfieldTight endMinnesota430New York GiantsJohn BillizonDefensive endGrambling State431Kansas City ChiefsClayton KorverTight endSouthern Methodist432New York JetsJim FootePunterDelaware Valley433Cincinnati BengalsWayne EstabrookQuarterbackWhittier434San Francisco 49ersBob EricksonGuardNorth Dakota State435Detroit LionsEarl BelgraveTackleOhio State436Green Bay PackersHarold SampsonDefensive tackleSouthern437Cleveland BrownsRobert McClowryCenterMichigan State438Dallas CowboysLeslie StrayhornRunning backEast Carolina439Oakland RaidersMichael RyanGuardUSC440Pittsburgh SteelersMike ShannonDefensive tackleOregon State441Washington RedskinsJeff DavisRunning backMars Hill442This last selection is commonly referred to as Mr. Irrelevant. Miami DolphinsCharlie WadeWide receiverTennessee State
Hall of Famers John Hannah, guard from Alabama, taken 1st round 4th overall by New England Patriots Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1991.List of 1990s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com Dan Fouts, quarterback from Oregon, taken 3rd round 64th overall by San Diego Chargers Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1993. Joe DeLamielleure, guard from Michigan State, taken 1st round 26th overall by Buffalo Bills Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2003.List of 2000s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com Ray Guy, punter from Southern Mississippi, taken 1st round 23rd overall by Oakland Raiders Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2014. Drew Pearson, wide receiver from Tulsa, undrafted and signed by Dallas Cowboys Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021.
Notable undrafted players † = Pro BowlerHall of Famer
References
External links NFL.com – 1973 Draft
Pro Football Hall of Fame 1973 NFL Draft Listing at Pro Football Reference