1961 American Football League draft

Because another league was in competition for the class of 1961 college stars, the American Football League draft for 1961 graduates was held in 1960, with a six-round telephone draft on November 21 and 22, that saw the Denver Broncos select New Mexico State's Bob Gaiters as the overall first draft pick.[1][2] The draft was completed on December 5 and 6th, with rounds seven through thirty. The San Diego Chargers were still the "Los Angeles Chargers" in this draft, as their relocation was not announced until late January 1961.[3][4][5]

1961 American Football League draft
General information
Date(s)	November 21–22, 1960 & December 5–6, 1960
Overview
240 total selections in 33 rounds
League	AFL
First selection	Bob Gaiters, HB Denver Broncos
Mr. Irrelevant	Jim Stroud, T Houston Oilers
Hall of Famers	6

Boston Patriots draft picks (selected second)

Round	Player	Position	College
1	Tommy MasonTommy Mason	Half back	Tulane
2	Rip HawkinsRip Hawkins	Center	North Carolina
3	Danny LaRoseDanny LaRose	Offensive end	Missouri
4	Mike ZenoMike Zeno	Guard	Virginia Tech
5	Fran TarkentonFran Tarkenton ^4	Quarterback	Georgia
6	Larry EisenhauerLarry Eisenhauer ^1	Tackle	Boston College
7	Paul TerhesPaul Terhes	Quarterback	Bucknell
8	Charles LongCharles Long ^1	Guard	Tennessee-Chattanooga
9	Roland LakesRoland Lakes	Center	Wichita
10	Richard MuellerRichard Mueller	Offensive end	Kentucky
11	Mel WestMel West	Center	Missouri
12	Wayne HarrisWayne Harris	Center	Arkansas
13	Dan UnderwoodDan Underwood	Tackle	McNeese State
14	James WrightJames Earl Wright	Quarterback	Memphis State
16	George BalthazarGeorge Balthazar	Tackle	Tennessee A&I
17	Ray RatkowskiRay Ratkowski	Halfback	Notre Dame
18	Tom RodgersTom Rodgers	Halfback	Kentucky
19	Joe BellinoJoe Bellino	Halfback	Navy
20	Clarence ChildsClarence Childs	Halfback	Florida A&M
21	Don OakesDon Oakes	Guard	Virginia Tech
22	Bob JohnsonBob Johnson	Offensive end	Michigan
23	Darrell DeDeckerDarrell DeDecker	Center	Illinois
24	Don WebbDon Webb	Halfback	Iowa State
25	Robert MinihaneRobert Minihane	Tackle	Boston
26	Charles GrangerCharles Granger	Tackle	Southern
27	Terry HuxholdTerry Huxhold	Tackle	Wisconsin
28	Bryant HarvardBryant Harvard	Quarterback	Auburn
29	Ernie McMillanErnie McMillan	Tackle	Illinois
30	George HultzGeorge Hultz	Tackle	Mississippi Southern

Buffalo Bills draft picks (selected third)

Round	Player	Position	College
1	Ken RiceKen Rice ^1	Tackle	Auburn
2	Billy ShawBilly Shaw ^1,2,4	Tackle	Georgia Tech
3	Art BakerArt Baker	Fullback	Syracuse (from New York)
3	Tom GilburgTom Gilburg	Tackle	Syracuse
4	Stew BarberStew Barber ^1	Tackle	Penn State
5	Norm SneadNorm Snead	Quarterback	Wake Forest
6	Fred BrownFred Brown	Halfback	Georgia
7	Albert BemillerAlbert Bemiller ^1	Center	Syracuse
8	Charles LinningCharles Linning	Tackle	Miami
9	William MajorsWilliam Majors	Halfback	Tennessee
10	Don KernDon Kern	Halfback	VMI
11	Roy WallRoy Wall	Halfback	North Carolina
12	Floyd PowersFloyd Powers	Guard	Mississippi State
13	Tom CauseyTom Causey	Offensive end	Louisiana Tech
14	Ron KostelnikRon Kostelnik	Tackle	Cincinnati
15	Jerry FryeJerry Frye	Offensive end	South Carolina
16	Vincent ScottVincent Scott	Offensive end	Maryland
17	Wayne WolffWayne Wolff	Tackle	Wake Forest
18	John BodkinJohn Bodkin	Guard	South Carolina
19	Charles BarnesCharley Barnes	Offensive end	NE Louisiana State
20	Everett CloudEverett Cloud	Halfback	Maryland
21	Larry VargoLarry Vargo	Offensive end	Detroit
22	Charles BakerCharles Baker	Tackle	Tennessee
23	William MackWilliam "Red" Mack	Halfback	Notre Dame
24	Frank JackunasFrank Jackunas	Center	Detroit
25	Jack HarbaughJack Harbaugh	Halfback	Bowling Green
26	Lorenzo StanfordLorenzo Stanford	Tackle	North Carolina A & T
27	Bob AllenBob Allen	Offensive end	Wake Forest
28	Jason HarnessJason Harness	Offensive end	Michigan State
29	Mike StockMike Stock	Halfback	Northwestern
30	William MartinWilliam Martin	Halfback	Minnesota

Dallas Texans draft picks (selected sixth)

Round	Player	Position	College
1	E.J. HolubE.J. Holub ^1	Center	Texas Tech
2	Bob LillyBob Lilly ^4	Tackle	TCU
3	Jim TyrerJim Tyrer ^1,2	Tackle	Ohio State
4	Claude MoormanClaude Moorman	Offensive End	Duke
5	Jerry MaysJerry Mays ^1,2	Tackle	Southern Methodist
7	Fred ArbanasFred Arbanas ^1,2	Offensive End	Michigan State
8	John O'DayJohn O'Day	Tackle	Miami
9	Dick MillsDick Mills	Tackle	Pittsburgh
10	Jerry DanielsJerry Daniels	Tackle	Mississippi
11	Marvin TibbetsMarvin Tibbets	Halfback	Georgia Tech
12	Paul HynesPaul Hynes	Halfback	Louisiana Tech
13	Glynn GregoryGlynn Gregory	Halfback	Southern Methodist
14	Curtis McClintonCurtis McClinton ^1,3	Halfback	Kansas
15	Ed NuttingEd Nutting	Tackle	Georgia Tech
15	Roy Lee RamboRoy Lee Rambo	Guard	TCU
16	Aaron ThomasAaron Thomas	Offensive End	Oregon State
17	Jarrell WilliamsJarrell Williams	Halfback	Arkansas
18	Ron HartlineRon Hartline	Fullback	Oklahoma
19	Frank JacksonFrank Jackson	Halfback	Southern Methodist
20	Bobby LaneBobby Lane	Offensive End	Baylor
21	Dick ThorntonDick Thornton	Quarterback	Northwestern
22	Ed SharockmanEd Sharockman	Halfback	Pittsburgh
23	Lou ZivkovichLou Zivkovich	Tackle	New Mexico State
24	Pat DyePat Dye	Guard	Georgia
25	Ray RamseyRay Ramsey	Quarterback	Adams State
26	Danny HouseDanny House	Halfback	Davidson
27	Bob SchloredtBob Schloredt	Quarterback	Washington
28	Bill StineBill Stine	Guard	Michigan
29	Lonnie CaddellLonnie Caddell	Fullback	Rice
30	Cedric PriceCedric Price	Offensive End	Kansas State

Denver Broncos draft picks (selected first)

Round	Player	Position	College
1	Bob GaitersBob Gaiters	Halfback	New Mexico State
2	Jerry HillJerry Hill	Halfback	Wyoming
3	Charles StrangeCharles Strange	Center	LSU
4	Roland McDoleRon McDole	Tackle	Nebraska
4	Arnold DavisArnold Davis	Offensive End	Baylor
5	Charles CowanCharles Cowan	Offensive End	Highlands
6	Dale EvansDale Evans	Halfback	Kansas State
7	Pat PatchenPat Patchen	Offensive End	Florida
9	Phil NugentPhil Nugent	Quarterback	Tulane
10	Charles SturgeonCharles Sturgeon	Halfback	Kentucky
11	John SimkoJohn Simko	Offensive End	Augustana
12	Jerry MillerJerry Miller	Offensive End	Howard Payne
13	Ron GreeneRon Greene	Guard	Washington State
14	Bill CooperBill Cooper	Fullback	Muskingum
15	Willie CraftsWillie Crafts	Guard	Texas A&I
16	Jim LarkinJim Larkin	Tackle	Hillsdale
17	Chuck WeissChuck Weiss	-	Colorado
18	Chick GraningChick Graning	Halfback	Georgia Tech
19	John HobbsJohn Hobbs	Guard	Maryland State
20	Buck McLeodBuck McLeod	Tackle	Baylor
21	Jim MorganJim Morgan	Halfback	Iowa State Tech
22	Tom HacklerTom Hackler	Offensive End	Tennessee Tech
23	Tom JewellTom Jewell	Tackle	Idaho State
24	E.A. SimmsE.A. Simms	Offensive End	New Mexico State
25	Pete SammsPete Samms	Tackle	Central Oklahoma
26	Sam SmithSam Smith	Halfback	Florence State
27	Donald OlsonDonald Olson	Halfback	Nebraska
28	Wayne LeeWayne Lee	Guard	Colorado State
29	Archie CobbArchie Cobb	Tackle	Nebraska
30	Dave MillsDave Mills	Halfback	Northeast Missouri Tech

Houston Oilers draft picks (selected eighth)

Round	Player	Position	College
1	Mike DitkaMike Ditka ^4	Offensive End	Pittsburgh
2	Tom GoodeTom Goode	Center	Mississippi State
3	Walter SuggsWalter Suggs ^1	Tackle	Mississippi State
4	Bobby WaldenBobby Walden	Halfback	Georgia
5	Monte LeeMonte Lee	Linebacker	Texas
6	Jake GibbsJake Gibbs	Quarterback	Mississippi
7	Dick ReynoldsDick Reynolds	Tackle	North Carolina State
8	Houston AntwineHouston Antwine ^1,2	Guard	Southern Illinois
9	Ralph WhiteRalph White	Tackle	Bowling Green
10	Charles LeeCharles Lee	Center	Iowa
11	Robert BirdRobert Bird	Guard	Bowling Green
12	Bob McLeodBob McLeod	Offensive End	Abilene Christian
13	Gerald HintonGerald Hinton	Guard	Louisiana Tech
14	Jimmy KingJimmy King	Tackle	Clemson
15	Dennis FerriterDennis Ferriter	Center	Marquette
16	Larry WoodLarry Wood	Halfback	Northwestern
17	Sam FewellSam Fewell	Tackle	South Carolina
18	Mike GrimsleyMike Grimsley	Halfback	Michigan State
19	Myron PearsonMyron Pearson	Halfback	Colorado
20	Lewis JohnsonLewis Johnson	Halfback	Florida A&M
21	Ron MillerRon Miller	Quarterback	Wisconsin
22	Bob KellyBob Kelly	Offensive End	New Mexico State
23	James AndersonJames Anderson	Fullback	Mississippi
24	Ken GregoryKen Gregory	Offensive End	Whittier
25	Jack KreiderJack Kreider	Halfback	Tulsa
26	Don FuellDon Fuell	Quarterback	Mississippi Southern
27	Boyd KingBoyd King	Center	Rice
28	John FrongilloJohn Frongillo	Center	Baylor
29	Tom LewisJohn Frongillo	Offensive End	Lake Forest
29	Tom LewisErrol Linden	Defensive End	Houston
30	Tom LewisJim Stroud	Tackle	Rice

New York Titans draft picks (selected fifth)

Round	Player	Position	College
1	Tom BrownTom Brown	Guard	Minnesota
2	Herb AdderleyHerb Adderley^4	Halfback	Michigan State
5	Tom MatteTom Matte	Quarterback	Ohio State
6	Bill BrownBill Brown	Fullback	Illinois
7	Fred MautinoFred Mautino	Offensive end	Syracuse
8	Harold BeatyHarold Beaty	Tackle	Oklahoma State
9	Bernie CaseyBernie Casey	Fullback	Bowling Green
10	Joe ScibelliJoe Scibelli	Tackle	Notre Dame
11	Art GilmoreArt Gilmore	Halfback	Oregon State
12	Norris StevensonNorris Stevenson	Halfback	Missouri
13	Joe WendryhoskiJoe Wendryhoski	Tackle	Illinois
14	Jim CunninghamJim Cunningham	Fullback	Pittsburgh
15	Irv CrossIrv Cross	Offensive end	Northwestern
16	Jerry SteffenJerry Steffen	Halfback	Colorado
17	Mike PlyeMike Plye	Tackle	Yale
18	Alfred BentleyAlfred Bentley	Offensive end	Arkansas State
19	Jim KerrJim Kerr	Halfback	Penn State
20	Neil PlumleyNeil Plumley	Tackle	Oregon State
21	Bob BrooksBob Brooks	Fullback	Ohio
22	Wayne FontesWayne Fontes	Halfback	Michigan State
23	Mickey WalkerMickey Walker	Halfback	Michigan State
24	Howard DyerHoward Dyer	Quarterback	Virginia Military Institution
25	Andy GriffithAndy Griffith	Halfback	American International
26	Bob SmithBob Smith	Halfback	UCLA
27	Moses GrayMoses Gray	Tackle	Indiana
28	Fred CoxFred Cox	Halfback	Pittsburgh
30	William MimerlyWilliam Mimerly	Halfback	Connecticut

Oakland Raiders draft picks (selected fourth)

Round	Player	Position	College
1	Joe RutgensJoe Rutgens	Tackle	Illinois
2	George FlemingGeorge Fleming	Halfback	Washington
3	Myron PottiosMyron Pottios	Linebacker	Notre Dame
4	Elbert KimbroughElbert Kimbrough	Defensive back	Northwestern
5	Dick NormanDick Norman	Quarterback	Stanford
6	Bobby CrespinoBobby Crespino	Tight End	Mississippi
7	Ray PurdinRay Purdin	Halfback	Northwestern
8	Tom WatkinsTom Watkins	Halfback	Iowa State
8	Dick PriceDick Price	Guard	Mississippi
9	Lowndes ShinglerLowndes Shingler	Quarterback	Clemson
10	Ken PetersenKen Petersen	Tackle	Utah
11	Doug MayberryDoug Mayberry	Fullback	Utah State
12	Bob SchmitzBob Schmitz	Linebacker	Montana State
13	Gerald BurchGerald Burch	Offensive end	Georgia Tech
14	Clark MillerClark Miller	Defensive end	Utah State
15	Bob CoolbaughBob Coolbaugh	Offensive end	Richmond
16	Chuck LamsonChuck Lamson	Defensive back	Wyoming
17	Joe NovsekJoe Novsek	Defensive end	Tulsa
18	Joe KrakoskiJoe Krakoski	Defensive back	Illinois
19	Charles FullerCharles Fuller	Halfback	Cal State-San Francisco
20	Preston PowellPreston Powell	Fullback	Grambling
21	Mike JonesMike Jones	Quarterback	San Jose State
22	Blayne JonesBlayne Jones	Guard	Idaho State
23	Roger FisherRoger Fisher	Center	Utah State
24	Jack NovakJack Novak	Guard	Miami
25	Paul YankePaul Yanke	End	Northwestern
26	Paul YankeDean Hinshaw	Tackle	Stanford
27	Paul YankeClair Appledoorn	End	San Jose State
28	Paul YankeDave Grosz	Quarterback	Oregon
29	Paul YankeEd Morris	Tackle	Indiana
30	Paul YankeBill Face	Halfback	Stanford

San Diego Chargers draft picks (selected seventh)

Round	Player	Position	College
1	Earl FaisonEarl Faison ^1	Defensive end	Indiana
2	Keith LincolnKeith Lincoln ^1	Halfback	Washington State
3	Marlin McKeeverMarlin McKeever	End	USC
4	Jimmy JohnsonJimmy Johnson	Halfback	UCLA
5	Billy KilmerBilly Kilmer	Quarterback	UCLA
6	Calvin BirdCalvin Bird	Halfback	Kentucky
6	Cliff RobertsCliff Roberts	Tackle	Illinois
7	Claude GibsonClaude Gibson	Defensive back	North Carolina State
8	Charley JohnsonCharley Johnson	Quarterback	New Mexico State
9	Bob ScarpittoBob Scarpitto ^1	Quarterback	Notre Dame
10	Willie HectorWillie Hector	Guard	College of Pacific
11	Greg LarsonGreg Larson	Center	Minnesota
12	Hezekiah BraxtonHezekiah Braxton	Fullback	Virginia Union
13	Dale MesserDale Messer	Fullback	Fresno State
14	Billy WilsonBilly Wilson	Tackle	Auburn
15	Ernie LaddErnie Ladd ^1	Tackle	Grambling
16	Bud WhiteheadBud Whitehead	Defensive back	Florida State
17	Reg CarolanReggie Carolan	End	Idaho
18	Ed DyasEd Dyas	Fullback	Auburn
19	Jack EspenshipJack Espenship	Halfback	Florida
20	Mike LucciMike Lucci	Center	Tennessee
21	Gene GainesGene Gaines	Halfback	UCLA
22	John BrownJohn Brown	Tackle	Syracuse
23	Glenn BassGlenn Bass	Halfback	East Carolina
24	Ben BalmeBen Balme	Guard	Yale
25	Don CoffeeDon Coffee	End	Memphis State
26	Bill KinnuneBill Kinnune	Guard	Washington
27	Luther HayesLuther Hayes	End	USC
28	Chuck AllenChuck Allen	Guard	Washington
29	Dan FiccaDan Ficca	Tackle	USC
30	Mike McKeeverMike McKeever	Guard	USC

• ¹ American Football League All-Star.
• ² Member of the American Football League All-Time Team.
• ³ American Football League MVP
• ⁴ Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Notable undrafted players

^†	= Pro Bowler

Original NFL team	Player	Pos.	College	Conf.	Notes
Denver Broncos	Donnie Stone ^†	RB	Arkansas	SWC
Denver Broncos	Jerry Sturm ^†	C	Illinois	Big Ten
New York Giants	Dainard Paulson ^†	S	Oregon State	Ind.
San Diego Chargers	Bo Roberson ^†	WR	Cornell	Ivy

See also

• List of American Football League players
• American Football League draft
• List of professional American football drafts

References

1. "AFL drafts 7 Big Ten gridders". Milwaukee Sentinel. press dispatches. November 22, 1960. p. 4, part 2.
2. "Keith Lincoln second pick of Chargers". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. November 22, 1960. p. 14.
3. "LA Charger owner Hilton likes the setup in San Diego". Lodi News-Sentinel. California. UPI. January 7, 1961. p. 9.
4. "Chargers move south". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. January 25, 1961. p. 13.
5. "Chargers go to San Diego". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. January 25, 1961. p. 3B.