The 1977 NFL Draft was a defining moment for two legendary running backs, but while one entered the league as the undisputed prize, the other would go on to rewrite the record books in Canton.

Draft Storyline
May 3, 1977— “Long Waiting Period Comes to End for Prize USC Back” was the headline in the Longview News Journal in Longview, Texas, the day after the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft took place.
Ricky Bell from USC was the first pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bell played through the 1982 season, yet the Pro Football Hall of Fame has not inducted him. In contrast, the Hall of Fame enshrined the second overall pick, Tony Dorsett. The Dallas Cowboys maneuvered significantly to secure the position to draft the outstanding Pittsburgh halfback. According to Pro Football Reference, Dorsett remains the only player from the 1977 Draft Class in Canton.
The disparity between the careers of the top two picks serves as a timeless reminder of the unpredictability of the draft. While Tampa Bay sought Ricky Bell as their “prize,” the Cowboys aggressively pursued Tony Dorsett, fundamentally altering their franchise’s trajectory. This move secured a cornerstone for the “America’s Team” era and produced the only Hall of Famer of the entire class.
Complete List of Players in the 1977 NFL Draft
This list presents every player teams selected in order during the 1977 NFL Draft.
| Pick | Tm | Player | Pos |
| 1 | TAM | Ricky Bell | RB |
| 2 | DAL | Tony Dorsett HOF | RB |
| 3 | CIN | Eddie Edwards | DE |
| 4 | NYJ | Marvin Powell | T |
| 5 | NYG | Gary Jeter | DE |
| 6 | ATL | Warren Bryant | T |
| 7 | NOR | Joe Campbell | DE |
| 8 | CIN | Wilson Whitley | DT |
| 9 | GNB | Mike Butler | DE |
| 10 | KAN | Gary Green | DB |
| 11 | HOU | Morris Towns | T |
| 12 | BUF | Phil Dokes | DT |
| 13 | MIA | A.J. Duhe | LB |
| 14 | SEA | Steve August | T |
| 15 | CHI | Ted Albrecht | T |
| 16 | NWE | Raymond Clayborn | DB |
| 17 | CLE | Robert Jackson | LB |
| 18 | DEN | Steve Schindler | G |
| 19 | STL | Steve Pisarkiewicz | QB |
| 20 | ATL | Wilson Faumuina | DT |
| 21 | PIT | Robin Cole | LB |
| 22 | CIN | Mike Cobb | TE |
| 23 | RAM | Bob Brudzinski | LB |
| 24 | SDG | Bob Rush | C |
| 25 | NWE | Stanley Morgan | WR |
| 26 | BAL | Randy Burke | WR |
| 27 | MIN | Tommy Kramer | QB |
| 28 | GNB | Ezra Johnson | DE |
| 29 | TAM | Dave Lewis | LB |
| 30 | SEA | Tom Lynch | G |
| 31 | RAM | Nolan Cromwell | DB |
| 32 | NYG | Johnny Perkins | WR |
| 33 | NYJ | Wesley Walker | WR |
| 34 | NOR | Mike Fultz | DT |
| 35 | OAK | Mike Davis | DB |
| 36 | ATL | R.C. Thielemann | G |
| 37 | KAN | Tony Reed | RB |
| 38 | HOU | George Reihner | G |
| 39 | GNB | Greg Koch | T |
| 40 | MIA | Bob Baumhower | NT |
| 41 | SEA | Terry Beeson | LB |
| 42 | DET | Walt Williams | DB |
| 43 | CHI | Mike Spivey | DB |
| 44 | NWE | Horace Ivory | RB |
| 45 | DEN | Rob Lytle | RB |
| 46 | CLE | Tom Skladany | P |
| 47 | STL | George Franklin | RB |
| 48 | PIT | Sidney Thornton | RB |
| 49 | CIN | Pete Johnson | RB |
| 50 | RAM | Billy Waddy | WR |
| 51 | SEA | Pete Cronan | LB |
| 52 | NWE | Don Hasselbeck | TE |
| 53 | BAL | Mike Ozdowski | DE |
| 54 | DAL | Glenn Carano | QB |
| 55 | MIN | Dennis Swilley | C |
| 57 | OAK | Ted McKnight | RB |
| 56 | TAM | Charley Hannah | G |
| 58 | SEA | Dennis Boyd | DT |
| 59 | BUF | Curtis Brown | RB |
| 60 | PIT | Tom Beasley | DE |
| 61 | CHI | Robin Earl | TE |
| 62 | DAL | Tony Hill | WR |
| 63 | ATL | Edgar Fields | DT |
| 64 | NOR | Robert Watts | LB |
| 65 | SFO | Elmo Boyd | WR |
| 66 | HOU | Tim Wilson | FB |
| 67 | KAN | Tom Howard | LB |
| 68 | RAM | Ed Fulton | G |
| 69 | DET | Rick Kane | RB |
| 70 | HOU | Jimmie Giles | TE |
| 71 | MIA | Mike Watson | T |
| 72 | NYJ | Tank Marshall | DT |
| 73 | BUF | John Kimbrough | WR |
| 74 | GNB | Rick Scribner | G |
| 75 | PIT | Jim Smith | WR |
| 76 | CIN | Mike Voight | RB |
| 77 | SDG | Linden King | LB |
| 78 | STL | Kurt Allerman | LB |
| 79 | RAM | Wendell Tyler | RB |
| 80 | STL | Terdell Middleton | RB |
| 81 | DAL | Val Belcher | G |
| 82 | NWE | Sidney Brown | DB |
| 83 | MIN | Tom Hannon | DB |
| 84 | HOU | Rob Carpenter | RB |
| 85 | CIN | Rick Walker | TE |
| 86 | BUF | Jimmy Dean | DE |
| 87 | SEA | John Yarno | C |
| 88 | NYG | Mike Vaughan | T |
| 89 | ATL | Allan Leavitt | K |
| 90 | NYJ | Scott Dierking | RB |
| 91 | RAM | Vince Ferragamo | QB |
| 92 | KAN | Mark Bailey | RB |
| 93 | PIT | Ted Petersen | T |
| 94 | KAN | Tony Samuels | TE |
| 95 | KAN | Darius Helton | G |
| 96 | DET | Luther Blue | WR |
| 97 | WAS | Duncan McColl | DE |
| 98 | HOU | Warren Anderson | WR |
| 99 | PIT | Laverne Smith | RB |
| 100 | SFO | Stan Black | DB |
| 101 | DEN | Bill Bryan | C |
| 102 | CLE | Oliver Davis | DB |
| 103 | CIN | Mike Wilson | T |
| 104 | KAN | Eric Harris | DB |
| 105 | CIN | Jerry Anderson | DB |
| 106 | PIT | Dan Audick | T |
| 107 | RAM | Eary Jones | DE |
| 108 | DAL | Guy Brown | LB |
| 109 | NWE | Gerald Skinner | T |
| 110 | CLE | Mickey Sims | DT |
| 111 | SEA | Larry Seivers | WR |
| 112 | OAK | Mickey Marvin | G |
| 113 | MIA | Mike Michel | P |
| 114 | DET | Ron Crosby | LB |
| 115 | BUF | Fred Besana | QB |
| 116 | NYJ | Perry Griggs | WR |
| 117 | NYG | Randy Dean | QB |
| 118 | NOR | Dave Lafary | T |
| 119 | PHI | Skip Sharp | DB |
| 120 | ATL | Shelton Diggs | WR |
| 121 | PIT | Cliff Stoudt | QB |
| 122 | GNB | Nate Simpson | RB |
| 123 | MIA | Leroy Harris | RB |
| 124 | SDG | Clarence Williams | RB |
| 125 | PIT | Steve Courson | G |
| 126 | OAK | Lester Hayes | DB |
| 127 | BUF | Neil O’Donoghue | K |
| 128 | SDG | Cliff Olander | QB |
| 129 | NYJ | Gary Gregory | T |
| 130 | RAM | Donnie Hickman | G |
| 131 | STL | Ernest Lee | DT |
| 132 | PIT | Dirt Winston | LB |
| 133 | CIN | Ray Phillips | LB |
| 134 | RAM | Jeff Williams | G |
| 135 | STL | Andy Spiva | LB |
| 136 | NOR | Dave Hubbard | T |
| 137 | DAL | Andy Frederick | T |
| 138 | MIN | Ken Moore | TE |
| 139 | OAK | Jeff Barnes | LB |
| 140 | CHI | Vince Evans | QB |
| 141 | SFO | Mike Burns | DB |
| 142 | SEA | Tony Benjamin | RB |
| 143 | NYG | Bob Jordan | T |
| 144 | NYJ | Joe Klecko HOF | DT |
| 145 | PHI | Kevin Russell | DB |
| 146 | SDG | Dave Lindstrom | DE |
| 147 | NOR | Cliff Parsley | P |
| 148 | HOU | Gary Woolford | DB |
| 149 | GNB | Tim Moresco | DB |
| 150 | KAN | Rick Burleson | DE |
| 151 | SDG | Larry Barnes | RB |
| 152 | SDG | Pete Shaw | DB |
| 153 | NYG | Emery Moorehead | TE |
| 154 | PHI | Wilbert Montgomery | RB |
| 155 | SFO | Jim Harlan | T |
| 156 | RAM | Art Best | RB |
| 157 | BUF | Ron Pruitt | DE |
| 158 | PHI | Mark Mitchell | DB |
| 159 | PIT | Paul Harris | LB |
| 160 | CIN | Tom Duniven | QB |
| 161 | ATL | Keith Jenkins | DB |
| 162 | NOR | Tom Schick | G |
| 163 | BAL | Calvin O’Neal | LB |
| 164 | DAL | Jim Cooper | T |
| 165 | HOU | David Carter | C |
| 166 | DET | Reggie Pinkney | DB |
| 167 | KAN | Andre Herrera | RB |
| 168 | NYJ | Charlie White | RB |
| 169 | SEA | David Sims | RB |
| 170 | BUF | Mike Nelms | DB |
| 171 | NYJ | Bob Grupp | P |
| 172 | GNB | Derrel Gofourth | G |
| 173 | CLE | Kenny Randle | WR |
| 174 | NOR | Greg Boykin | RB |
| 175 | PHI | Charlie Johnson | NT |
| 176 | GNB | Rell Tipton | G |
| 177 | KAN | Chris Golub | DB |
| 178 | NYG | Al Dixon | TE |
| 179 | DET | Tim Black | LB |
| 180 | MIA | Bruce Herron | LB |
| 181 | SDG | Ron Bush | DB |
| 182 | CHI | Gerald Butler | WR |
| 183 | SFO | Jim Van Wagner | RB |
| 184 | CLE | Blane Smith | LB |
| 185 | DEN | Larry Swider | P |
| 186 | PIT | Randy Frisch | DT |
| 187 | CIN | Louis Breeden | DB |
| 188 | CLE | Bob Lingenfelter | T |
| 189 | WAS | Reggie Haynes | TE |
| 190 | OAK | Rich Martini | WR |
| 191 | DAL | Dave Stalls | DE |
| 192 | NWE | Ken Smith | WR |
| 193 | BAL | Blanchard Carter | T |
| 194 | CIN | Jim Corbett | TE |
| 195 | NYJ | Kevin Long | RB |
| 196 | TAM | Randy Hedberg | QB |
| 197 | BUF | Greg Morton | DE |
| 198 | HOU | Steve Davis | WR |
| 199 | NYG | Bill Rice | DT |
| 200 | NYJ | Dan Alexander | G |
| 201 | NOR | Jimmy Stewart | DB |
| 202 | PHI | Cleveland Franklin | RB |
| 203 | ATL | Walter Packer | DB |
| 204 | KAN | Ron Olsonoski | LB |
| 205 | HOU | Eddie Foster | WR |
| 206 | GNB | David Whitehurst | QB |
| 207 | MIA | Horace Perkins | DB |
| 208 | DAL | Al Cleveland | DE |
| 209 | DET | Mark Griffin | T |
| 210 | NYJ | Ed Thompson | LB |
| 211 | NYG | Otis Rodgers | LB |
| 212 | DEN | Calvin Culliver | RB |
| 213 | CLE | Bill Armstrong | DB |
| 214 | CIN | Jose Saint Victor | G |
| 215 | KAN | Waddell Smith | WR |
| 216 | STL | Eric Williams | LB |
| 217 | PIT | Phil August | WR |
| 218 | RAM | Rod Bockwoldt | DB |
| 219 | NWE | Brad Benson | T |
| 220 | BAL | Ken Helms | T |
| 221 | DAL | Fred Williams | RB |
| 222 | MIN | Clint Strozier | DB |
| 223 | OAK | Terry Robiskie | RB |
| 224 | TAM | Byron Hemingway | LB |
| 225 | SEA | George Adzick | DB |
| 226 | KAN | Derrick Glanton | DE |
| 227 | NYJ | Matt Robinson | QB |
| 228 | NYG | Ken Mullens | DE |
| 229 | PHI | T.J. Humphreys | G |
| 230 | ATL | John Maxwell | T |
| 231 | NOR | Dave Knowles | T |
| 232 | HOU | Bill Currier | DB |
| 233 | GNB | Joel Mullins | T |
| 234 | SDG | Gene Washington | WR |
| 235 | KAN | Dave Green | T |
| 236 | DET | Steve Mathieson | QB |
| 237 | MIA | Robert Turner | RB |
| 238 | CHI | Nick Buonamici | DT |
| 239 | SFO | David Posey | K |
| 240 | CLE | Daryl Brown | DB |
| 241 | DEN | Charles Jackson | LB |
| 242 | ATL | Robert Speer | DE |
| 243 | STL | Johnny Jackson | NT |
| 244 | PIT | Roosevelt Kelly | TE |
| 245 | CIN | Willie Zachery | WR |
| 246 | WAS | Mike Northington | RB |
| 247 | BAL | Glen Capriola | RB |
| 248 | DAL | Mark Cantrell | C |
| 249 | NWE | Jerry Vogele | LB |
| 250 | MIN | Scott Studwell | LB |
| 251 | TAM | Larry Mucker | WR |
| 252 | TAM | Robert Morgan | RB |
| 253 | PIT | Alvin Cowans | DB |
| 254 | SEA | Sam Adkins | QB |
| 255 | NYG | Mike Jones | WR |
| 256 | NYJ | John Hennessy | LB |
| 257 | ATL | Billy Ryckman | WR |
| 258 | NOR | Rafael Septien | K |
| 259 | PHI | John Mastronardo | WR |
| 260 | GNB | Jim Culbreath | RB |
| 261 | KAN | Mark Vitali | QB |
| 262 | HOU | Harvey Hull | LB |
| 263 | DET | Gary Anderson | G |
| 264 | MIA | Mark Carter | T |
| 265 | SDG | Curtis Townsend | LB |
| 266 | CHI | Dennis Breckner | DE |
| 267 | TAM | Aaron Ball | LB |
| 268 | DEN | Oren Middlebrook | WR |
| 269 | CLE | Tom Burkett | T |
| 270 | STL | Jim LeJay | WR |
| 271 | PIT | Dave LaCrosse | LB |
| 272 | CIN | Bob Bialik | P |
| 273 | WAS | James Sykes | RB |
| 274 | RAM | Don Petersen | TE |
| 275 | DAL | Steve DeBerg | QB |
| 276 | NWE | John Rasmussen | T |
| 277 | BAL | Ron Baker | G |
| 278 | MIN | Dan Beaver | K |
| 279 | NWE | Giles Alexander | DE |
| 280 | TAM | Chuck Rodgers | DB |
| 281 | SEA | Bill Westbeld | T |
| 282 | BUF | Nate Jackson | RB |
| 283 | PHI | Rocco Moore | G |
| 284 | NYG | Bill Helms | TE |
| 285 | NOR | John Blain | T |
| 286 | PHI | Mike Cordova | QB |
| 287 | ATL | Dave Farmer | RB |
| 288 | KAN | Maurice Mitchell | WR |
| 289 | HOU | Al Romano | LB |
| 290 | GNB | Terry Randolph | DB |
| 291 | MIA | John Alexander | DE |
| 292 | CIN | Joel Parrish | G |
| 293 | DET | Tony Daykin | LB |
| 294 | CHI | Connie Zelencik | C |
| 295 | SFO | Brian Billick | TE |
| 296 | CLE | Charles Nash | WR |
| 297 | DEN | Phil Heck | LB |
| 298 | PIT | Lou West | DB |
| 299 | CIN | Carl Allen | DB |
| 300 | WAS | Don Harris | DB |
| 301 | STL | Greg Lee | DB |
| 302 | RAM | Carson Long | K |
| 303 | NWE | Ray Costict | LB |
| 304 | BAL | Brian Ruff | LB |
| 305 | DAL | Don Wardlow | TE |
| 306 | MIN | Keith Hartwig | WR |
| 307 | NYJ | Dave Butterfield | DB |
| 308 | TAM | Chip Sheffield | WR |
| 309 | BUF | Charles Romes | DB |
| 310 | PIT | Jimmy Stephens | TE |
| 311 | NYG | Elmo Simmons | RB |
| 312 | NYJ | Phil Gargis | RB |
| 313 | NYJ | Dave Conrad | T |
| 314 | ATL | Don Parrish | NT |
| 315 | NOR | Oakley Dalton | DT |
| 316 | HOU | Ove Johansson | K |
| 317 | OAK | Rod Martin | LB |
| 318 | KAN | Raymond Burks | LB |
| 319 | SDG | Jim Stansik | TE |
| 320 | DET | Dave Greenwood | G |
| 321 | MIA | Terry Anderson | WR |
| 322 | CHI | Terry Irvin | DB |
| 323 | SFO | Scott Martin | G |
| 324 | DEN | Scott Levenhagen | TE |
| 325 | CLE | Leo Tierney | C |
| 326 | CIN | Alex Percival | WR |
| 327 | WAS | Curtis Kirkland | DE |
| 328 | STL | Rick Fenlaw | LB |
| 329 | SEA | I.V. Wilson | DT |
| 330 | RAM | Barry Caudill | C |
| 331 | BAL | Bill Deutsch | RB |
| 332 | DAL | Greg Peters | G |
| 333 | NWE | Dave Preston | RB |
| 334 | OAK | Rolf Benirschke | K |
| 335 | MIN | Jim Kelleher | RB |
Special thanks to Pro-Football-Reference.com for the above information.
