1981 NFL draft: 19 picks in our player database
19 players from the 1981 draft are in our dataset. The earliest pick we hold is Lawrence Taylor (round 1, pick 2). Most common positions: running back 4, defensive end 3, linebacker 2.
Round 1
| Pick | Player | Pos | Drafted by | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Lawrence Taylor | OLB |  | North Carolina |
| 3 | Freeman McNeil | RB |  | UCLA |
| 5 | E.J. Junior | LB |  | Alabama |
| 7 | Hugh Green | LB |  | Pittsburgh |
| 8 | Ronnie Lott | SAF |  | USC |
| 11 | Keith Van Horne | OT |  | USC |
| 15 | Dennis Smith | FS |  | USC |
| 18 | Donnell Thompson | DE |  | North Carolina |
| 20 | Mark May | G |  | Pittsburgh |
| 24 | James Brooks | RB |  | Auburn |
| 25 | Bobby Butler | DB |  | Florida State |
Round 2
| Pick | Player | Pos | Drafted by | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | James Wilder | RB | | Missouri / Northeast Oklahoma |
| 38 | Mike Singletary | MLB | | Baylor |
| 40 | Eric Wright | DB | | Missouri |
| 47 | Tony Collins | RB |  | East Carolina |
| 48 | Howie Long | DE |  | Villanova |
| 51 | Rickey Jackson | DE |  | Pittsburgh |
Round 8
| Pick | Player | Pos | Drafted by | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 210 | Wade Wilson | QB |  | Texas A&M-Commerce |
Round 12
| Pick | Player | Pos | Drafted by | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 319 | Bob Gagliano | QB |  | Utah State / Alliant International University / Glendale Community College |
Only players in our dataset are listed (2025 rosters and long-career legends), not the full draft. Source: nflverse (CC BY 4.0).
1981 draft: questions
Who is the earliest 1981 pick on this page?
Lawrence Taylor, round 1, pick 2, by the New York Giants.
How many 1981 draftees are still playing?
0 of the 19 players listed here are on a 2025 roster.
Which colleges produced the most 1981 picks here?
Pittsburgh (3), USC (3), Missouri (2).