NFL Draft

Michael Irvin was drafted in 1988 by Tom Landry.

Herschel Walker was eligible for the 1984 NFL draft. However, Walker was already playing professional football at the time, for the New Jersey Generals of the now defunct USFL.

Walker was the star of the USFL. Unlike the NFL at the time, the USFL allowed college juniors to enter their draft. The NFL draft eligibility requirements at the time stated a player was un eligible until his college class had graduated. So Walker entered the USFL draft in 1983 one year before his NFL eligibility kicked in. Why wasn't he drafted? Simply put - No NFL team exercised their rights to draft him in 1984.

However in 1985, things were a bit different. The USFL was involved with an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL. To some owners in the NFL is was apparent the USFL was not going to last. The Dallas Cowboys took a chance and secured the rights to Walker by drafting him with the 114th overall selection.

When the USFL folded, Walker signed with the Dallas Cowboys.

That's a good question and I don't really know the answer but ...

The great QB Joe Montana was drafted in the 3rd round of the 1979 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He signed a three year contract that gave him a $50,000 signing bonus and salaries of $50,000 in 1979, $70,000 in 1980, and $85,000 in 1981.

Ironically, WR Dwight Clark was drafted in the 10th round of the 1979 NFL draft by the 49ers and he and Montana teamed up to help take them from obscurity to Super Bowl Champions. It would be safe to say that Clark signed for much less than Montana.

11St. Louis RamsSam BradfordQBOklahomaBig 1212Detroit LionsNdamukong SuhDTNebraskaBig 1213Tampa Bay BuccaneersGerald McCoyDTOklahomaBig 1214Washington RedskinsTrent WilliamsOTOklahomaBig 1215Kansas City ChiefsEric BerrySTennesseeSEC16Seattle SeahawksRussell OkungOTOklahoma StateBig 1217Cleveland BrownsJoe HadenCBFloridaSEC18Oakland RaidersRolando McClainLBAlabamaSEC19Buffalo BillsC. J. SpillerRBClemsonACC110Jacksonville JaguarsTyson AlualuDTCaliforniaPac-10

No one. Graham Harrell was undrafted.

You become a free agent. Lots of rookie free agents get picked up every year, if you do get picked up in free agency, you will likely get to play in the preseason games.

Perry is not in the Hall of Fame.

You don't have to enter the draft but that would be your best option. Most college players who sigh as a free agent don't make it all that long.

Through Super Bowl XLII, there have been plenty: Year-#1 Overall Pick-Super Bowls lost 1) 1959 - Billy Cannon - lost Super Bowl II

2) 1967 - Bubba Smith - lost Super Bowl III

3) 1968 - Ron Yary - lost Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, and XI

4) 1974 - Ed Jones - lost Super Bowl X and XIII

5) 1983 - John Elway - lost Super Bowls XXI, XXII, and XXIV

6) 1985 - Bruce Smith - lost Super Bowls XXV, XXVI, XXVII, and XXVIII

7) 1993 - Drew Bledsoe - lost Super Bowl XXXI

8) 1997 - Orlando Pace - lost Super Bowl XXXVI

yes

3 times. 1954, 1999, 2000

The NFL just announced the 2010 compensatory draft picks. The New England Patriots were awarded four picks total, one in the sixth round and three in the third. The Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons were the only other teams to receive third round picks. Compensatory picks cannot be traded.

The following running backs have been the #1 overall pick in the NFL draft as of 2007: 1936 - Jay Berwanger - Chicago - Philadelphia Eagles

1937 - Sam Francis - Nebraska - Philadelphia Eagles

1938 - Corbett Davis - Indiana - Cleveland Rams

1940 - George Cafego - Tennessee - Chicago Cardinals

1941 - Tom Harmon - Michigan - Chicago Bears

1942 - Bill Dudley - Virginia - Pittsburgh Steelers

1943 - Frank Sinkwich - Georgia - Detroit Lions

1945 - Charley Trippi - Georgia - Chicago Cardinals

1947 - Bob Fenimore - Oklahoma A&M - Chicago Bears

1951 - Kyle Rote - SMU - New York Giants

1957 - Paul Hornung - Notre Dame - Green Bay Packers

1960 - Billy Cannon - LSU - Los Angeles Rams

1961 - Tommy Mason - Tulane - Minnesota Vikings

1962 - Ernie Davis - Syracuse - Washington Redskins

1965 - Tucker Frederickson - Auburn - New York Giants

1969 - O.J. Simpson - USC - Buffalo Bills

1977 - Ricky Bell - USC - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1978 - Earl Campbell - Texas - Houston Oilers

1980 - Billy Sims - Oklahoma - Detroit Lions

1981 - George Rogers - South Carolina - New Orleans Saints

1986 - Bo Jackson - Auburn - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1995 - Ki-Jana Carter - Penn State - Cincinnati Bengals