1981 NFL Draft
The New Orleans Saints took George Rogers first overall in the 1981 NFL draft, the first of 193 picks over 7 rounds. The most decorated name in the class is Lawrence Taylor, with 5 awards on the NFL honours list.
What the 1981 class won
- Lawrence Taylor — NFL Defensive Player of the Year, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, NFL MVP
- Mike Singletary — NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- George Rogers — NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
- Kenny Easley — NFL Defensive Player of the Year
Counted from the NFL award history, every season a pick has won something.
Round 1
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Rogers |  New Orleans Saints |
| 2 | Lawrence Taylor |  New York Giants |
| 3 | Freeman McNeil |  New York Jets |
| 4 | Kenny Easley |  Seattle Seahawks |
| 5 | E.J. Junior |  Arizona Cardinals |
| 6 | Rich Campbell |  Green Bay Packers |
| 7 | Hugh Green |  Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 8 | Ronnie Lott |  San Francisco 49ers |
| 9 | Mel Owens |  Los Angeles Rams |
| 10 | David Verser |  Cincinnati Bengals |
| 11 | Keith Van Horne |  Chicago Bears |
| 12 | Randy McMillan |  Indianapolis Colts |
| 13 | David Overstreet |  Miami Dolphins |
| 14 | Willie Scott |  Kansas City Chiefs |
| 15 | Dennis Smith |  Denver Broncos |
| 16 | Mark Nichols |  Detroit Lions |
| 17 | Keith Gary |  Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 18 | Donnell Thompson | Indianapolis Colts |
| 19 | Brian Holloway |  New England Patriots |
| 20 | Mark May |  Washington Commanders |
| 21 | Ted Watts |  Las Vegas Raiders |
| 22 | Hanford Dixon |  Cleveland Browns |
| 23 | Curt Marsh | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 24 | James Brooks |  Los Angeles Chargers |
| 25 | Bobby Butler |  Atlanta Falcons |
| 26 | Howard Richards |  Dallas Cowboys |
| 27 | Leonard Mitchell |  Philadelphia Eagles |
| 28 | Booker Moore |  Buffalo Bills |
Round 2
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Russell Gary | New Orleans Saints |
| 30 | Marion Barber | New York Jets |
| 31 | David Hughes | Seattle Seahawks |
| 32 | Dave Young | New York Giants |
| 33 | Neil Lomax | Arizona Cardinals |
| 34 | James Wilder | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 35 | Gary Lewis | Green Bay Packers |
| 36 | John Harty | San Francisco 49ers |
| 37 | Cris Collinsworth | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 38 | Mike Singletary | Chicago Bears |
| 39 | Mardye McDole |  Minnesota Vikings |
| 40 | Eric Wright | San Francisco 49ers |
| 41 | Joe Delaney | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 42 | Clay Brown | Denver Broncos |
| 43 | Jim Collins | Los Angeles Rams |
| 44 | Anthony Washington | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 45 | Robin Sendlein | Minnesota Vikings |
| 46 | Curtis Green | Detroit Lions |
| 47 | Tony Collins | New England Patriots |
| 48 | Howie Long | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 49 | Chris Williams | Buffalo Bills |
| 50 | Byron Franklin | Buffalo Bills |
| 51 | Rickey Jackson | New Orleans Saints |
| 52 | Jarvis Redwine | Minnesota Vikings |
| 53 | Doug Donley | Dallas Cowboys |
| 54 | Lyman White | Atlanta Falcons |
| 55 | Dean Miraldi | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 56 | Andra Franklin | Miami Dolphins |
Round 3
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 57 | Frank Warren | New Orleans Saints |
| 58 | Bill Dugan | Seattle Seahawks |
| 59 | John Mistler | New York Giants |
| 60 | Ben Rudolph | New York Jets |
| 61 | Jeff Griffin | Arizona Cardinals |
| 62 | Ray Stachowicz | Green Bay Packers |
| 63 | Greg Meisner | Los Angeles Rams |
| 64 | John Simmons | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 65 | Carlton Williamson | San Francisco 49ers |
| 66 | Robert Cobb | Los Angeles Rams |
| 67 | Ken Margerum | Chicago Bears |
| 68 | Randy Van Divier | Indianapolis Colts |
| 69 | Russ Grimm | Washington Commanders |
| 70 | Marvin Harvey | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 71 | Hoby Brenner | New Orleans Saints |
| 72 | Don Greco | Detroit Lions |
| 73 | Rick Donnalley | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 74 | Tim Irwin | Minnesota Vikings |
| 75 | Roger Taylor | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 76 | Mike Mosley | Buffalo Bills |
| 77 | Irvin Phillips | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 78 | Lloyd Burruss | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 79 | Michael Holston |  Tennessee Titans |
| 80 | Scott Woerner | Atlanta Falcons |
| 81 | Glen Titensor | Dallas Cowboys |
| 82 | Greg LaFleur | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 83 | Robert Geathers | Buffalo Bills |
Round 4
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 84 | Sam Greene | Miami Dolphins |
| 85 | Clifford Chatman | New York Giants |
| 86 | Al Washington | New York Jets |
| 87 | Scott Phillips | Seattle Seahawks |
| 88 | Steve Rhodes | Arizona Cardinals |
| 89 | John Holt | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 90 | Tom Flick | Washington Commanders |
| 91 | Scott Pelluer | Dallas Cowboys |
| 92 | Mike Robinson | Cleveland Browns |
| 93 | Guy Frazier | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 94 | Tim Sherwin | Indianapolis Colts |
| 95 | Todd Bell | Chicago Bears |
| 96 | Brad Wright | Miami Dolphins |
| 97 | Ron Washington | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 98 | Mark Herrmann | Denver Broncos |
| 99 | Tracy Porter | Detroit Lions |
| 100 | Robbie Martin | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 101 | John Swain | Minnesota Vikings |
| 102 | Don Blackmon | New England Patriots |
| 103 | Amos Lawrence | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 104 | George Lilja | Los Angeles Rams |
| 105 | Richard Turner | Green Bay Packers |
| 106 | Nick Eyre | Tennessee Titans |
| 107 | Eric Sievers | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 108 | Derrie Nelson | Dallas Cowboys |
| 109 | John Scully | Atlanta Falcons |
| 110 | Calvin Murray | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 111 | Johnny Robinson | Las Vegas Raiders |
Round 5
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | Louis Oubre | New Orleans Saints |
| 113 | Tyrone Keys | New York Jets |
| 114 | Edwin Bailey | Seattle Seahawks |
| 115 | Bill Neill | New York Giants |
| 116 | John Gillen | Arizona Cardinals |
| 117 | Byron Braggs | Green Bay Packers |
| 118 | James Davis | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 119 | Dexter Manley | Washington Commanders |
| 120 | Benjie Pryor | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 121 | Lynn Thomas | San Francisco 49ers |
| 122 | Arrington Jones | San Francisco 49ers |
| 123 | Wendell Ray | Minnesota Vikings |
| 124 | Todd Thomas | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 125 | Ken Lanier | Denver Broncos |
| 126 | Ken Poole | Miami Dolphins |
| 127 | Ricky Martin | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 128 | Jerry Boyarsky | New Orleans Saints |
| 129 | Larry Lee | Detroit Lions |
| 130 | Steve Clark | New England Patriots |
| 131 | Keith Ferguson | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 132 | Gary Sayre | Washington Commanders |
| 133 | Delbert Fowler | Tennessee Titans |
| 134 | Steve Cox | Cleveland Browns |
| 135 | Calvin Clark | Buffalo Bills |
| 136 | Eric Sanders | Atlanta Falcons |
| 137 | Danny Spradlin | Dallas Cowboys |
| 138 | Tommy Vigorito | Miami Dolphins |
Round 6
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 139 | Nat Hudson | New Orleans Saints |
| 140 | Steve Durham | Seattle Seahawks |
| 141 | Andy Gissinger | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 142 | John Woodring | New York Jets |
| 143 | Dave Ahrens | Arizona Cardinals |
| 144 | Johnnie Poe | New Orleans Saints |
| 145 | Mel Hoover | New York Giants |
| 146 | Rex Robinson | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 147 | Pete Kugler | San Francisco 49ers |
| 148 | Larry Kubin | Washington Commanders |
| 149 | Bubba Green | Indianapolis Colts |
| 150 | Reuben Henderson | Chicago Bears |
| 151 | Alvin Lewis | Denver Broncos |
| 152 | Mack Moore | Miami Dolphins |
| 153 | Dock Luckie | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 154 | Fulton Walker | Miami Dolphins |
| 155 | Sam Johnson | Detroit Lions |
| 156 | Bryan Hinkle | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 157 | Ron Wooten | New England Patriots |
| 158 | William Daniels | Los Angeles Rams |
| 159 | Bill Kay | Tennessee Titans |
| 160 | Ron Simmons | Cleveland Browns |
| 161 | Robert Holt | Buffalo Bills |
| 162 | Bobby Duckworth | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 163 | Vince Skillings | Dallas Cowboys |
| 164 | Harry Stanback | Atlanta Falcons |
| 165 | Edward O'Neal | New York Giants |
| 166 | Glen Redd | New Orleans Saints |
Round 7
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 167 | Kevin Williams | New Orleans Saints |
| 168 | Louis Jackson | New York Giants |
| 169 | Kenny Neil | New York Jets |
| 170 | Ron Johnson | Seattle Seahawks |
| 171 | Kevin Donnalley | Arizona Cardinals |
| 172 | Bill Whitaker | Green Bay Packers |
| 173 | Ron Fellows | Dallas Cowboys |
| 174 | Alan Duncan | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 175 | Ron Battle | Los Angeles Rams |
| 176 | Jeff Schuh | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 177 | Jeff Fisher | Chicago Bears |
| 178 | Obed Ariri | Indianapolis Colts |
| 179 | Mike Daum | Miami Dolphins |
| 180 | Billy Jackson | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 181 | Steve Busick | Denver Broncos |
| 182 | Lee Spivey | Detroit Lions |
| 183 | David Little | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 184 | Don Shaver | Minnesota Vikings |
| 185 | Ken Toler | New England Patriots |
| 186 | Brad Scovill | Seattle Seahawks |
| 187 | Eddie Johnson | Cleveland Browns |
| 188 | Steve Doolittle | Buffalo Bills |
| 189 | Pete Holohan | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 190 | Mike Clark | Los Angeles Rams |
| 191 | Ken Miller | Dallas Cowboys |
| 192 | Doak Field | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 193 | Don Washington | Tennessee Titans |
Picks from ESPN's draft pages. A team links to its page when the franchise is still in the league under that name; a player links when the player is on file.