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Who was the Number One Draft pick in 1979? (Factoid 813)

Date: 4/3/16
Tom Cousineau LB Ohio State
(Image courtesy of buckeyextra.dispatch.com.)


Linebacker Tom Cousineau from The Ohio State University was the first pick of the 1979 NFL Draft. Tom was drafted by the Buffalo Bills.

Tom was a consensus All-American in 1977 and 1978. He played for Woody Hayes and lettered all four years. In 1975 the undefeated Buckeyes were heavily favored in the Rose Bowl and that was “supposed” to be Woody Hayes’ farewell game, instead UCLA won. By Tom’s senior season Woody Hayes had lost his touch and each OSU team wasn’t as good as the previous, eventually losing to Clemson in Tom’s senior season as an almost unheard of 7-4-1 Buckeye team. (That was also Woody’s last game and the infamous punching incident).

Cousineau was drafted by the Bills, but went to play in the CFL instead for the Montreal Alouettes and twice the money the Bills offered. In the CFL Tom was a star and the 1979 Grey Cup’s MVP.

However after three years in the CFL Tom came back to the NFL and played for the Browns. (The Bills still had his rights and were able to get a good deal of value for Tom, landing Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly with the draft pick acquired with the Cousineau trade.

Tom played for the Browns for four seasons and then as a backup for the 49ers for two seasons. Some say his NFL career was a bust. Maybe, but it was still a six-year NFL career, four of it as a starter. Overall, nine years as a professional football player is a very good career.
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Who was the Number One Draft pick in 1978? (Factoid 812)
Who was the Number One Draft pick in 1980? (Factoid 814)

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