1997 NFL draft: 29 picks in our player database
29 players from the 1997 draft are in our dataset. The earliest pick we hold is Orlando Pace (round 1, pick 1). Most common positions: offensive tackle 4, defensive end 4, cornerback 3.
Round 1
| Pick | Player | Pos | Drafted by | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orlando Pace | OT |  | Ohio State |
| 3 | Shawn Springs | CB |  | Ohio State |
| 6 | Walter Jones | OT | | Florida State / Holmes County JC |
| 7 | Ike Hilliard | WR |  | Florida |
| 8 | James Farrior | ILB |  | Virginia |
| 10 | Chris Naeole | G |  | Colorado |
| 12 | Warrick Dunn | RB |  | Florida State |
| 13 | Tony Gonzalez | TE |  | California |
| 17 | Kenard Lang | DE |  | Miami |
| 19 | Tarik Glenn | OT |  | California |
| 21 | Renaldo Wynn | DE |  | Notre Dame |
| 24 | Chad Scott | CB |  | Maryland / Towson State |
| 28 | Trevor Pryce | DE |  | Clemson / Michigan |
| 30 | Ross Verba | G |  | Iowa |
Round 2
| Pick | Player | Pos | Drafted by | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | Tiki Barber | RB | | Virginia |
| 40 | Dexter McCleon | DB | | Clemson |
| 42 | Jake Plummer | QB |  | Arizona State |
| 43 | Corey Dillon | RB |  | Washington / Dixie College (UT) / Garden City CC |
| 44 | Sam Madison | CB |  | Louisville |
| 48 | Adam Meadows | OT | | Georgia |
| 50 | Mike Logan | DB | | West Virginia |
| 52 | Marcellus Wiley | DE |  | Columbia / West Los Angeles College |
| 56 | Mike Minter | FS |  | Nebraska |
| 57 | James Darling | LB |  | Washington State |
| 60 | Darren Sharper | FS | | William & Mary |
Round 3
| Pick | Player | Pos | Drafted by | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | Ronde Barber | FS | | Virginia |
| 73 | Jason Taylor | OLB | | Akron |
| 95 | Brad Maynard | P | | Ball State |
Round 4
| Pick | Player | Pos | Drafted by | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98 | Derrick Mason | WR |  | Michigan State |
Only players in our dataset are listed (2025 rosters and long-career legends), not the full draft. Source: nflverse (CC BY 4.0).
1997 draft: questions
Who is the earliest 1997 pick on this page?
Orlando Pace, round 1, pick 1, by the Los Angeles Rams.
How many 1997 draftees are still playing?
0 of the 29 players listed here are on a 2025 roster.
Which colleges produced the most 1997 picks here?
Virginia (3), California (2), Clemson (2).