The 1961 NFL draft took place at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia on December 27–28, 1960. The league would later hold an expansion draft for the Minnesota Vikings expansion franchise. This draft was also the first regular draft for the Dallas Cowboys as they had only participated in the 1960 NFL expansion draft that year.
The Cowboys held the worst record in the NFL the previous season, but selected second in this draft because the expansion Vikings were awarded the first overall pick. The Vikings used that pick to select running back Tommy Mason.
Player selections = Pro BowlerPlayers are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career.= AFL All-StarPlayers are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star team at any time in their career.= Hall of Famer
Round 1
Pick # NFL team Player Position College1Minnesota VikingsTommy MasonHalfbackTulane2Washington Redskins (Pick acquired from the Dallas Cowboys)Pick acquired from the Dallas Cowboys for quarterback Eddie LeBaron.Norm SneadQuarterbackWake Forest3Washington RedskinsJoe RutgensTackleIllinois4Los Angeles RamsMarlin McKeeverLinebackerUSC5Chicago BearsMike Ditka EndPittsburgh6San Francisco 49ers (Pick acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers)James Earl "Jimmy" JohnsonCornerback, Safety, Wide receiverUCLA7Baltimore ColtsTom MatteRunning backOhio State8St. Louis CardinalsKen RiceKen Rice signed with the Buffalo Bills of the AFLTackleAuburn9San Francisco 49ersBernie CaseyBackBowling Green10Cleveland Browns (Pick acquired from the Detroit Lions)Bobby CrespinoEndMississippi11San Francisco 49ers (Pick acquired from the Baltimore Colts)Billy KilmerQuarterbackUCLA12Green Bay PackersHerb Adderley BackMichigan State13Dallas Cowboys (Pick acquired from the Cleveland Browns)Bob Lilly TackleTexas Christian14Philadelphia EaglesArt BakerfullbackSyracuse HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame
Round 2
Pick # NFL team Player Position College15Minnesota VikingsRip HawkinsLinebackerNorth Carolina16Dallas CowboysE. J. HolubE.J. Holub signed with the Dallas Texans of the American Football LeagueCenterTexas Tech17New York GiantsBob GaitersBackNew Mexico State18Los Angeles RamsElbert KimbroughEndNorthwestern19Pittsburgh SteelersMyron PottiosLinebackerNotre Dame20Chicago BearsBill BrownBackIllinois21Baltimore ColtsTom GilburgTackleSyracuse22St. Louis CardinalsFred ArbanasEndMichigan State23Detroit LionsDanny LaRoseEndMissouri24San Francisco 49ersRoland LakesCenterWichita State25New York GiantsBruce TarboxGuardSyracuse26Green Bay PackersRon KostelnikTackleCincinnati27Cleveland BrownsEd NuttingTackleGeorgia Tech28Philadelphia EaglesBo StrangeCenterLouisiana State
Round 3
Pick # NFL team Player Position College29Minnesota VikingsFran TarkentonQuarterbackGeorgia30Dallas CowboysStew BarberStew Barber signed with the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League.GuardPenn State31St. Louis CardinalsBilly WilsonTackleAuburn32Los Angeles RamsHarold BeatyGuardOklahoma State33Chicago BearsClaude "Hoot" GibsonClaude Gibson signed with the Oakland Raiders of the AFLBackNorth Carolina State34Detroit LionsDick MillsTacklePittsburgh35Baltimore ColtsJerry HillRunning backWyoming36Philadelphia EaglesJim WrightQuarterbackMemphis State37San Francisco 49ersBill CooperBackMuskingum38Detroit LionsHouston AntwineHouston Antwine signed with the Boston Patriots of the AFLGuardSouthern Illinois39Washington RedskinsJim CunninghamBackPittsburgh40Green Bay PackersPhil NugentBackTulane41Los Angeles RamsRon MillerQuarterbackWisconsin42Philadelphia EaglesDon OakesTackleVirginia Tech
Round 4
Pick # NFL team Player Position College43Minnesota VikingsChuck LamsonRunning backWyoming44Dallas CowboysArnold DavisEndBaylor45Los Angeles RamsCharlie CowanTackleNew Mexico Highlands46New York GiantsBen DavidsonTackleWashington47San Francisco 49ersAaron ThomasEndOregon State48Chicago BearsErnie LaddErnie Ladd signed with the San Diego Chargers of the AFLTackleGrambling49Baltimore ColtsKen GregoryEndWhittier50St. Louis CardinalsRon McDoleTackleNebraska51Detroit LionsRon HartlineRunning backOklahoma52San Francisco 49ersDale MesserBackFresno State53Philadelphia EaglesDan FiccaGuardUSC54Green Bay PackersPaul DudleyBackArkansas55Cleveland BrownsJohn BrownTackleSyracuse56Green Bay PackersJoe LeSageGuardTulane
Round 5
Pick # NFL team Player Position College57Minnesota VikingsEd SharockmanCornerbackPittsburgh58San Francisco 49ersPick acquired from the Dallas Cowboys for linebacker/Running back Gene Babb.Clark MillerTackleUtah State59Pittsburgh SteelersFred MautinoEndSyracuse60Los Angeles RamsWillie HectorGuardPacific61Chicago BearsKeith LincolnKeith Lincoln signed with the San Diego Chargers of the AFLBackWashington State62Baltimore ColtsEd DyasBackAuburn63Baltimore ColtsRon OsborneTackleClemson64St. Louis CardinalsGlenn BassGlenn Bass signed with the Buffalo Bills of the AFLEndEast Carolina65San Francisco 49ersBob McCrearyTackleWake Forest66Detroit LionsEarl FaisonEarl Faison signed with the San Diego Chargers of the AFLEndIndiana67New York GiantsJerry DanielsEndMississippi68Green Bay PackersJack NovakGuardMiami (FL)69Cleveland BrownsMike LucciCenterTennessee70Detroit LionsRon PuckettTackleCal State-Los Angeles
Round 6
Pick # NFL team Player Position College71Minnesota VikingsJerry BurchEndGeorgia Tech72Washington RedskinsJoe KrakoskiBackIllinois73Washington RedskinsJohn O'DayTackleMiami (FL)74Los Angeles RamsBruce OldermanTackleAllegheny75Los Angeles RamsLarry WoodBackNorthwestern76Chicago BearsGeorge FlemingBackWashington77Baltimore ColtsDon KernRunning backVirginia Military Inst78St. Louis CardinalsDale EvansBackKansas State79Cleveland BrownsFrank ParkerTackleOklahoma State80San Francisco 49ersMike McClellanBackOklahoma81New York GiantsGreg LarsonCenterMinnesota82Green Bay PackersLee FolkinsEndWashington83St. Louis CardinalsDick ThorntonQuarterbackNorthwestern84Philadelphia EaglesBen BalmeGuardYale
Round 7
Pick # NFL team Player Position College85Minnesota VikingsAllan FerrieEndWagner86Dallas CowboysArt GilmoreBackOregon State87Washington RedskinsJim KerrBackPenn State88Los Angeles RamsBobby SmithBackUCLA89Chicago BearsMike PyleCenterYale90Pittsburgh SteelersDick HoakBackPenn State91Baltimore ColtsIke GrimsleyRunning backMichigan State92St. Louis CardinalsGeorge HultzTackleSouthern Mississippi93San Francisco 49ersRay PurdinBackNorthwestern94St. Louis CardinalsAl BemillerAl Bemiller signed with the Buffalo Bills of the AFL CenterSyracuse95New York GiantsJim CollierEndArkansas96Green Bay PackersLewis JohnsonBackFlorida A&M97Cleveland BrownsPreston PowellBackGrambling98Philadelphia EaglesIrv CrossBackNorthwestern
Round 8
Pick # NFL team Player Position College99Minnesota VikingsPaul LindquistTackleNew Hampshire100Dallas CowboysDon TalbertTackleTexas101Washington RedskinsCharley BarnesEndNorthwest Louisiana102Los Angeles RamsReggie CarolanReggie Carolan signed with the San Diego Chargers of the AFL EndIdaho103Pittsburgh SteelersGeorge BalthazarTackleTennessee State104Chicago BearsEd RyanBackMichigan State105Baltimore ColtsPaul TerhesBackBucknell106St. Louis CardinalsMarshall StarksRunning backIllinois107Detroit LionsLarry MuffEndBenedictine108San Francisco 49ersNeill PlumleyTackleOregon109New York GiantsAllen GreenCenterMississippi110Cleveland BrownsFred CoxKickerPittsburgh111Cleveland BrownsJohn FrongilloTackleBaylor112Philadelphia EaglesJim BeaverGuardFlorida
Round 9
Pick # NFL team Player Position College113Minnesota VikingsDan SheehanTackleTennessee-Chattanooga114Dallas CowboysGlynn GregoryBackSouthern Methodist115Washington RedskinsJoel ArringtonBackDuke116Los Angeles RamsDuane AllenEndMt. San Antonio J.C.117Chicago BearsBob BethuneBackMississippi State118San Francisco 49ersLeon DonohueTackleSan Jose State119Baltimore ColtsPete NicklasTackleBaylor120St. Louis CardinalsChick GranningRunning backGeorgia Tech121San Francisco 49ersEvaristo DeLeon Nino Jr.TackleEast Texas State122Detroit LionsBob BrooksRunning backOhio123New York GiantsMoses GrayTackleIndiana124Green Bay PackersVester FlanaganTackleCal State-Humboldt125Cleveland BrownsJake GibbsQuarterbackMississippi126Philadelphia EaglesWayne FontesWayne Fontes signed with the New York Titans of the AFL Running backMichigan State
Round 10
Pick # NFL team Player Position College127Minnesota VikingsDoug MayberryRunning backUtah State128Green Bay PackersPick acquired from the Dallas Cowboys for Fred Cone.Roger HagbergBackMinnesota129Cleveland BrownsWayne WolffGuardWake Forest130Los Angeles RamsJoe ScibelliTackleNotre Dame131Pittsburgh SteelersBill "Red" MackBackNotre Dame132Chicago BearsJason HarnessEndMichigan State133Baltimore ColtsBob ClemensBackPittsburgh134St. Louis CardinalsJimmy KingTackleClemson135Detroit LionsErrol LindenEndHouston136San Francisco 49ersPaul HynesRunning backLouisiana Tech137New York GiantsGlen KnightEndShaw138Green Bay PackersBuck McLeodTackleBaylor139Cleveland BrownsKen EricsonEndSyracuse140Philadelphia EaglesLuther HayesEndUSC
Round 11
Pick # NFL team Player Position College141Minnesota VikingsJerry MaysJerry Mays signed with the Dallas Texans of the AFLTackleSouthern Methodist142Dallas CowboysNorris StevensonBackMissouri143Washington RedskinsRiley MattsonTackleOregon144Los Angeles RamsBob LaneEndBaylor145Chicago BearsSam FewellTackleSouth Carolina146Pittsburgh SteelersHenry ClementBackNorth Carolina147Baltimore ColtsRalph WhiteTackleBowling Green148St. Louis CardinalsBill KinnuneGuardWashington149San Francisco 49ersTony ParrilliGuardIllinois150Detroit LionsLarry VargoEndDetroit151New York GiantsBob BentonTackleMississippi152Green Bay PackersVal KeckinBackSouthern Mississippi153Cleveland BrownsBilly GaultBackTexas Christian154Philadelphia EaglesL.E. HicksTackleFlorida
Round 12
Pick # NFL team Player Position College155Minnesota VikingsSteve StonebreakerEndDetroit156Dallas CowboysLowndes ShinglerQuarterbackClemson157Washington RedskinsBob CoolbaughEndRichmond158Los Angeles RamsWalt MinceBackArizona159Pittsburgh SteelersFrank JackunasTackleDetroit160Chicago BearsHoward DyerQuarterbackVirginia Military Inst161Baltimore ColtsDick ReynoldsTackleNorth Carolina State162St. Louis CardinalsMike StockBackNorthwestern163Detroit LionsTom RodgersBackKentucky164San Francisco 49ersDon CoffeyEndMemphis State165New York GiantsJack MoynihanQuarterbackHoly Cross166Green Bay PackersJohn DenvirTackleColorado167Cleveland BrownsDick LageEndLenoir-Rhyne168Philadelphia EaglesBilly MajorsBilly Majors signed with the Buffalo Bills of the AFL BackTennessee
Round 13
Pick # NFL team Player Position College169Minnesota VikingsRay HayesRunning backCentral State (OK)170Dallas CowboysDon GoodmanBackFlorida171Washington RedskinsDoug ElmoreBackMississippi172Los Angeles RamsMike McKeeverGuardUSC173Chicago BearsBob McLeodEndAbilene Christian174San Francisco 49ersTommy HacklerEndTennessee Tech175Baltimore ColtsDallas GarberBackMarietta176St. Louis CardinalsErnie McMillanEndIllinois177San Francisco 49ersJulius FinckeTackleMcNeese State178Detroit LionsPaul HodgeLinebackerPittsburgh179New York GiantsJerry FieldsBackOhio State180Green Bay PackersElijah PittsBackPhilander Smith181Cleveland BrownsJack WilsonBackDuke182Philadelphia EaglesDon JonasQuarterbackPenn State
Round 14