The 1978 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 2–3, 1978, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, New York. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the first overall pick in the 1978 draft, by virtue of their 2–12 record in 1977. Tampa Bay traded the pick to the Oilers, for tight end Jimmie Giles and the Oilers' first- and second-round picks in the 1978 draft, and their third- and fifth-round picks in 1979.
Leon White, who was drafted in the third round, went on to have an extensive professional wrestling career as Big Van Vader.
Player selections
Round one
Round two
Round three
Round four
Round five
Round six
Round seven
Round eight
Round nine
Round ten
Round eleven
Round twelve
Notable undrafted players
Hall of Famers
Earl Campbell, running back from Texas, taken 1st round 1st overall by Houston Oilers Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1991. Ozzie Newsome, wide receiver from Alabama, taken 1st round 23rd overall by Cleveland Browns Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 1999. James Lofton, wide receiver from Stanford, taken 1st round 6th overall by Green Bay Packers Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2003. Warren Moon, quarterback from Washington, signed undrafted by Houston Oilers Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2006.