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The 1997 Entire NFL Draft Review

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Runningback - Warrick Dunn
Tampa Bay Buccaneers first overall pick.

The 1997 draft was held April 19–20, 1997, at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. No teams chose to claim any players in the supplemental draft that year.

This draft was notable for its high-profile offensive linemen. The first overall selection was Orlando Pace, who has appeared in seven consecutive Pro Bowls from 2000 to 2006. Tarik Glenn was selected 19th overall and has been named to three Pro Bowls as well. Arguably the best of the bunch, Walter Jones, who made nine Pro Bowls (including eight consecutive from 2001–08), was a seven time All-Pro, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2014, was selected 6th overall. Others include Chris Naeole, Dan Neil, Ryan Tucker, Jeff Mitchell, Mike Flynn, and Joe Andruzzi.

The 1997 Draft is also well known for its running backs. Warrick Dunn was drafted 12th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and rushed for over 10,000 yards in his career. Corey Dillon, Tiki Barber, Antowain Smith, Priest Holmes, and Duce Staley all enjoyed productive seasons in the NFL.

This draft is also well known for its undrafted Pro Bowl players. Jake Delhomme, Holmes, Pat Williams, and four others made Pro-Bowl trips at some point in their careers.

The Buccaneerss drafted alternately 8th, 7th and 6th through the seven rounds of this draft. The additional 1st round pick came courtesy of the San Diego Chargers in return for the Bucccaneers' second round pick the previous year. The additional 4th and 7th round picks were compensatory for the loss of free agents. The Buccaneerss originally traded their 1st and 4th round picks to the Jets to move up two spots in the first round. They then traded that top pick to Seattle for the 12th overall pick and an extra 3rd rounder.


Click Any Year Here To Review The Entire NFL Draft & Notable Undrafted Players
1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
2021 2022
POSITIIONS KEY
C Center CB Cornerback DB Defensive back DE Defensive end
DL Defensive lineman DT Defensive tackle FB Fullback FS Free safety
G Guard HB Halfback K Placekicker KR Kick returner
LB Linebacker LS Long snapper OT Offensive Tackle OL Offensive lineman
NT Nose tackle P Punter PR Punt returner QB Quarterback
RB Running back S Safety SS Strong safety TB Tailback
TE Tight end WR Wide receiver        

Player Selections

Rnd. Pick # NFL Team Player Pos. College Conf. Notes
1 1 St. Louis Rams Orlando Pace OT Ohio State Big Ten from NY Jets
1 2 Oakland Raiders Darrell Russell DT USC Pac-10
1 3 Seattle Seahawks Shawn Springs CB Ohio State Big Ten
1 4 Baltimore Ravens Peter Boulware LB Florida State ACC
1 5 Detroit Lions Bryant Westbrook CB Texas Big 12
1 6 Seattle Seahawks Walter Jones OT Florida State ACC from Tampa Bay
1 7 New York Giants Ike Hilliard WR Florida SEC
1 8 New York Jets James Farrior LB Virginia ACC from Tampa Bay
1 9 Arizona Cardinals Tom Knight CB Iowa Big Ten
1 10 New Orleans Saints Chris Naeole G Colorado Big 12
1 11 Atlanta Falcons Michael Booker CB Nebraska Big 12
1 12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Warrick Dunn RB Florida State ACC
1 13 Kansas City Chiefs Tony Gonzalez TE California Pac-10
1 14 Cincinnati Bengals Reinard Wilson LB Florida State ACC
1 15 Miami Dolphins Yatil Green WR Miami Big East
1 16 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Reidel Anthony WR Florida SEC
1 17 Washington Redskins Kenard Lang DE Miami Big East
1 18 Tennessee Oilers Kenny Holmes DE Miami Big East
1 19 Indianapolis Colts Tarik Glenn OT California Pac-10
1 20 Minnesota Vikings Dwayne Rudd LB Alabama SEC
1 21 Jacksonville Jaguars Renaldo Wynn DT Notre Dame Ind. (I-A)
1 22 Dallas Cowboys David LaFleur TE LSU SEC
1 23 Buffalo Bills Antowain Smith RB Houston C-USA
1 24 Pittsburgh Steelers Chad Scott CB Maryland ACC
1 25 Philadelphia Eagles Jon Harris DE Virginia ACC
1 26 San Francisco 49ers Jim Druckenmiller QB Virginia Tech Big East
1 27 Carolina Panthers Rae Carruth WR Colorado Big 12
1 28 Denver Broncos Trevor Pryce DT Clemson ACC
1 29 New England Patriots Chris Canty CB Kansas State Big 12
1 30 Green Bay Packers Ross Verba OT Iowa Big Ten
2 31 New York Jets Rick Terry DT North Carolina ACC
2 32 Atlanta Falcons Nathan Davis DE Indiana Big Ten
2 33 New Orleans Saints Rob Kelly S Ohio State Big Ten
2 34 Baltimore Ravens Jamie Sharper LB Virginia ACC
2 35 Detroit Lions Juan Roque OT Arizona State Pac-10
2 36 New York Giants Tiki Barber RB Virginia ACC
2 37 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerry Wunsch OT Wisconsin Big Ten
2 38 Chicago Bears John Allred TE USC Pac-10
2 39 New Orleans Saints Jared Tomich DE Nebraska Big 12
2 40 St. Louis Rams Dexter McCleon CB Clemson ACC
2 41 Atlanta Falcons Byron Hanspard RB Texas Tech Big 12
2 42 Arizona Cardinals Jake Plummer QB Arizona State Pac-10
2 43 Cincinnati Bengals Corey Dillon RB Washington Pac-10
2 44 Miami Dolphins Sam Madison CB Louisville C-USA
2 45 San Diego Chargers Freddie Jones TE North Carolina ACC
2 46 Tennessee Oilers Joey Kent WR Tennessee SEC
2 47 Kansas City Chiefs Kevin Lockett WR Kansas State Big 12
2 48 Indianapolis Colts Adam Meadows OT Georgia SEC
2 49 Minnesota Vikings Torrian Gray S Virginia Tech Big East
2 50 Jacksonville Jaguars Mike Logan CB West Virginia Big East
2 51 Washington Redskins Greg Jones LB Colorado Big 12
2 52 Buffalo Bills Marcellus Wiley DE Columbia Ivy
2 53 Pittsburgh Steelers Will Blackwell WR San Diego State WAC
2 54 Detroit Lions Kevin Abrams CB Syracuse Big East
2 55 San Francisco 49ers Marc Edwards FB Notre Dame Ind. (I-A)
2 56 Carolina Panthers Mike Minter S Nebraska Big 12
2 57 Philadelphia Eagles James Darling LB Washington State Pac-10
2 58 Baltimore Ravens Kim Herring S Penn State Big Ten
2 59 New England Patriots Brandon Mitchell DE Texas A&M Big 12
2 60 Green Bay Packers Darren Sharper S William & Mary Yankee
3 61 New England Patriots Sedrick Shaw RB Iowa Big Ten
3 62 New Orleans Saints Troy Davis RB Iowa State Big 12
3 63 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Frank Middleton G Arizona Pac-10
3 64 Baltimore Ravens Jay Graham RB Tennessee SEC
3 65 Dallas Cowboys Dexter Coakley LB Appalachian State SoCon
3 66 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ronde Barber CB Virginia ACC
3 67 Denver Broncos Dan Neil G Texas Big 12
3 68 New York Giants Ryan Phillips LB Idaho Big West
3 69 Chicago Bears Bob Sapp G Washington Pac-10
3 70 Atlanta Falcons OJ Santiago TE Kent State MAC
3 71 Philadelphia Eagles Duce Staley RB South Carolina SEC
3 72 Oakland Raiders Adam Treu G Nebraska Big 12
3 73 Miami Dolphins Jason Taylo DE Akron MAC
3 74 San Diego Chargers Michael Hamilton LB North Carolina A&T MEAC
3 75 Tennessee Oilers Denard Walker CB Kent State MAC
3 76 Cincinnati Bengals Rod Payne C Michigan Big Ten
3 77 San Francisco 49ers Greg Clark TE Stanford Pac-10
3 78 Minnesota Vikings Stalin Colinet DE Boston College Big East
3 79 Jacksonville Jaguars James Hamilton LB North Carolina ACC
3 80 Washington Redskins Derek Smith LB Arizona State Pac-10
3 81 Tennessee Oilers Scott Sanderson OT Washington State Pac-10
3 82 Pittsburgh Steelers Paul Wiggins OT Oregon Pac-10
3 83 Dallas Cowboys Steve Scifres G Wyoming WAC
3 84 Arizona Cardinals Ty Howard CB Ohio State Big Ten
3 85 Oakland Raiders Kohn, TimTim Kohn G Iowa State Big 12
3 86 Indianapolis Colts Bertrand Berry LB Notre Dame Ind. (I-A)
3 87 Carolina Panthers Kinnon Tatum LB Notre Dame Ind. (I-A)
3 88 New York Jets Dedric Ward WR Northern Iowa Gateway
3 89 New England Patriots Chris Carter S Texas Big 12
3 90 Green Bay Packers Brett Conway K Penn State Big Ten
3 91 Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Vrabel LB Ohio State Big Ten
3 92 Miami Dolphins Derrick Rodgers LB Arizona State Pac-10
3 93 Miami Dolphins Ward, RonnieRonnie Ward LB Kansas Big 12
3 94 Dallas Cowboys Kenny Wheaton LB Oregon Pac-10
3 95 New York Giants Brad Maynard P Ball State MAC
3 96 Miami Dolphins Brent Smith OT Mississippi State SEC
4 97 New England Patriots Damon Denson G Michigan Big Ten
4 98 Tennessee Oilers Derrick Mason WR Michigan State Big Ten
4 99 New Orleans Saints Danny Wuerffel QB Florida SEC
4 100 Atlanta Falcons Henri Crockett LB Florida State ACC
4 101 Dallas Cowboys Antonio Anderson DT Syracuse Big East
4 102 New York Jets Day, TerryTerry Day DE Mississippi State SEC
4 103 New York Giants Pete Monty LB Wisconsin Big Ten
4 104 New York Jets Leon Johnson RB North Carolina ACC
4 105 Chicago Bears Darnell Autry RB Northwestern Big Ten
4 106 Arizona Cardinals Chris Dishman G Nebraska Big 12
4 107 Tennessee Oilers Pratt Lyons DE Troy State Southland
4 108 Chicago Bears Marcus Robinson WR South Carolina SEC
4 109 San Diego Chargers Raleigh Roundtree G South Carolina State MEAC
4 110 Kansas City Chiefs Pat Barnes QB California Pac-10
4 111 Cincinnati Bengals Tremain Mack S Miami (FL) Big East
4 112 St. Louis Rams Ryan Tucker OT TCU WAC
4 113 Minnesota Vikings Antonio Banks CB Virginia Tech Big East
4 114 Jacksonville Jaguars Seth Payne DT Cornell Ivy
4 115 Washington Redskins Albert Connell WR Texas A&M Big 12
4 116 New Orleans Saints Keith Poole WR Arizona State Pac-10
4 117 Indianapolis Colts Monty Montgomery CB Houston C-USA
4 118 Baltimore Ravens Tyrus McCloud LB Louisville C-USA
4 119 Philadelphia Eagles Damien Robinson S Iowa Big Ten
4 120 Buffalo Bills Jamie Nails G Florida A&M MEAC
4 121 Miami Dolphins Daniels, JeromeJerome Daniels OT Northeastern Yankee
4 122 Carolina Panthers Tarek Saleh LB Wisconsin Big Ten
4 123 Oakland Raiders Chad Levitt RB Cornell Ivy
4 124 Denver Broncos Gilliard, CoryCory Gilliard CB Ball State MAC
4 125 New England Patriots Ed Ellis OT Buffalo Ind. (FCS)
4 126 Green Bay Packers Jermaine Smith DT Georgia SEC
4 127 Dallas Cowboys Macey Brooks WR James Madison Yankee
4 128 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Alshermond Singleton LB Temple Big East
4 129 Dallas Cowboys Nicky Sualua FB Ohio State Big Ten
4 130 Detroit Lions Matt Russell LB Colorado Big 12
5 131 New York Jets Lamont Burns G East Carolina Ind. (I-A)
5 132 Washington Redskins Jamel Williams S Nebraska Big 12
5 133 Atlanta Falcons Wimberly, MarcusMarcus Wimberly S Miami Big East
5 134 Baltimore Ravens Jeff Mitchell C Florida SEC
5 135 Detroit Lions Chryplewicz, PetePete Chryplewicz TE Notre Dame Ind. (I-A)
5 136 New York Giants Sam Garnes S Cincinnati C-USA
5 137 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Patrick Hape TE Alabama SEC
5 138 San Diego Chargers Kenny Bynum RB South Carolina State MEAC
5 139 Arizona Cardinals Carpenter, ChadChad Carpenter WR Washington State Pac-10
5 140 Washington Redskins Keith Thibodeaux CB Northwestern State Southland
5 141 Chicago Bears Hiles, VanVan Hiles CB Kentucky SEC
5 142 Seattle Seahawks Eric Stokes CB Nebraska Big 12
5 143 Tennessee Oilers George McCullough CB Baylor Big 12
5 144 Cincinnati Bengals Andre Purvis DT North Carolina ACC
5 145 New York Jets Raymond Austin CB Tennessee SEC
5 146 San Diego Chargers Paul Bradford CB Portland State Big Sky
5 147 Jacksonville Jaguars Damon Jones TE Southern Illinois Gateway
5 148 Washington Redskins Twan Russell LB Miami Big East
5 149 Miami Dolphins Barron Tanner DT Oklahoma Big 12
5 150 Indianapolis Colts Nate Jacquet WR San Diego State WAC
5 151 Minnesota Vikings Tony Williams DT Memphis C-USA
5 152 Philadelphia Eagles N. D. Kalu DE Rice WAC
5 153 Buffalo Bills Woodson, SeanSean Woodson CB Jackson State SWAC
5 154 Pittsburgh Steelers George Jones RB San Diego State WAC
5 155 Philadelphia Eagles Luther Broughton TE Furman SoCon
5 156 Indianapolis Colts Carl Powell DE Louisville C-USA
5 157 Miami Dolphins Lopez, NickNick Lopez DE Texas Southern SWAC
5 158 St. Louis Rams Taje Allen CB Texas Big 12
5 159 New England Patriots Vernon Crawford LB Florida State ACC
5 160 Green Bay Packers Anthony Hicks LB Middle Tennessee State Ohio Valley
5 161 Detroit Lions Ashman, DuaneDuane Ashman DE Virginia ACC
5 162 Washington Redskins Brad Badger G Stanford Pac-10
5 163 Kansas City Chiefs June Henley RB Kansas Big 12
6 164 New York Jets Scharf, TimTim Scharf LB Northwestern Big Ten
6 165 New Orleans Saints Nicky Savoie TE LSU SEC
6 166 Miami Dolphins John Fiala LB Washington Pac-10
6 167 Baltimore Ravens Lee, SteveSteve Lee RB Indiana Big Ten
6 168 Detroit Lions Ramirez, TroyTroy Ramirez G Northern Colorado NCIAC
6 169 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Al Harris CB Texas A&M–Kingsville Lone Star
6 170 Miami Dolphins Brian Manning WR Stanford Pac-10
6 171 New York Giants Cherry, MikeMike Cherry QB Murray State OVC
6 172 Oakland Raiders Calvin Branch Colorado State WAC
6 173 Miami Dolphins Mike Crawford LB Nevada Big West
6 174 Seattle Seahawks Itula Mili TE BYU WAC
6 175 Arizona Cardinals Brown, RodRod Brown RB NC State ACC
6 176 Cincinnati Bengals Canute Curtis LB West Virginia Big East
6 177 Miami Dolphins Ed Perry TE James Madison Yankee
6 178 San Diego Chargers Palmer, DanielDaniel Palmer C Air Force WAC
6 179 St. Louis Rams Kazadi, MuadianvitaMuadianvita Kazadi LB Tulsa WAC
6 180 Atlanta Falcons Calvin Collins C Texas A&M Big 12
6 181 Tennessee Oilers Stallings, DennisDennis Stallings LB Illinois Big Ten
6 182 Indianapolis Colts Von der Ahe, ScottScott Von der Ahe LB Arizona State Pac-10
6 183 Minnesota Vikings Robert Tate WR Cincinnati C-USA
6 184 Jacksonville Jaguars Daimon Shelton FB Sacramento State Big Sky
6 185 Buffalo Bills Marcus Spriggs G Houston C-USA
6 186 Pittsburgh Steelers Daryl Porter S Houston C-USA
6 187 Dallas Cowboys Vaughn, LeeLee Vaughn CB Boston College Big East
6 188 Arizona Cardinals McCombs, TonyTony McCombs LB Eastern Kentucky OVC
6 189 Carolina Panthers Finkes, MattMatt Finkes DE Ohio State Big Ten
6 190 Philadelphia Eagles Antwuan Wyatt WR Bethune-Cookman MEAC
6 191 New York Jets Chuck Clements QB Houston C-USA
6 192 New England Patriots Gaiter, TonyTony Gaiter WR Miami (FL) Big East
6 193 Oakland Raiders Grady Jackson DT Knoxville Ind. (Div. II) from Green Bay
6 194 Baltimore Ravens Cornell Brown DE Virginia Tech Big East
6 195 Kansas City Chiefs Isaac Byrd WR Kansas Big 12
6 196 Chicago Bears Shawn Swayda DT Arizona State Pac-10
6 197 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Nigea Carter WR Michigan State Big Ten
6 198 Philadelphia Eagles Ed Jasper DT Texas A&M Big 12
6 199 Pittsburgh Steelers Rod Manuel DE Oklahoma Big 12
6 200 Chicago Bears Richard Hogans LB Memphis C-USA
6 201 Chicago Bears Ricky Parker CB San Diego State WAC
7 202 New York Jets Steve Rosga CB Colorado Big 12
7 203 Miami Dolphins Hudhaifa Ismaeli S Northwestern Big Ten
7 204 Atlanta Falcons Tony Graziani QB Oregon Pac-10
7 205 Baltimore Ravens Ward, ChrisChris Ward DE Kentucky SEC
7 206 Detroit Lions Battle, TerryTerry Battle RB Arizona State Pac-10
7 207 Philadelphia Eagles Koy Detmer QB Colorado Big 12
7 208 New York Giants Matt Keneley DT USC Pac-10
7 209 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Anthony DeGrate DT Stephen F. Austin Southland
7 210 Chicago Bears Mike Miano DT SW Missouri State Gateway
7 211 Seattle Seahawks Carlos Jones CB Miami (FL) Big East
7 212 Arizona Cardinals Mark Smith DE Auburn SEC
7 213 Green Bay Packers Chris Miller WR USC Pac-10
7 214 Kansas City Chiefs Parks, NathanNathan Parks OT Stanford Pac-10
7 215 St. Louis Rams White, CedricCedric White DE North Carolina A&T MEAC
7 216 Tennessee Oilers Williams, ArmonArmon Williams LB Arizona Pac-10
7 217 Cincinnati Bengals William Carr DT Michigan Big Ten
7 218 San Diego Chargers Toran James LB North Carolina A&T MEAC
7 219 Indianapolis Colts Thompson, ClarenceClarence Thompson CB Knoxville Ind. (Div. II)
7 220 Minnesota Vikings Artie Ulmer LB Valdosta State Gulf South
7 221 Jacksonville Jaguars Jon Hesse LB Nebraska Big 12
7 222 Atlanta Falcons Chris Bayne CB Fresno State WAC
7 223 Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Adams WR Texas Big 12
7 224 Dallas Cowboys Omar Stoutmire S Fresno State WAC
7 225 Philadelphia Eagles Capers, ByronByron Capers CB Florida State ACC
7 226 Buffalo Bills Fitzgerald, PatPat Fitzgerald TE Texas Big 12
7 227 Philadelphia Eagles Brown, DeaunteDeaunte Brown CB Central State Ind. (NAIA)
7 228 Carolina Panthers Kris Mangum TE Ole Miss SEC
7 229 New York Jets Jason Ferguson DT Georgia SEC
7 230 New England Patriots Scott Rehberg OT Central Michigan MAC
7 231 Green Bay Packers Jerald Sowell FB Tulane C-USA
7 232 Detroit Lions Marcus Harris WR Wyoming WAC
7 233 Chicago Bears Marvin Thomas DE Memphis C-USA
7 234 Baltimore Ravens Wally Richardson QB Penn State Big Ten
7 235 Minnesota Vikings Matthew Hatchette WR Langston NAIA Ind.
7 236 Baltimore Ravens Ralph Staten LB Alabama SEC
7 237 San Diego Chargers Tony Corbin QB Sacramento State Big Sky
7 238 Baltimore Ravens Leland Taylor DT Louisville C-USA
7 239 Detroit Lions Richard Jordan LB Missouri Southern MIAA
7 240 Green Bay Packers Ronnie McAda QB Army Ind. (I-A)

Notable Undrafted Players

Original NFL team Player Pos. College Conf. Notes
Atlanta Falcons David Akers K Louisville C-USA
Baltimore Ravens Priest Holmes RB Texas Big 12  
Baltimore Ravens Mike Flynn C Maine Yankee
Buffalo Bills Pat Williams DT Texas A&M Big 12
Chicago Bears Obafemi Ayanbadejo FB San Diego State WAC
Chicago Bears Bryan Robinson DE Fresno State WAC
Chicago Bears Terry Cousin CB South Carolina SEC
Dallas Cowboys Kevin Mathis CB Texas A&M–Commerce Lone Star
Detroit Lions Travis Kirschke DE UCLA Pac-10
Denver Broncos Matt Lepsis OT Colorado Big 12
Green Bay Packers Joe Andruzzi OT Southern Connecticut State ECAC
Green Bay Packers Ryan Longwell K California Pac-10
New Orleans Saints Jake Delhomme QB Louisiana–Lafayette Ind. (I-A)
New Orleans Saints Sammy Knight S USC Pac-10
New Orleans Saints Keith Mitchell LB Texas A&M Big 12
New York Giants David Patten WR Western Carolina SoCon
Philadelphia Eagles Chad Lewis TE BYU WAC
San Francisco 49ers Brandon Noble DT Penn State Big Ten
Seattle Seahawks Jon Kitna QB Central Washington CFA

Hall of Famers

  • Walter Jones, offensive tackle from Florida State University taken 1st round 6th overall by the Seattle Seahawks.
    inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2014.
  • Orlando Pace, offensive tackle from Ohio State University taken 1st round 1st overall by the St. Louis Rams.
    inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2016.
  • Jason Taylor, defensive end from University of Akron taken 3rd round 73rd overall by the Miami Dolphins.
    inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2017.
Click Any Year Here To Review The Entire NFL Draft & Notable Undrafted Players
1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
2021 2022