LB · pick 51 — first ever linebacker at #51 (1967)

LB·pick 51

FIRST LB EVER DRAFTED AT #51

Jim Flanigan

Drafted by GB · Pittsburgh

1967 · earliest year in the data window

LBs drafted at #51 in NFL history

most recent: Jake Golday (MIN, 2026)

How rare was this draftigami?

No rarity score — the model compares each pick to its predictions for earlier seasons, and drafts from 1967–1969 sit before that runway is long enough.

Linebacker at #51, 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: 22.1% · 2027 model: 8.3%

Surrounding picks · 1967 draft

#46RBLarry ConjarCLE
#47LBJim LynchKC
#48CBBob HowardLAC
#49RBRoy HopkinsTEN
#50LBWillie LanierKC
#52WRJohn GilliamNO
#53OTDave RoweNO
#54OTNorman DavisIND
#55STDon CockroftCLE
#56CBLarry CarwellTEN

Drafted at this same coordinate later · 12 picks

2026Jake GoldayMIN · Cincinnati
2003Terry PierceDEN — GM Mike Shanahan · Kansas St.
1999Johnny RutledgeARI — GM Bob Ferguson · Florida
1998Kailee WongMIN — GM Frank Gilliam · Stanford
1997Greg JonesWAS — GM Charley Casserly · Colorado
1994Allen AldridgeDEN — GM John Beake · Houston
1988Dante JonesCHI — GM Bill Tobin · Oklahoma
1986Pepper JohnsonNYG — GM George Young · Ohio St.
1981Rickey JacksonNO — GM Ken Meyer/staff · Pittsburgh
1979Jim HaslettBUF · IUP
1977Peter CronanSEA · Boston College
1974Matt BlairMIN · Iowa State

→ see this cell on the full chart