Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the 1975 draft, which was significant in a couple different ways. It is in this draft that Walter Payton was taken 4th overall by the Bears, behind Atlanta (Steve Bartkowski), the Cowboys (Randy White), and the Colts (Ken Huff). What makes this draft somewhat historic is that it is the first time in the Super Bowl era that a team traded up specifically to get the first overall pick to target a QB. The Falcons traded the 3rd overall pick and Pro Bowl offensive lineman George Kunz to the Colts for the number 1 overall. Bartkowski went on to have an interesting career - the team never had much success but Bartkowski had several big passing years (for the era, anyway). The Colts would use the #3 pick to select Ken Huff. Huff would have a pretty long career himself, eventually landing with the Redskins as a member of the "Hogs" as a backup. The Colts never amounted to anything after that trade either, so I think I have to give the edge to the Falcons on that deal simply based on Bartkowski's production. Both teams had a chance to take Payton, so its safe to say they both struck out in that regard. The Cowboys made out OK with Randy White, he's a HOF'er and won a Super Bowl. Rounding out the top 10 were the Browns (DE Mack Mitchell), the Oilers (LB Robert Brazile), the Saints (WR Larry Burton), the Chargers (DE Gary "Big Hands" Johnson), the Rams (DT Mike Fanning) and the 49ers (DT Jimmy Webb).

Anyway, with teams trading up to draft QB's now the norm, this draft kind of set the precedent, 50 years ago.

Interesting stuff. I love looking back at old drafts.

Bears selected DE Hartenstine in the 2nd round. 2 picks later a Hall of Famer DE was picked in Fred Dean.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Every morning I browse the newspaper from 50 years ago, it is amazing how similar the worlds problems back then mirror current problems, without all the hysteria. Anyway I stumbled on an article this morning in the sports section recapping the draft, which in those days was not much more than a meeting in a conference room that didn't get a ton of press coverage, just this small article recapping the top 12 or so picks and that was it. Bartkowski was definitely the crown jewel that year, so the Falcons went and got him. They didn't even have to give up any future picks, just the #3 and one player.

Is there a website you use to look at old newspapers?

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

i subscribe to newspapers.com. I use it a lot for family genealogy. it runs me about $10 a month, but its worth it to me, I read it every day and share a lot of old clippings I find. It is an invaluable tool for family history research, just a goldmine of information.

a lot of libraries carry free digital archives of newspapers too, particularly small rural towns.

1984 was a crazy draft—Boomer Esiason was the first QB taken…with the 38th pick! Can’t imagine a weaker class than that.

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Super Bowl 25 champion and starting QB Jeff Hostetler (good old number 15) was the second taken way down in the 3rd round, pick 59. Not bad value there, he had some good years.

Check out this draft class:

Steelers 1974

1st round: HOF WR Lynn Swann
2nd round: HOF LB Jack Lambert
4th round: HOF WR John Stallworth
5th round: HOF C Mike Webster
UDFA: HOF S Donnie Shell

That is utterly insane. Too bad they laid an egg in round 3, thats gonna haunt them