DE · pick 78 — first ever defensive end at #78 (1976)

DE·pick 78

FIRST DE EVER DRAFTED AT #78

Ben Williams

Drafted by BUF · Ole Miss

1976

DEs drafted at #78 in NFL history

most recent: Jordan Burch (ARI, 2025)

How rare was this draftigami?

Trained on every pick through 1975, the model gave a defensive end at #78 a 8.4% chance in 1976.

Defensive end at #78, year by year

Each year's estimate uses only that year's draft and the years before it — no peeking ahead. The line smooths across neighboring picks and seasons so a single oddball draft doesn't dominate. The shaded band is the model's 90% uncertainty range.

Peak: 13.6% · 2027 model: 9.8%

Surrounding picks · 1976 draft

#73WRDuke FergersonDAL
#74SGary BarbaroKC
#75RBJohn SmithDAL
#76DTJohn WoodcockDET
#77OTBob SimmonsNO
#79WRHenry MarshallKC
#80WRDuriel HarrisMIA
#81LBEd SimoniniIND
#82LBReggie WilliamsCIN
#83OTBrad OatesARI

Drafted at this same coordinate later · 4 picks

2025Jordan BurchARI — GM Monti Ossenfort · Oregon
2022Alex WrightCLE — GM Andrew Berry · Ala-Birmingham
1988Ralph JarvisCHI — GM Bill Tobin · Temple
1979Lewis, ReginaldReginald LewisTB · North Texas

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