The 1981 NFL Draft is often remembered for the Heisman-winning power of George Rogers, but looking back through the lens of history, it stands as arguably the greatest defensive infusion the league has ever seen. While one man took the top spot, seven others took a path that ended in Canton, Ohio.

Draft Storyline
April 29, 1981 – South Carolina’s George Rogers was the first pick by the New Orleans Saints in the NFL Draft after an outstanding college career. While Rogers had a solid pro career, his draft class included seven future Hall of Famers: Lawrence Taylor, Kenny Easley, Ronnie Lott, Mike Singletary, Howie Long, Rickey Jackson, and Russ Grimm.
Conclusion
The 1981 draft serves as a masterclass in scouting defensive longevity. While George Rogers delivered immediate dividends for the Saints—leading the league in rushing as a rookie—the true story of this class was written by the “Defensive Renaissance” it sparked. With legends like Lawrence Taylor and Ronnie Lott entering the league in the same cycle, the 1981 draft fundamentally changed how professional football was played on the defensive side of the ball for the next two decades.
Complete List of Players in the 1981 NFL Draft
| Pick | Tm | Player | Pos |
| 1 | NOR | George Rogers | RB |
| 2 | NYG | Lawrence Taylor HOF | LB |
| 3 | NYJ | Freeman McNeil | RB |
| 4 | SEA | Kenny Easley HOF | DB |
| 5 | STL | E.J. Junior | LB |
| 6 | GNB | Rich Campbell | QB |
| 7 | TAM | Hugh Green | LB |
| 8 | SFO | Ronnie Lott HOF | DB |
| 9 | RAM | Mel Owens | LB |
| 10 | CIN | David Verser | WR |
| 11 | CHI | Keith Van Horne | T |
| 12 | BAL | Randy McMillan | RB |
| 13 | MIA | David Overstreet | RB |
| 14 | KAN | Willie Scott | TE |
| 15 | DEN | Dennis Smith | DB |
| 16 | DET | Mark Nichols | WR |
| 17 | PIT | Keith Gary | DE |
| 18 | BAL | Donnell Thompson | DE |
| 19 | NWE | Brian Holloway | T |
| 20 | WAS | Mark May | G |
| 21 | OAK | Ted Watts | DB |
| 22 | CLE | Hanford Dixon | DB |
| 23 | OAK | Curt Marsh | G |
| 24 | SDG | James Brooks | RB |
| 25 | ATL | Bobby Butler | DB |
| 26 | DAL | Howard Richards | G |
| 27 | PHI | Leonard Mitchell | DE |
| 28 | BUF | Booker Moore | RB |
| 29 | NOR | Russell Gary | DB |
| 30 | NYJ | Marion Barber Jr. | RB |
| 31 | SEA | David Hughes | RB |
| 32 | NYG | Dave Young | TE |
| 33 | STL | Neil Lomax | QB |
| 34 | TAM | James Wilder | RB |
| 35 | GNB | Gary Lewis | TE |
| 36 | SFO | John Harty | NT |
| 37 | CIN | Cris Collinsworth | WR |
| 38 | CHI | Mike Singletary HOF | LB |
| 39 | MIN | Mardye McDole | WR |
| 40 | SFO | Eric Wright | DB |
| 41 | KAN | Joe Delaney | RB |
| 42 | DEN | Clay Brown | TE |
| 43 | RAM | Jim Collins | LB |
| 44 | PIT | Anthony Washington | DB |
| 45 | MIN | Robin Sendlein | LB |
| 46 | DET | Curtis Green | DE |
| 47 | NWE | Tony Collins | RB |
| 48 | OAK | Howie Long HOF | DE |
| 49 | BUF | Chris Williams | DB |
| 50 | BUF | Byron Franklin | WR |
| 51 | NOR | Rickey Jackson HOF | LB |
| 52 | MIN | Jarvis Redwine | RB |
| 53 | DAL | Doug Donley | WR |
| 54 | ATL | Lyman White | LB |
| 55 | PHI | Dean Miraldi | T |
| 56 | MIA | Andra Franklin | RB |
| 57 | NOR | Frank Warren | DE |
| 58 | SEA | Bill Dugan | G |
| 59 | NYG | John Mistler | WR |
| 60 | NYJ | Ben Rudolph | DT |
| 61 | STL | Jeff Griffin | DB |
| 62 | GNB | Ray Stachowicz | P |
| 63 | RAM | Greg Meisner | NT |
| 64 | CIN | John Simmons | DB |
| 65 | SFO | Carlton Williamson | DB |
| 66 | RAM | Robert Cobb | DE |
| 67 | CHI | Ken Margerum | WR |
| 68 | BAL | Randy Van Divier | T |
| 69 | WAS | Russ Grimm HOF | G |
| 70 | KAN | Marvin Harvey | TE |
| 71 | NOR | Hoby Brenner | TE |
| 72 | DET | Don Greco | G |
| 73 | PIT | Rick Donnalley | C |
| 74 | MIN | Tim Irwin | T |
| 75 | KAN | Roger Taylor | T |
| 76 | BUF | Mike Mosley | WR |
| 77 | SDG | Irvin Phillips | DB |
| 78 | KAN | Lloyd Burruss | DB |
| 79 | HOU | Mike Holston | WR |
| 80 | ATL | Scott Woerner | DB |
| 81 | DAL | Glen Titensor | G |
| 82 | PHI | Greg LaFleur | TE |
| 83 | BUF | Robert Geathers | DT |
| 84 | MIA | Sam Greene | WR |
| 85 | NYG | Cliff Chatman | RB |
| 86 | NYJ | Al Washington | LB |
| 87 | SEA | Scott Phillips | WR |
| 88 | STL | Steve Rhodes | WR |
| 89 | TAM | John Holt | DB |
| 90 | WAS | Tom Flick | QB |
| 91 | DAL | Scott Pelluer | LB |
| 92 | CLE | Mike Robinson | DE |
| 93 | CIN | Guy Frazier | LB |
| 94 | BAL | Tim Sherwin | TE |
| 95 | CHI | Todd Bell | DB |
| 96 | MIA | Brad Wright | QB |
| 97 | KAN | Ron Washington | WR |
| 98 | DEN | Mark Herrmann | QB |
| 99 | DET | Tracy Porter | WR |
| 100 | PIT | Robbie Martin | WR |
| 101 | MIN | John Swain | DB |
| 102 | NWE | Don Blackmon | LB |
| 103 | SDG | Amos Lawrence | RB |
| 104 | RAM | George Lilja | G |
| 105 | GNB | Richard Turner | NT |
| 106 | HOU | Nick Eyre | T |
| 107 | SDG | Eric Sievers | TE |
| 108 | DAL | Derrie Nelson | LB |
| 109 | ATL | John Scully | G |
| 110 | PHI | Calvin Murray | RB |
| 111 | OAK | Johnny Robinson | NT |
| 112 | NOR | Louis Oubre | G |
| 113 | NYJ | Tyrone Keys | DE |
| 114 | SEA | Edwin Bailey | G |
| 115 | NYG | Bill Neill | NT |
| 116 | STL | John Gillen | LB |
| 117 | GNB | Byron Braggs | DE |
| 118 | OAK | James Davis | DB |
| 119 | WAS | Dexter Manley | DE |
| 120 | CIN | Benjie Pryor | TE |
| 121 | SFO | Lynn Thomas | DB |
| 122 | SFO | Arrington Jones | RB |
| 123 | MIN | Wendell Ray | DE |
| 124 | KAN | Todd Thomas | C |
| 125 | DEN | Ken Lanier | T |
| 126 | MIA | Ken Poole | DE |
| 127 | PIT | Ricky Martin | WR |
| 128 | NOR | Jerry Boyarsky | NT |
| 129 | DET | Larry Lee | G |
| 130 | NWE | Steve Clark | DE |
| 131 | SDG | Keith Ferguson | DE |
| 132 | WAS | Gary Sayre | G |
| 133 | HOU | Delbert Fowler | LB |
| 134 | CLE | Steve Cox | P |
| 135 | BUF | Calvin Clark | DE |
| 136 | ATL | Eric Sanders | T |
| 137 | DAL | Danny Spradlin | LB |
| 138 | MIA | Tommy Vigorito | RB |
| 139 | NOR | Nat Hudson | G |
| 140 | SEA | Steve Durham | DE |
| 141 | SDG | Andrew Gissinger | T |
| 142 | NYJ | John Woodring | LB |
| 143 | STL | Dave Ahrens | LB |
| 144 | NOR | Johnnie Poe | DB |
| 145 | NYG | Melvin Hoover | WR |
| 146 | CIN | Rex Robinson | K |
| 147 | SFO | Pete Kugler | NT |
| 148 | WAS | Larry Kubin | LB |
| 149 | BAL | Bubba Green | DT |
| 150 | CHI | Reuben Henderson | DB |
| 151 | DEN | Alvin Lewis | RB |
| 152 | MIA | Mack Moore | DE |
| 153 | KAN | Dock Luckie | DT |
| 154 | MIA | Fulton Walker | DB |
| 155 | DET | Sam Johnson | DB |
| 156 | PIT | Bryan Hinkle | LB |
| 157 | NWE | Ron Wooten | G |
| 158 | RAM | William Daniels | DT |
| 159 | HOU | Bill Kay | DB |
| 160 | CLE | Ron Simmons | DT |
| 161 | BUF | Robert Holt | WR |
| 162 | SDG | Bobby Duckworth | WR |
| 163 | DAL | Vince Skillings | DB |
| 164 | ATL | Harry Stanback | DE |
| 165 | NYG | Edward O’Neal | RB |
| 166 | NOR | Glen Redd | LB |
| 167 | NOR | Kevin Williams | WR |
| 168 | NYG | Louis Jackson | RB |
| 169 | NYJ | Kenny Neil | DE |
| 170 | SEA | Ron Johnson | WR |
| 171 | STL | Kevin Donnalley | DB |
| 172 | GNB | Bill Whitaker | DB |
| 173 | DAL | Ron Fellows | DB |
| 174 | PHI | Alan Duncan | K |
| 175 | RAM | Ron Battle | TE |
| 176 | CIN | Jeff Schuh | LB |
| 177 | CHI | Jeff Fisher | DB |
| 178 | BAL | Obed Ariri | K |
| 179 | MIA | Mike Daum | T |
| 180 | KAN | Billy Jackson | RB |
| 181 | DEN | Steve Busick | LB |
| 182 | DET | Lee Spivey | T |
| 183 | PIT | David Little | LB |
| 184 | MIN | Don Shaver | RB |
| 185 | NWE | Ken Toler | WR |
| 186 | SEA | Brad Scovill | TE |
| 187 | CLE | Eddie Johnson | LB |
| 188 | BUF | Steve Doolittle | LB |
| 189 | SDG | Pete Holohan | TE |
| 190 | RAM | Mike Clark | DE |
| 191 | DAL | Ken Miller | DB |
| 192 | PHI | Doak Field | LB |
| 193 | HOU | Don Washington | DB |
| 194 | NWE | Ken Naber | K |
| 195 | NYJ | Lloyd Jones | WR |
| 196 | SEA | Eric Lane | RB |
| 197 | NYG | John Powers | G |
| 198 | STL | Mike Fisher | WR |
| 199 | TAM | Denver Johnson | T |
| 200 | GNB | Larry Werts | LB |
| 201 | WAS | Charlie Brown | WR |
| 202 | CIN | Bobby Kemp | DB |
| 203 | SFO | Garry White | RB |
| 204 | BAL | Ken Sitton | DB |
| 205 | CHI | Scott Zettek | DT |
| 206 | KAN | David Dorn | WR |
| 207 | NYG | Mark Reed | QB |
| 208 | MIA | William Judson | DB |
| 209 | PIT | Frank Wilson | TE |
| 210 | MIN | Wade Wilson | QB |
| 211 | DET | Bob Niziolek | TE |
| 212 | NWE | Lin Dawson | TE |
| 213 | NYJ | J.C. Watts | DB |
| 214 | NOR | Gene Gladys | LB |
| 215 | NOR | Kevin Evans | DB |
| 216 | RAM | Art Plunkett | T |
| 217 | HOU | Willie Tullis | DB |
| 218 | DAL | Paul Piurowski | LB |
| 219 | ATL | Clifford Toney | DB |
| 220 | BAL | Hosea Taylor | DE |
| 221 | NYG | Billy Ard | G |
| 222 | NOR | Toussaint Tyler | RB |
| 223 | SEA | Jim Stone | RB |
| 224 | NYG | Byron Hunt | LB |
| 225 | NYJ | Admiral Dewey Larry | DB |
| 226 | STL | Stump Mitchell | RB |
| 227 | GNB | Tim Huffman | G |
| 228 | TAM | Mike Ford | QB |
| 229 | CIN | Jim Hannula | T |
| 230 | CIN | Samoa Samoa | RB |
| 231 | WAS | Darryl Grant | DT |
| 232 | CHI | Frank Ditta | G |
| 233 | BAL | Tim Gooch | DT |
| 234 | DEN | Rusty Olsen | DE |
| 235 | MIA | John Noonan | WR |
| 236 | SEA | Jim Whatley | WR |
| 237 | KAN | Anthony Vereen | DB |
| 238 | DET | Hugh Jernigan | DB |
| 239 | PIT | James Hunter | NT |
| 240 | DET | David Martin | DB |
| 241 | BUF | Robb Riddick | RB |
| 242 | RAM | Ron Seawell | LB |
| 243 | HOU | Avon Riley | LB |
| 244 | CLE | Randy Schleusener | G |
| 245 | ATL | Calvin Fance | RB |
| 246 | DAL | Mike Wilson | WR |
| 247 | PHI | Chuck Commiskey | G |
| 248 | OAK | Curt Mohl | T |
| 249 | NOR | Hokie Gajan | RB |
| 250 | NYG | Mike Barker | DT |
| 251 | NYJ | Marty Wetzel | LB |
| 252 | SEA | Ken Dawson | RB |
| 253 | STL | James Mallard | WR |
| 254 | TAM | Ken McCune | DE |
| 255 | GNB | Nickie Hall | QB |
| 256 | BAL | Gregg Gerken | LB |
| 257 | WAS | Phil Kessel | QB |
| 258 | CIN | Hubert Simpson | RB |
| 259 | BAL | Trent Bryant | DB |
| 260 | CHI | Tim Clifford | QB |
| 261 | MIA | Steve Folsom | TE |
| 262 | KAN | Les Studdard | C |
| 263 | STL | Jim Joiner | WR |
| 264 | DET | Andy Cannavino | LB |
| 265 | PIT | Mike Mayock | DB |
| 266 | MIN | James Murphy | WR |
| 267 | WAS | Allan Kennedy | T |
| 268 | SDG | Robert Parham | RB |
| 269 | RAM | Robert Alexander | RB |
| 270 | HOU | Larry Jones | RB |
| 271 | CLE | Dean Prater | DE |
| 272 | BUF | Justin Cross | T |
| 273 | DAL | Pat Graham | DT |
| 274 | ATL | Robert Murphy | DB |
| 275 | PHI | Hubie Oliver | RB |
| 276 | OAK | Frank Hawkins | RB |
| 277 | NOR | Lester Mickens | WR |
| 278 | NYJ | Ed Gall | DT |
| 279 | SEA | Lance Olander | RB |
| 280 | SDG | Matt Petrzelka | T |
| 281 | STL | Mike Sherrod | TE |
| 282 | GNB | Forrest Valora | LB |
| 283 | TAM | Johnny Ray Smith | DB |
| 284 | WAS | Jerry Hill | WR |
| 285 | CIN | Robert Jackson | DB |
| 286 | SFO | Ronnie DeBose | TE |
| 287 | CHI | Lonnie Johnson | RB |
| 288 | BAL | Holden Smith | WR |
| 289 | KAN | Frank Case | DE |
| 290 | DEN | Pat Walker | WR |
| 291 | MIA | Jim Jensen | WR |
| 292 | PIT | Rick Trocano | QB |
| 293 | MIN | Bill Stephanos | T |
| 294 | DET | Willie Jackson | DB |
| 295 | NWE | Brian Buckley | QB |
| 296 | RAM | Marcellus Greene | DB |
| 297 | HOU | Claude Mathews | G |
| 298 | CLE | Larry Friday | DB |
| 299 | BUF | Buster Barnett | TE |
| 300 | SDG | Carlos Bradley | LB |
| 301 | ATL | Keith Chappelle | WR |
| 302 | DAL | Tim Morrison | G |
| 303 | PHI | Gail Davis | T |
| 304 | OAK | Chester Willis | RB |
| 305 | NOR | Jim Wilks | DE |
| 306 | SEA | Jeff Bednarek | DT |
| 307 | NYG | Mike Maher | TE |
| 308 | NYJ | Mike Moeller | T |
| 309 | STL | Joe Adams | G |
| 310 | TAM | Brad White | NT |
| 311 | GNB | Cliff Lewis | LB |
| 312 | CIN | Mark O’Connell | QB |
| 313 | SFO | Major Ogilvie | RB |
| 314 | WAS | Clint Didier | TE |
| 315 | BAL | Eric Scoggins | LB |
| 316 | CHI | Bob Shupryt | LB |
| 317 | DEN | John Hankerd | LB |
| 318 | MIA | John Alford | DT |
| 319 | KAN | Bob Gagliano | QB |
| 320 | MIN | Brian Williams | TE |
| 321 | DEN | Mandel Robinson | RB |
| 322 | SFO | Joe Adams | QB |
| 323 | NWE | Cris Crissy | DB |
| 324 | HOU | Bill Capece | K |
| 325 | CLE | Kevin McGill | T |
| 326 | BUF | Keith Clark | LB |
| 327 | SDG | Stacy Charles | WR |
| 328 | RAM | Jairo Penaranda | RB |
| 329 | DAL | Nate Lundy | WR |
| 330 | ATL | Mark McCants | DB |
| 331 | PHI | Ray Ellis | DB |
| 332 | OAK | Phil Nelson | TE |
The information above was provided by Por-Football-Reference.com.
