RB · pick 21 — first ever running back at #21 (1982)

RB·pick 21

FIRST RB EVER DRAFTED AT #21

Gerald Willhite

Drafted by DEN — GM Edgar Kaiser/staff · San Jose St.

1982

RBs drafted at #21 in NFL history

most recent: Laurence Maroney (NE, 2006)

How rare was this draftigami?

Trained on every pick through 1981, the model gave a running back at #21 a 12.7% chance in 1982.

Running back at #21, 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: 27.9% · 2027 model: 3.6%

Surrounding picks · 1982 draft

#16OTLuis SharpeARI — GM Bill Bidwill
#17OGSean FarrellTB — GM Phil Krueger
#18RBButch WoolfolkNYG — GM George Young
#19WRPerry TuttleBUF — GM Stew Barber
#20WRMike QuickPHI — GM Jim Murray
#22OGRon HallstromGB — GM Bart Starr
#23LBBob CrableNYJ — GM Jim Kensil
#24OGRoy FosterMIA — GM Don Shula
#25CBRod HillDAL — GM Tex Schramm
#26DEGlen CollinsCIN — GM Mike Brown / Duke Tobin

Drafted at this same coordinate later · 6 picks

2006Laurence MaroneyNE — GM Bill Belichick · Minnesota
1995Rashaan SalaamCHI — GM Rod Graves · Colorado
1993Robert SmithMIN — GM Roger Headrick · Ohio St.
1992Vaughn DunbarNO — GM Jim Finks · Indiana
1991Harvey WilliamsKC — GM Carl Peterson · LSU
1987Roger VickNYJ — GM Jim Kensil · Texas A&M

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