1998 NFL Draft
Original NFL team Player Pos College Conf
Baltimore Ravens Lional Dalton DT Eastern Michigan MAC
Baltimore Ravens Jeff Saturday C North Carolina ACC
Dallas Cowboys Robert Thomas FB Henderson State Gulf South
Denver Broncos Cyron Brown DE Western Illinois Gateway
Denver Broncos Chris Gizzi LB Air Force WAC
Detroit Lions Brock Olivo RB Missouri Big 12
Indianapolis Colts Larry Moore G BYU WAC
Indianapolis Colts Mike Vanderjagt K WVU Big East
Jacksonville Jaguars Reggie Swinton WR Murray State OVC
Kansas City Chiefs Eric Hicks DE Maryland ACC
Minnesota Vikings Cory Withrow C Washington State Pac-10
New England Patriots Scott Dragos FB Boston College Big East
New York Giants Jason Whittle G Southern Missouri State Gateway
New Orleans Saints Earl Little S Miami Big East
Oakland Raiders Phil Dawson K Texas Big 12
St. Louis Rams London Fletcher LB John Carroll OAC
San Diego Chargers Kendyl Jacox G Kansas State Big 12
San Francisco 49ers Jim Nelson LB Penn State Big Ten
Seattle Seahawks Brian Finneran WR Villanova A-10
Seattle Seahawks Dirk Johnson P Northern Colorado NCIAC
Notable undrafted players
† = Pro Bowler [ N 1 ]
The 1998 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 18-19, 1998, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. Before the draft, there was much debate in the media on if the Indianapolis Colts would select Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf, both of whom were considered excellent prospects and future franchise quarterbacks, with the first overall pick. Leaf was considered to have more upside and a stronger throwing arm, while Manning was considered a prospect who was NFL ready and more mature. On the day of the draft, the Colts selected Manning due to Leaf's disdain for Indianapolis. Manning went on to be a five-time Most Valuable Player award winner, the most of any player in NFL history, and a two-time Super Bowl champion, whereas Leaf, who was selected second overall by the San Diego Chargers, was out of the NFL by 2002, and is considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history.