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NFL Draft: Ron Yary from USC first pick by Minnesota Vikings

The 1968 NFL AFL drafts, regardless of the presence of an expansion team or their own record from the previous season.

The 1968 NFL AFL drafts, regardless of the presence of an expansion team or their own record from the previous season. They traded this "special wild card" pick in the Tarkenton trade, and the Vikings chose to exercise it in 1968. The expansion Cincinnati Bengals picked second. The Vikings used the first overall pick to select offensive tackle Ron Yary.

This was the last draft until 1980 in which the Washington Redskins exercised their first-round pick. Most of them were traded away by coach George Allen between 1971 and 1977 due to Allen's well-known preference for veteran players over rookies.

Historical Significance

The 1968 NFL AFL drafts, regardless of the presence of an expansion team or their own record from the previous season.

Events Before

  1. François Pienaar is born

    François Pienaar is born

  2. AFL Championship, War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo: Kansas City Chiefs beat Buffalo Bills, 31-7; QB Len Dawson passes for 2

    AFL Championship, War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo: Kansas City Chiefs beat Buffalo Bills, 31-7; QB Len Dawson passes for 2 TDs, RB Mike Garrett runs for 2 TDs

  3. Actor Lee Marvin (42) divorces Elizabeth Ebeling after 14 years of marriage

    Actor Lee Marvin (42) divorces Elizabeth Ebeling after 14 years of marriage

  4. Republican Edward W. Brooke of Massachusetts takes his seat as the first African American popularly elected to the US Se

    Republican Edward W. Brooke of Massachusetts takes his seat as the first African American popularly elected to the US Senate

  5. Canadian actor Christopher Plummer (37) divorces second wife, British columnist Patricia Lewis after nearly 5 years of m

    Canadian actor Christopher Plummer (37) divorces second wife, British columnist Patricia Lewis after nearly 5 years of marriage

Events After

  1. Apollo 11 Moon Landing

    NASA's Apollo 11 mission successfully lands the first humans on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first people to walk on the lunar surface.

  2. Tommy Morrison is born

    Tommy Morrison, American professional boxer, known for american boxer, was born on 1969-01-02.

  3. Christy Turlington is born

    Christy Turlington is born

  4. Jack Kent Cooke, owner of the NHL's LA Kings, fines each player $100 for not arguing with the referees

    Jack Kent Cooke, owner of the NHL's LA Kings, fines each player $100 for not arguing with the referees

  5. Atlantic Records releases Led Zeppelin’s eponymous debut album in the United States

    Atlantic Records releases Led Zeppelin’s eponymous debut album in the United States

More from the 1960s

Apollo 11 Moon Landing

NASA's Apollo 11 mission successfully lands the first humans on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first people to walk on the lunar surface.

space exploration

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech

Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, calling for an end to racism in the United States.

civil rightspolitics government
birth

Tommy Morrison is born

Tommy Morrison, American professional boxer, known for american boxer, was born on 1969-01-02.

birth

Gabrielle Carteris is born

Gabrielle Carteris is born

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on January 30, 1968?
The 1968 NFL AFL drafts, regardless of the presence of an expansion team or their own record from the previous season. They traded this "special wild card" pick in the Tarkenton trade, and the Vikings chose to exercise it in 1968. The expansion Cincinnati Bengals picked second.
Why is NFL Draft: Ron Yary from USC first pick by Minnesota Vikings significant?
The 1968 NFL AFL drafts, regardless of the presence of an expansion team or their own record from the previous season.

Explore More

January 30 in HistoryYear 1968