Throwback Thursday: The 1977 NFL Draft

Walt Michaels was looking to turn the Jets around in 1977, after finishing 3-11 in 1976.

Thursday night, and it is time for another edition of “Throwback Thursday”.

As we lead up to the NFL draft on May 8th, we are going to go back to drafts in Jets’ history that went well. To the world out there that doesn’t believe it, yes, the Jets have had good drafts. We have made our mistakes, but we have made good choices too.

Last week, we went through and highlighted the 1979 draft.

So this week, we are going back in history as well, this time just a bit further, to the 1977 draft.

What quality pieces did the Jets provide Walt Michaels and company for the 1977 season?  Join the slideshow as we go back and look at the best picks from that draft…….

With the fourth pick of the draft, the Jets chose Marvin Powell out of USC. He stayed with the Jets through 1985, before finishing his career in Tampa Bay. While with the Jets, Powell was named to the Pro Bowl five times.

Wesley Walker was chosen with the 33rd pick of the draft out of the University of California. Making the Pro Bowl twice was not enough for Wesley, finishing with an average of 19 yards per reception over a 13 year career, entirely with the New York Jets. Wesley was as great of a deep threat as has ever been in the Green and White, and he did it all with the use of only one eye. Just spectacular.

Oct 28, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets former player

before the game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

He may not be in the football Hall of Fame, but he is an inaugural member of the Jet Press Hall of fame. Out of Temple, Joe Klecko was chosen in the sixth round of the 1977 draft, 144th overall.

Big Mo is not the only great lineman to come out of Temple.

Klecko was a leader of the four known as the Sack Exchange, and throughout his career, Joe Klecko was a force. As he grew older, his knees grew weaker, and he moved to the center of the defensive line. But no matter where he played, defensive end, defensive tackle, or nose tackle, Joe was selected to the Pro Bowl, being the first that was selected at all three defensive line positions.

Finally, the Jets chose Dan Alexander out of LSU with the 200th pick overall. He was not flashy, but he did play 192 games as a rock solid member of the Jets’ offensive line.