The 1980 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1980, at the New York Sheraton Hotel in New York City, New York. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Detroit Lions selected running back Billy Sims.
This draft is notable as the first that the nascent ESPN network (which had first gone on the air seven months earlier) aired in its entirety, and the first to be televised.
Player selections * compensatory selection † Pro Bowler ‡Hall of Famer
Hall of Famers Anthony Muñoz, offensive tackle from Southern California, taken 1st round 3rd overall by Cincinnati Bengals Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1998.List of 1990s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com Dwight Stephenson, center from Alabama, taken 2nd round 48th overall by Miami Dolphins Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1998. Art Monk, wide receiver from Syracuse, taken 1st round 18th overall by Washington Redskins Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2008.List of 2000s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com Steve McMichael, defensive tackle from Texas, taken 3rd round 73rd overall by the New England Patriots. Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Notable undrafted players † = Pro BowlerPlayers are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
References
External links NFL.com – 1980 Draft
Pro Football Hall of Fame 1980 NFL Draft Listing at Pro Football Reference