The 1978 NFL draft was the procedure by which

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

teams selected amateur

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The

draft Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a v ...

was held May 2–3,

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

, at the Roosevelt Hotel in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, New York. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. The

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...

had the first overall pick in the 1978 draft, by virtue of their 2–12 record in

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

. Tampa Bay traded the pick to the Oilers, for

tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...

Jimmie Giles and the Oilers' first- and second-round picks in the 1978 draft, and their third- and fifth-round picks in

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

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

Player selections

Round one

Round two

Round three

Round four

Round five

Round six

Round seven

Round eight

Round nine

Round ten

Round eleven

Round twelve

Supplemental draft

Notable undrafted players

Hall of Famers

* Earl Campbell, running back from Texas, taken 1st round 1st overall by Houston Oilers :Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1991.List of 1990s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com * Ozzie Newsome, wide receiver from Alabama, taken 1st round 23rd overall by Cleveland Browns :Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1999. * James Lofton, wide receiver from Stanford, taken 1st round 6th overall by Green Bay Packers :Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2003.List of 2000s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com *

Warren Moon Harold Warren Moon (born November 18, 1956) is an American former professional Gridiron football, football player who was a quarterback for 23 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He spent most of h ...

, quarterback from Washington, signed undrafted by Houston Oilers :Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2006.

References

External links

NFL.com – 1978 Draft
*
Pro Football Hall of Fame
{{DEFAULTSORT:1978 Nfl Draft NFL draft

NFL Draft The NFL draft, officially known as the Annual Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the most common source of player recruitment in the National Football League. Each team is given a position in the drafting order in reve ...

Draft Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a v ...

NFL draft The NFL draft, officially known as the Annual Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the most common source of player recruitment in the National Football League. Each team is given a position in the drafting order in reve ...

American football in New York City 1970s in Manhattan Sporting events in New York City Sports in Manhattan