1978 NFL draft

1978 NFL draft
General information
Date(s)May 2–3, 1978
LocationRoosevelt Hotel
in New York City, NY
Overview
334 total selections in 12 rounds
LeagueNFL
First selectionEarl Campbell, RB
Houston Oilers
Mr. IrrelevantLee Washburn, G
Dallas Cowboys
Most selections (18)Cincinnati Bengals
Fewest selections (5)Denver Broncos
Hall of Famers
4
← 1977
1979 →

The 1978 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 May 2–3, 1978, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, New York.[1][2] The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the first overall pick in the 1978 draft, by virtue of their 2–12 record in 1977. Tampa Bay traded the pick to the Oilers, for tight end Jimmie Giles and the Oilers' first- and second-round picks in the 1978 draft, and their third- and fifth-round picks in 1979.[3]

Leon White, who was drafted in the third round, went on to have an extensive professional wrestling career as Big Van Vader.[4]

  1. ^ "NFL Draft Locations". FootballGeography.com. October 2, 2014. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  2. ^ Salomone, Dan (October 2, 2014). "NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015". Giants.com. New York Giants. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  3. ^ Wire services. "Oilers make a deal". Eugene Register-Guard. Apr 25, 1978
  4. ^ Buckner, Brandon (October 23, 2005). "NFL career was ended by an injury - Pro wrestler Vader has son playing with OU". NewsOK.com. The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 11, 2017.