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# Fact brief: Have any football players from SD been top 10 NFL Draft picks?
- URL: https://www.sdnewswatch.org/fact-brief-nfl-south-dakota-draft-picks-john-dutton/
- Published: 2026-04-28T09:00:59.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-28T09:00:58.000Z
- Description: South Dakota has had strong representation recently. But has anyone from the state been drafted in the top 10?
- Author: Michael Klinski
- Tags: Fact briefs

## Yes.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/2025/01/WhiteFACT-BRIEF--500-x-200-px--2-1-1.png)

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.

*This fact brief responds to conversations such as*[](https://www.reddit.com/r/nationalparks/comments/1rss8e2/be%5Fprepared%5Ffor%5Ffire%5Fif%5Fyou%5Fvisit%5Fmt%5Frushmore/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)[*this one.*](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pac12/comments/1su42a8/sdsus%5Fchris%5Fjohnson%5Fgoes%5F27th%5Foverall%5Fto%5Fthe/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

## Sources

State of South Dakota Office of the Governor, [John Dutton Day proclamation](https://sdsos.gov/general-information/assets/gubernatorial-proclamations/01122012%5FJohn%20Dutton%20Day.pdf?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

KELO-TV, [List: South Dakotans picked in the NFL Draft (published 2023)](https://www.keloland.com/keloland-com-original/list-south-dakotans-picked-in-the-nfl-draft/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

SiouxFallsLive.com, [Several South Dakotans earn opportunities on Day 3 of NFL Draft](https://www.siouxfallslive.com/sports/college/several-south-dakotans-earn-opportunities-on-day-3-of-nfl-draft?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

SiouxFallsLive.com, [Zimmer: A look at South Dakota's long history in the NFL Draft](https://web.archive.org/web/20250424035508/https://www.siouxfallslive.com/sports/college/zimmer-a-look-at-south-dakotas-long-history-in-the-nfl-draft)

Pro Football Reference, [Urban Odson](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/O/OdsoUr20.htm?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

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**South Dakota News Watch* is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at* [*sdnewswatch.org*](http://sdnewswatch.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)*. *Contact freelance reporter Michael Klinski:* michael.klinski@sdnewswatch.org.*