Date(s) May 3–4, 1979 Fewest selections (5) Washington Redskins | Most selections (17) New York Jets | |
Mr. Irrelevant Mike Almond, WRPittsburgh Steelers | ||
The 1979 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, New York. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.
The Buffalo Bills held the first overall pick in the draft, acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in the trade which sent O.J. Simpson to his hometown team. The Bills' selection at No. 1, Ohio State linebacker Tom Cousineau, refused to sign with the Bills and instead inked a lucrative deal with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.
Cousineau returned to the United States in 1982 to play for the Cleveland Browns, his hometown franchise.