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Two people who were born in South Dakota have been drafted in the top 10 of the NFL Draft in the league’s history.
John Dutton (not the “Yellowstone” ranch owner) was selected fifth overall by the then-Baltimore Colts in the 1974 draft. Dutton, a defensive lineman, was born in Rapid City and graduated from Rapid City Central in 1969. He went on to play 185 games in the NFL with the Colts and Dallas.
Before him, tackle Urban Odson of Clark was picked 9th overall by Green Bay in the 1942 draft. He played for the Packers for four seasons.
Offensive lineman Grey Zabel from Pierre was the last South Dakota native selected in the first round – 18th overall by Seattle in 2025.
The 2026 NFL Draft was the first since 2016 that featured no players from South Dakota or a South Dakota college selected.
Urban Odson, a 1936 Clark High School graduate, was an All-American tackle for the University of Minnesota in 1940 and helped the Gophers to unbeaten seasons and national titles in 1940 and 1941. The 6-3, 251-pounder was a first-round draft pick (ninth overall) by the Green Bay Packers in 1942. S.D. Sports Hall of Fame photo.
