The Top Ranked Football Players by Rookie Year-1978 Help Keep the Site Ad Free By Supporting us at Patreon
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The Top Ranked Football Players by Rookie Year-1978
Notes: This is a list of the greatest football players to start their pro career in the year listed.
| Rnk | Athlete | POS | Overall Rank |
| 1 | James Lofton | WR | 125 |
| 2 | Earl Campbell | RB | 245 |
| 3 | Ozzie Newsome | TE | 327 |
| 4 | Wes Chandler | WR | 462 |
| 5 | John Jefferson | WR | 559 |
| 6 | Mike Kenn | OL | 592 |
| 7 | Art Still | DL | 736 |
| 8 | Mickey Shuler | TE | 755 |
| 9 | Paul Coffman | TE | 960 |
| 10 | Clay Matthews Jr. | LB | 986 |
| 11 | Al Baker | DL | 1065 |
| 12 | Steve DeBerg | QB | 1077 |
| 13 | Doug C. Smith | OL | 1292 |
| 14 | Doug Williams | QB | 1332 |
| 15 | Mike Douglass | LB | 1508 |
| 16 | Nick Lowery | K | 1520 |
| 17 | J.T. Smith | WR | 1544 |
| 18 | John Anderson | LB | 1566 |
| 19 | Fred Quillan | OL | 1805 |
| 20 | John Harris | DB | 2093 |
| 21 | William H. Gay | DL | 2328 |
| 22 | Ross Browner | DL | 2340 |
| 23 | Preston Dennard | WR | 2450 |
| 24 | Mike Renfro | WR | 2542 |
| 25 | Doug Betters | DL | 2564 |
| 26 | Mike W. Wilson | OL | 2641 |
| 27 | Bruce Hardy | TE | 2724 |
| 28 | J.T. Smith (PR) | PR | 2734 |
| 29 | Linden King | LB | 2799 |
| 30 | Ken Clarke | DL | 2813 |
| 31 | Dennis Harrison | DL | 2853 |
| 32 | Brad Benson | OL | 3087 |
| 33 | Louis Breeden | DB | 3118 |
| 34 | Dan Doornink | RB | 3326 |
| 35 | Dennis Thurman | DB | 3486 |
| 36 | Reggie Doss | DL | 3536 |
| 37 | Mosi Tatupu | RB | 3592 |
| 38 | Keith Butler | LB | 3660 |
| 39 | Frank Corral (K) | K | 3808 |
| 40 | Tom Pridemore | DB | 3831 |
| 41 | Reggie Wilkes | LB | 3848 |
| 42 | Derrick Gaffney | WR | 3927 |
| 43 | Terry Jackson | DB | 4078 |
| 44 | Dave Browning | DL | 4087 |
| 45 | Gary Spani | LB | 4093 |
| 46 | Blair Bush | OL | 4095 |
| 47 | Alfred Jackson | WR | 4108 |
| 48 | Derrick Ramsey | TE | 4117 |
| 49 | Chris Ward | OL | 4147 |
| 50 | Craig Colquitt | P | 4168 |
| 51 | Lucius Sanford | LB | 4184 |
| 52 | Gerald Small | DB | 4355 |
| 53 | Dave Preston | RB | 4411 |
| 54 | Ron Baker | OL | 4521 |
| 55 | John Turner | DB | 4624 |
| 56 | Larry Anderson (KR) | KR | 4727 |
| 57 | Jimmy Cefalo | WR | 4793 |
| 58 | Will Grant | OL | 4877 |
| 59 | Barry Bennett | DL | 4930 |
| 60 | Bobby Jackson | DB | 5059 |
| 61 | Charles Jackson | LB | 5172 |
| 62 | Karl Baldischwiler | OL | 5185 |
| 63 | Pat Ryan | QB | 5210 |
| 64 | Matt Cavanaugh | QB | 5227 |
| 65 | Tim Mazzetti | K | 5239 |
| 66 | Keith Simpson | DB | 5243 |
| 67 | Reese McCall | TE | 5248 |
| 68 | Randy Holloway | DL | 5343 |
| 69 | Luther Bradley | DB | 5390 |
| 70 | Larry Hardy | TE | 5496 |
| 71 | Archie Reese | DL | 5539 |
| 72 | George Roberts | P | 5664 |
| 73 | Homer Elias | OL | 5825 |
| 74 | Arthur Whittington | RB | 5849 |
| 75 | Bobby Jones | WR | 5850 |
| 76 | Ken Greene | DB | 5930 |
| 77 | Johnny Davis | RB | 5991 |
| 78 | Eric Laakso | OL | 6049 |
| 79 | Ron B. Smith | WR | 6143 |
| 80 | Tom Dinkel | LB | 6176 |
| 81 | Tom Beasley | DL | 6200 |
| 82 | Jim Hough | OL | 6428 |
| 83 | Dan Bunz | LB | 6471 |
| 84 | Billy Campfield | RB | 6533 |
| 85 | Terry Jones Sr. | DL | 6567 |
| 86 | Eason Ramson | TE | 6666 |
| 87 | Terry LeCount | WR | 6690 |
| 88 | Kerry Justin | DB | 6769 |
| 89 | Ron Johnson | DB | 6820 |
| 90 | Mike Shumann | WR | 6989 |
| 91 | Don Bass | WR | 7308 |
| 92 | Gordon King | OL | 7577 |
| 93 | Ron Crosby | LB | 7586 |
| 94 | Derrick Jensen | RB | 7601 |
| 95 | Don Parrish | DL | 7620 |
| 96 | Dave Stief | WR | 7622 |
| 97 | Dee Hardison | DL | 7706 |
| 98 | Kit Lathrop | DL | 7765 |
| 99 | James Wright (TE) | TE | 7793 |
| 100 | J.C. Wilson | DB | 8143 |
| 101 | Estus Hood | DB | 8156 |
| 102 | Booker Russell | RB | 8196 |
| 103 | Amos Fowler | OL | 8198 |
| 104 | Odis McKinney | DB | 8201 |
| 105 | Bob Cryder | OL | 8209 |
| 106 | Mark Dennard | OL | 8254 |
| 107 | Gifford Nielsen | QB | 8261 |
| 108 | Frank Corral (P) | P | 8479 |
| 109 | Larry Bethea | DL | 8536 |
| 110 | Ray Griffin | DB | 8571 |
| 111 | Bob Glazebrook | DB | 8612 |
| 112 | Terry Miller (1956) | RB | 8676 |
| 113 | Mike Hawkins | LB | 8678 |
| 114 | Harry Holt | TE | 8833 |
| 115 | Arthur Whittington (KR) | KR | 9459 |
| 116 | Maurice Harvey | DB | 9506 |
| 117 | Mike Wood (K) | K | 9650 |
| 118 | Scott Hutchinson | DL | 9808 |
| 119 | Larry Anderson (PR) | PR | 9995 |
| 120 | Mike Connell | P | 10202 |
| 121 | Dwight Wheeler | OL | 10307 |
| 122 | Keith Wright (PR) | PR | 10441 |
| 123 | Tony Green (KR) | KR | 10754 |
| 124 | Don Latimer | DL | 10775 |
| 125 | Leotis Harris | OL | 10779 |
| 126 | J.T. Taylor | OL | 10791 |
| 127 | Ken MacAfee Jr. | TE | 10910 |
| 128 | Tony Green (PR) | PR | 11057 |
| 129 | Rick Razzano | LB | 11084 |
| 130 | Dennis Pearson (KR) | KR | 11111 |
| 131 | John Schuhmacher | OL | 11259 |
| 132 | Randy Burke | WR | 11523 |
| 133 | Ricky Patton | RB | 11716 |
| 134 | Carlos Pennywell | WR | 11721 |
| 135 | Stan Waldemore | OL | 11874 |
| 136 | Johnny Evans | P | 11984 |
| 137 | Mike Hunt | LB | 12142 |
| 138 | Brooks Williams | TE | 12177 |
| 139 | David Riley | RB | 12197 |
| 140 | Steve Little (P) | P | 12463 |
| 141 | Billy Campfield (KR) | KR | 12637 |
| 142 | Jerry Blanton | LB | 12645 |
| 143 | Deacon Turner (KR) | KR | 12813 |
| 144 | Aaron C. Brown | LB | 12941 |
| 145 | Jesse Thompson | WR | 13016 |
| 146 | Ray Strong | RB | 13041 |
| 147 | Kevin Miller (PR) | PR | 13171 |
| 148 | Richard Crump | RB | 13342 |
| 149 | Wes Chandler (KR) | KR | 13379 |
| 150 | Dwayne O'Steen | DB | 13473 |
| 151 | Ken Callicutt (KR) | KR | 13491 |
| 152 | Jack Steptoe (PR) | PR | 13537 |
| 153 | Steve Little | K | 13584 |
| 154 | George Collins | OL | 13731 |
| 155 | Fred Mortensen | QB | 13769 |
| 156 | Buddy Hardeman (PR) | PR | 13800 |
| 157 | Louis Bullard | OL | 13864 |
| 158 | Dennis Pearson (PR) | PR | 13923 |
| 159 | Jesse Thompson (PR) | PR | 13924 |
| 160 | Guido Merkens (PR) | PR | 14202 |
| 161 | Larry Collins (KR) | KR | 14203 |
| 162 | Keith Wright | WR | 14302 |
| 163 | Sylvester Hicks | DL | 14305 |
| 164 | Kevin Miller (KR) | KR | 14351 |
| 165 | Brian DeRoo | WR | 14401 |
| 166 | Bill Matthews | LB | 14402 |
| 167 | Buddy Hardeman | RB | 14403 |
| 168 | Don Schwartz | DB | 14421 |
| 169 | Jimmy Cefalo (PR) | PR | 14479 |
| 170 | Ray Griffin (KR) | KR | 14480 |
| 171 | John Barefield | LB | 14689 |
| 172 | Brian Peets | TE | 14699 |
| 173 | Robert Woods (OL) | OL | 14774 |
| 174 | Deacon Turner | RB | 15063 |
| 175 | Wes Chandler (PR) | PR | 15155 |
| 176 | Dennis Pearson | WR | 15197 |
| 177 | Guy Benjamin | QB | 15347 |
| 178 | Buddy Hardeman (KR) | KR | 15410 |
| 179 | Larry Anderson | DB | 15462 |
| 180 | Rodney Parker | WR | 15475 |
| 181 | Ted Vincent | DL | 15492 |
| 182 | Lindsey Mason | OL | 15500 |
| 183 | Lewis Gilbert | TE | 15592 |
| 184 | Walt Downing | OL | 15626 |
| 185 | Dennis D. Johnson | RB | 15641 |
| 186 | J.T. Smith (KR) | KR | 15689 |
| 187 | William Cesare | DB | 15869 |
| 188 | Danny Fulton | WR | 15879 |
| 189 | Randy Reutershan (PR) | PR | 15951 |
| 190 | Zac Henderson | DB | 16128 |
| 191 | Terry Miller (1956) (KR) | KR | 16208 |
| 192 | Alfred Jackson (PR) | PR | 16322 |
| 193 | Jimmy Childs | WR | 16474 |
| 194 | Mark Merrill | LB | 16484 |
| 195 | Mike Wood (P) | P | 16616 |
| 196 | Vince Kinney | WR | 16882 |
| 197 | Dave Preston (PR) | PR | 16929 |
| 198 | Conrad Rucker | TE | 16964 |
| 199 | Alva Liles | DL | 17146 |
| 200 | Danny Bass | DL | 17188 |
| 201 | Doug Greene | DB | 17193 |
| 202 | Ben Zambiasi | LB | 17201 |
| 203 | Ernie Hughes | OL | 17243 |
| 204 | Dennis Law (PR) | PR | 17273 |
| 205 | Kevin Miller | WR | 17274 |
| 206 | Frank McClain | WR | 17309 |
| 207 | Dean Moore | LB | 17338 |
| 208 | Rufus Crawford | RB | 17383 |
| 209 | Dennis Law | WR | 17423 |
| 210 | Keith Wright (KR) | KR | 17485 |
| 211 | Mark Miller | QB | 17794 |
| 212 | Tom Jurich | K | 17795 |
| 213 | Mike Woods | LB | 17821 |
| 214 | Joe Poplawski | WR | 17851 |
| 215 | Miles Gorrell | OL | 17911 |
| 216 | John Henry White | RB | 17915 |
| 217 | Greg Marshall | DL | 18025 |
| 218 | Vister Hayes | WR | 18054 |
| 219 | Leo Ezerins | LB | 18173 |
| 220 | Rick Moser | RB | 18250 |
| 221 | Larry Key | RB | 18292 |
| 222 | Tom Davis | OL | 18301 |
| 223 | M.L. Carter | DB | 18456 |
| 224 | Bernie Morrison | LB | 18474 |
| 225 | Rocky DiPietro | TE | 18526 |
| 226 | Mark Slater | OL | 18616 |
| 227 | Harry Washington | WR | 18806 |
| 228 | Ken Callicutt | RB | 18833 |
| 229 | Gus Coppens | OL | 18866 |
| 230 | Robert Steele | WR | 19071 |
| 231 | Dwight Edwards | WR | 19396 |
| 232 | Dave Kirzinger | OL | 19472 |
| 233 | Eric Felton | DB | 19640 |
| 234 | Bryan Illerbrun | OL | 19652 |
| 235 | Mike T. Williams | DB | 19665 |
| 236 | John Skibinski | RB | 19828 |
| 237 | Bob Poley | OL | 19840 |
| 238 | Don Taylor | RB | 19893 |
| 239 | Don Hover | LB | 20008 |
| 240 | Jack Steptoe | WR | 20053 |
| 241 | Tony Green | RB | 20054 |
| 242 | Rick Goltz | DL | 20143 |
| 243 | Preston Young | DB | 20151 |
| 244 | Fred Anderson | DL | 20186 |
| 245 | Larry Tearry | OL | 20234 |
| 246 | Glenn Starks | WR | 20282 |
| 247 | Dennis Sproul | QB | 20509 |
| 248 | John Malinosky | OL | 20537 |
| 249 | J.T. Hay | K | 20831 |
| 250 | Jerry Friesen | LB | 20853 |
| 251 | Bob Jury | DB | 20875 |
| 252 | Terry Falcon | OL | 20914 |
| 253 | Bob Lubig | OL | 21007 |
| 254 | Jerrold McRae | WR | 21072 |
| 255 | Harold Randolph | LB | 21131 |
| 256 | Mike Hameluck | OL | 21206 |
| 257 | Mike Ulmer (PR) | PR | 21214 |
| 258 | Dwight Edwards (KR) | KR | 21447 |
| 259 | Jim Krahl | DL | 21574 |
| 260 | Brad Shearer | DL | 21676 |
| 261 | Larry Collins | RB | 21739 |
| 262 | Mike Ulmer | DB | 21824 |
| 263 | Clarence Sanders | LB | 21913 |
| 264 | Rufus Crawford (PR) | PR | 22107 |
| 265 | Richard Murray | DL | 22126 |
| 266 | Willie McCray | DL | 22168 |
| 267 | Paul Rudzinski | LB | 22275 |
| 268 | Bruce Threadgill | DB | 22296 |
| 269 | Roy Eppes | DB | 22441 |
| 270 | Ted Milian | OL | 22463 |
| 271 | Mike Ulmer (KR) | KR | 22622 |
| 272 | Alois Blackwell | RB | 22804 |
| 273 | Mark R. Nichols | LB | 22805 |
| 274 | John Huddleston | LB | 22818 |
| 275 | Mike Levenseller | WR | 23132 |
| 276 | Mike Osborn | LB | 23164 |
| 277 | Rufus Crawford (KR) | KR | 23337 |
| 278 | Rickey Anderson | RB | 23374 |
| 279 | Steve Powell | RB | 23375 |
| 280 | Rickey Orange | LB | 23456 |
| 281 | Earl Carr | RB | 23721 |
| 282 | Dan Gray | DL | 23888 |
| 283 | Ricky Odom | DB | 23889 |
| 284 | Harold Woods | DB | 24004 |
| 285 | Gregg Robinson | DL | 24063 |
| 286 | Jesse Turnbow | DL | 24064 |
| 287 | John McCorquindale | RB | 24098 |
| 288 | Frank Myers | OL | 24281 |
| 289 | Ron Shumon | LB | 24301 |
| 290 | John Olenchalk | LB | 24374 |
| 291 | Howard Sampson | DB | 24416 |
| 292 | Ron Robinson | WR | 24435 |
| 293 | Leo Biedermann | OL | 24522 |
| 294 | Tom Schulz | LB | 24564 |
| 295 | Paul Pearson | WR | 24661 |
| 296 | Duncan MacKinlay | LB | 24740 |
| 297 | Walter Landers | RB | 24776 |
| 298 | Jim Harlan | OL | 24917 |
| 299 | Mike Mock | LB | 25011 |
| 300 | Mario Celotto | LB | 25100 |
| 301 | Charles Williams | DB | 25103 |
| 302 | Steve Ackroyd | DB | 25545 |
| 303 | Devon Ford | DB | 25760 |
| 304 | Steve Stewart | LB | 25781 |
| 305 | Tom DePaso | LB | 25782 |
| 306 | Dave Kraayeveld | DL | 26025 |
| 307 | Jack Blair | LB | 26053 |
| 308 | Lyman Smith | DL | 26176 |
| 309 | Sean Clancy | LB | 26177 |
| 310 | Mike T. Williams (PR) | PR | 26218 |
| 311 | Stan Johnson | DL | 26251 |
| 312 | Tom London | DB | 26252 |
| 313 | Mark Donahue | OL | 26297 |
| 314 | Joe Pellegrini | DL | 26472 |
| 315 | Reggie Grant | DB | 26635 |
| 316 | Tony Ardizzone | OL | 26636 |
| 317 | Devon Ford (PR) | PR | 26677 |
| 318 | Mark Meseroll | OL | 26734 |
| 319 | Doug Becker | LB | 26808 |
| 320 | John Choma | OL | 26815 |
| 321 | Johnny Evans (QB) | QB | 26849 |
| 322 | Randy Gill | LB | 26964 |
| 323 | Devon Ford (KR) | KR | 27018 |
| 324 | Marvin Switzer | DB | 27052 |
| 325 | Tom Randall | OL | 27164 |
| 326 | John Foubert | OL | 27418 |
| 327 | Nat Terry | DB | 27439 |
| 328 | Tom Reimer | DB | 27469 |
| 329 | John Blake | OL | 27504 |
| 330 | Ted Burgmeier | DB | 27533 |
| 331 | Kenny Downing | DB | 27680 |
| 332 | Richard Crump (KR) | KR | 27816 |
| 333 | Ron Rowland | RB | 27868 |
| 334 | Brad Carr | LB | 27958 |
| 335 | Preston Young (PR) | PR | 28174 |
| 336 | Buddy Hardaway | OL | 28486 |
| 337 | Louie Richardson | DL | 28495 |
| 338 | Bill Fifer | OL | 28594 |
| 339 | John Sokolosky | OL | 28949 |
| 340 | Dwight Edwards (PR) | PR | 29330 |
| 341 | Doug Redl | OL | 29336 |
| 342 | Richard Crump (PR) | PR | 29411 |
| 343 | Larry Dick | QB | 29638 |
| 344 | Rob Kochel | DB | 30336 |
| 345 | Cal Prince | RB | 30696 |
| 346 | Robert Woods (1955) | WR | 31458 |
| 347 | Eletise Fiatoa | DL | 31575 |
| 348 | Craig Juntunen | QB | 31912 |
| 349 | Craig Labbett | TE | 31917 |
| 350 | Willie Wilder | WR | 32023 |
| 351 | Vic Anonsen | WR | 32081 |
| 352 | Brett Moritz | OL | 32282 |
| 353 | Tim Allan | LB | 32402 |
| 354 | Homer Butler | DB | 32987 |
| 355 | Mike Siganos | DB | 33226 |
| 356 | Rodney Allison | QB | 33227 |
| 357 | David Rigg | DB | 33351 |
| 358 | Phil Luke | DL | 33352 |
| 359 | J.T. Hay (P) | P | 33892 |
| 360 | Dave Quehl | WR | 34132 |
| 361 | Joe Moreino | DL | 34133 |
| 362 | Vince Allen (PR) | PR | 34134 |
| 363 | Mark Manges | QB | 34252 |
| 364 | Harold Woods (KR) | KR | 34264 |
| 365 | Bruce Holland | DL | 34374 |
| 366 | Joe Poplawski (K) | K | 34503 |
| 367 | Keith Credit | WR | 34504 |
| 368 | Roy Henry | QB | 34505 |
| 369 | Harry Holt (PR) | PR | 34683 |
| 370 | Zac Henderson (P) | P | 34684 |
| 371 | Rodney Parker (KR) | KR | 34920 |
| 372 | Dan Fournier | WR | 35157 |
| 373 | Darrell Penner | DB | 35158 |
| 374 | Maurice Butler (PR) | PR | 35918 |
| 375 | Ray Milo | DB | 36487 |
| 376 | Mike Siganos (KR) | KR | 36657 |
| 377 | Larry Key (KR) | KR | 36678 |
| 378 | Rodney Parker (PR) | PR | 37162 |
| 379 | Tom Reimer (PR) | PR | 37476 |
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