1970 Draft

By Patrick Mondout

Few teams have ever drafted multiple future members of the Hall of Fame in one draft. The 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers are one of those teams. With the #1 overall selection, they selected Louisiana Tech QB Terry Bradshaw. They also picked up CB Mel Blount in the third round. The only team to have ever drafted more Hall members in one draft was the 1974 Steelers (read more about the '74 draft).

Steelers coach Chuck Noll helped the 1953 Cleveland Browns achieve that level of draft success as well. That team selected future Hall of Famer Doug Atkins in the first round while their 20th round selection (Chuck Noll) was inducted for coaching in 1993 and not his play at linebacker.

The Steelers, who finished 1-13 in 1969, were fortunate to have landed the first pick because the Bears also finished 1-13. Much like the NBA prior to the lottery, the NFL settled the tie with a coin flip. The Steelers won and the dejected Bears traded away the 2nd overall pick to the Packers for washed up running back Elijah Pitts, center Bob Hyland and linebacker Lee Roy Caffey. The Packers took Mike McCoy, a defensive tackle from Notre Dame that flopped.

One player who went undrafted in 1970 and still ended up in Canton is Miami Dolphins center Jim Langer. At least 13 true centers were drafted.

Below is the first round of the 1970 NFL draft. We also have the entire 17 round draft.

Notes: This was the last draft of the 20th century in which no Nebraska Cornhusker was selected in the first three rounds.

1 - Acquired from Chicago Bears
2 - Acquired from Miami Dolphins for WR Paul Warfield
3 - Acquired from Washington Redskins