1984 NFL Draft Skill Players Selection

By Raul Colon

It could have been one of the best drafts in history, easily rivaling the much hyped one of 1983.With names such as Heisman Trophy winner, RB Mike Rozier (Nebraska), DE Reggie White (Tennessee), QB Steve Young (BYU), DT/DE Robert Smith (Grambling), WR Irving Fryar (Nebraska), K Tony Zendejas (Nevada-Reno) and LB Wilbert Marshall among others, it can be argue that this was a more deeper overall class than the previous one.

Pro scouts were salivated at the chance of grabbing one of those projected franchise players. Unfortunately that opportunity never materialized. Instead of going down in the record books as one of the all time great, the 1984 NFL Draft will forever be remember as the USFL Raid. In the winter of 1983, the newly founded United State Football League began its assault on the NFL with one of the all time great heists of talent.

Led by two of its pillars, Donald Trump and J. William Oldenburh, the USFL signed 10 of the top 50 and 19 of the top 175 players available that spring. Even more impressive was the fact that they got the top two available prospects, Rozier and White. At the same time, they selected the class’ best signal caller, Young; best offensive lineman, Baylor’s Mark Adickes and even the best kicker (Zendejas).
Which such a deep raid of talent, scouts went back to the drawing board re-profiling available players for the draft.

Here’s a look at some of the best of what the NFL teams could scout for prior to the ’84 draft. Some of these players left a profound trail in our memories while other left only a small footprint in history. But what all of the following players had in common been the fact that they were the most highly regarded players at their position.

QB: Without Young, Maryland’s Norman ‘Boomer’ Esaison (16th ranked player accordingly to Inside Football Magazine, 2nd round, 38th overall pick Cincinnati Bengals) became the premier passer available. A three year starter for the Terrapins, Esaison received the highest mark of any quarterback entering the draft. His arm strength, which many questioned follow an early season shoulder injury, was not an issue thanks to an impressive performance at the Tangerine Bowl. Another QB who received high grades was Duke’s Ben Bennett (Jacksonville-USFL. 19th rated player, 149th overall) He did not possessed Boomer’s arm strength, which was comparable to all QBs, expect John Elway, taken the previous year, but his accuracy and mobility made him a coveted item. West Virginia’s Jeff Hostetler (24th rated, 3rd round 56th overall) was a big drop back passer with good arm strength who enticed teams running a pro-set offensive scheme.

RB: Oklahoma State’s Ernest Anderson (105th, 3rd round, 74th overall Detroit Lions) emerged as the best running back prospect once Rozier signed with Pittsburgh. The 5-foot-10 slasher had ‘superb acceleration and balance. Plus, he is extremely strong’, that’s how the official NFL Scout Profile of the former Cowboy star read days prior to the draft. What’s even more impressive than his scouting report is the fact that he gather such acclaims while barely playing (bleeding ulcer and a nagging groin pull) his senior season. He used a big Senior Bowl week to catapult himself into the scouts’ eyes once again (he was the darling of pro player personnel gurus in 1982 after rushing for 1,877 yards on 353 carries).
Another tailback highly touted was Penn State’s Jon Williams (20th, 3rd round, 79th overall New England Patriots). Williams came into the draft as the second best RB behind Anderson. The thickly built Nittany Lions’ career was plagued by a plethora of mild injuries. He played both fullback and tailback positions before establishing himself as a full time feature back during his senior campaign.

WR: No matter what the USFL did, they could not take away from the NFL the class’ best wide out. Irving Fryar (3rd, 1st round, 1st overall New England Patriots) of Nebraska. He was timed faster (4.36) than Jonny Rodgers. His 38-inch vertical leap topped all players invited to participate in the postseason. In an essence, he was considered the most explosive player in the draft. In ’83 he caught 40 passes, on an offensive system predicated on the run (400 rushing yards per game) for 780 yards (19.5 average) and 8 TDs.

Another player meriting strong consideration in 1984 was Kenny Jackson (9th, 1st round, 4th overall Philadelphia Eagles) of Penn State. Jackson was the Nittany Lions’ top offensive weapon during his four year career. He had the distinction of being the school’s first All American WR. He set the school record for catches (109), yards (2,006) and scorers by a wide out (25). A high school QB at South River New Jersey, where Joe Theismann played, Jackson proved to be as dynamic as head coach Joe Patterno envisioned. Something the scouts coveted in ’84.

TE: Cal’s David Lewis (15th, 1st round, 20th overall Detroit Lions) had the size (6’4”, 230lbs), speed (4.59) and blocking prowess GMs dream about. One of the most intriguing prospects available that year, Lewis followed a different path to the NFL. After showing great promise as a sophomore leading the vaunted PAC-10 in receptions (32) by TEs, he became disenfranchise once head coach Mouse Davis arrived on campus. With him came the notorious ‘Run and Shoot’ offense which relegated the tight end to mostly blocking assignments, when he was on the field. With his role reduced, Lewis quit the team briefly in 1981 before rejoining the squad as a linebacker.

Former HC Joe Kapp returned that fall and promptly returned him to his natural position. Lewis responded immediately with a banner 1982 (54 receptions for 715 yards and 6 TDs). The improvement put him on the NFL map and the rest was history. In the fall of 1983, scouts were placing him at the top of their TE list.

Those were the most highly regarded skill position players available in the 1984 Draft. Of the group, only two (Esaison and Fryar) made it to the Pro Bowl. The rest were a mix of good, complementary players and efficient starters.