S · pick 8 — first ever safety at #8 (1981)

S·pick 8

FIRST S EVER DRAFTED AT #8

Ronnie Lott

Drafted by SF — GM John McVay · USC

1981

safeties drafted at #8 in NFL history

most recent: Donte Whitner (BUF, 2006)

How rare was this draftigami?

Trained on every pick through 1980, the model gave a safety at #8 a 2.7% chance in 1981.

Safety at #8, 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: 13.0% · 2027 model: 3.3%

Surrounding picks · 1981 draft

#3RBFreeman McNeilNYJ — GM Jim Kensil
#4SKenny EasleySEA — GM John Thompson
#5LBE.J. JuniorARI — GM Bill Bidwill
#6QBRich CampbellGB — GM Bart Starr
#7LBHugh GreenTB — GM Phil Krueger
#9LBMel OwensLAR — GM Don Klosterman
#10WRDavid VerserCIN — GM Mike Brown / Duke Tobin
#11OTKeith Van HorneCHI — GM Jim Finks
#12RBRandy McMillanIND — GM Dick Szymanski
#13RBDavid OverstreetMIA — GM Don Shula

Drafted at this same coordinate later · 4 picks

2006Donte WhitnerBUF — GM Marv Levy · Ohio St.
2005Antrel RolleARI — GM Rod Graves · Miami (FL)
2004DeAngelo HallATL — GM Rich McKay · Virginia Tech
2002Roy WilliamsDAL — GM Jerry Jones · Oklahoma

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