The All-Time Third Round NFL Draft Team
The San Francisco 49ers have owned this round of the NFL draft
Terrell Owens (81) photo courtesy of the San Francisco 49ers
The third round of the NFL draft has belonged to the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers have drafted four Hall of Famers with third-round picks – offensive tackle Bob St. Clair in 1953, linebacker Dave Wilcox in 1964, quarterback Joe Montana in 1979 and wide receiver Terrell Owens in 1996. Those four would all be on the NFL’s all-time third-round team along with a fifth 49er, fullback Tom Rathman.
The 49ers also drafted a host of Pro Bowl linebackers in the third round – Bill Romanowski in 1988, NaVorro Bowman in 2010 and Fred Warner in 2018. Fellow third-rounders safety Carlton Williamson (1981) and guard Guy McIntyre (1984) also were Pro Bowlers on San Francisco’s four-time champion 1980s Team of the Decade.
Those four 49ers in Canton had company on the all-time third-round draft team – there were 14 other Hall of Famers and four members of the NFL’s 100th anniversary team. There also are 13 all-decade selections. The 26 members of this team combined for 142 Pro Bowl appearances.
Here is the all-time third-round NFL draft team, including the franchise each was drafted by and the year:
QB Joe Montana, SF 49ers 1979, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
HB Curtis Martin, New England 1995, Hall of Fame, 2004 NFL rushing champion
FB Tom Rathman, SF 49ers 1986, 9 seasons, 34 career touchdowns
WR Tommy McDonald, Philadelphia 1957, Hall of Fame, 6 Pro Bowls
WR Terrell Owens, SF 49ers 1996, Hall of Fame, 6 Pro Bowls
TE Charlie Sanders, Detroit 1968, Hall of Fame, 7 Pro Bowls
T Bob St. Clair, SF 49ers 1953, Hall of Fame, 5 Pro Bowls
T Art Shell, Oakland 1968, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
G Russ Grimm, Washington 1981, Hall of Fame, 4 Pro Bowls
G Will Shields, Kansas City 1993, Hall of Fame, 12 Pro Bowls
C Olin Kreutz, Chicago 1998, 6 Pro Bowls, 2000s NFL: all-decade team
DE Elvin Bethea, Houston Oilers 1968, Hall of Fame, 105 career sacks
DE Len Ford, LA Dons 1948, Hall of Fame, 4 Pro Bowls
DT Steve McMichael, New England 1980, Hall of Fame, 2 Pro Bowls, 95 career sacks
DT Jerry Ball, Detroit 1987, 3 Pro Bowls, 32 ½ career sacks
OLB Dave Wilcox, SF 49ers 1964, Hall of Fame, 7 Pro Bowls
MLB Sam Huff, NY Giants 1956, Hall of Fame, 5 Pro Bowls
OLB Pat Swilling, New Orleans 1986, 1991 NFL sack leader, 107 ½ career sacks
CB Mel Blount, Pittsburgh 1970, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
CB Aeneas Williams, Phoenix Cardinals 1991, Hall of Fame, 8 Pro Bowls
S Yale Lary, Detroit 1952, Hall of Fame, 9 Pro Bowls
S John Lynch, Tampa Bay 1993, Hall of Fame, 9 Pro Bowls
K Jan Stenerud, Kansas City 1966, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
P Brad Maynard, NY Giants 1997, 1,339 career punts 5th all-time
KR Tamarick Vanover, Kansas City 1995, 8 career return TDs (4 on kickoffs, 4 on punts)
ST Albert Lewis, Kansas City 1983, 4 Pro Bowls, 11 blocked punts
You can read the All-Time Draft Teams here:
