NASHVILLE, Tenn. —The Titans/Oilers franchise has not selected from the 12th overall spot since the NFL and American Football League implemented a common draft in 1967.
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| The Houston Oilers selected Stan Hindman (80) with the 12th pick of the 1966 AFL Draft, but Hindman opted to sign with San Francisco, who drafted him in the first round of the NFL Draft one year before the leagues held their first common draft in 1967. |
The previous year, however, the Houston Oilers had the 12th overall pick in the second round of the AFL Draft and selected defensive lineman Stan Hindman out of Mississippi. The problem for Houston, however, is that Hindman was also selected by San Francisco in the first round with the 11th overall pick in the NFL Draft and played his career with the 49ers.
The NFL held its draft on Nov. 27, 1965, and the AFL held its draft a day later for 1966. Hindman wasn't the only pick of contention between the Oilers and NFL teams.
Each of Houston's first six selections was also tabbed by an NFL team. The Oilers picked LB Tommy Nobis in the first round, but the NFL's expansion team in Atlanta used its first ever and No. 1 overall pick on Nobis. Despite advice that came from space when astronaut Frank Borman said "tell Nobis to sign with Houston" while aboard Gemini 7, Nobis became "Mr. Falcon" when he signed with Atlanta on Dec. 14, 1965.
Houston drafted DT George Rice in the third round (21st), and Rice joined the Oilers although he was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft by Chicago with the 12th overall pick. The Oilers also signed fourth-round T George Allen and fifth-round RB Hoyle Granger, who were drafted by Dallas and the Baltimore Colts, respectively. Sixth-round DE Dave Long, however, opted to sign with the St. Louis Cardinals, who had drafted him in the third round.
The upstart AFL, which began play in 1960, won plenty of bidding wars with the more established NFL, but the merger between the leagues led to better long-term viability for teams from both leagues. The Titans have the 10th overall pick in this year's NFL Draft on April 25 and are scheduled to make nine selections during the three-day event. **Click here to visit Titans Draft Central**.
