The 1989 NFL draft also helped set a major precedent, as Barry Sanders was selected with the third overall pick despite an NFL rule stating that collegiate juniors could not declare for the draft.[5] Since Barry Sanders was selected as a junior, it has become an expectation for top college players to declare for the draft after their junior season; the rule disallowing collegiate juniors in the NFL draft was lifted by the next draft. Sanders, the 1988
Heisman Trophy winner, was allowed to declare early when
Oklahoma State was found guilty of numerous major
NCAA rule violations and placed on five years' probation in January 1989.
Another precedent the draft helped set was how players were invited to the actual draft room. First overall selection Aikman was represented by
Leigh Steinberg, who went with his client to the draft finding he was the only player there. As years followed, more players began getting invited to the draft.[6]
Barry Sanders, running back from Oklahoma State, taken third overall by Detroit Lions. 1988 Heisman Trophy winner.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2004[13]
Troy Aikman, quarterback from UCLA, taken first overall by Dallas Cowboys.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2006[14]
Derrick Thomas, linebacker from Alabama, taken fourth overall by Kansas City Chiefs.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2009 (posthumous)[15]
Deion Sanders, cornerback from Florida State, taken fifth overall by Atlanta Falcons.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2011[16]
Steve Atwater, safety from Arkansas, taken twentieth overall by Denver Broncos.
Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame class of 2020
Trades
In the explanations below, (D) denotes trades that took place during the 1989 Draft, while (PD) indicates trades completed pre-draft.
Round one
^No. 11: L.A. Raiders → Chicago (PD). L.A. Raiders traded its first-round selection (11th) and third-round selection in
1990 to Chicago in exchange for WR
Willie Gault.
^No. 12: Washington → Chicago (PD). Chicago received Washington's first-round selections in both
1988 (27th) and this draft (12th) as compensation for the Redskins signing free agent LB
Wilber Marshall.
^No. 13: Denver → Cleveland (D). Denver traded its first-round selection (13th) to Cleveland in exchange for the Browns' first-, second-, fifth- and tenth-round selections (20th, 47th, 134th and 241st).
^No. 15: Indianapolis → Seattle (PD). Indianapolis traded its first-round selection (15th) and first-round selection in
1990 to Seattle in exchange for LB
Fredd Young.
^No. 17: Seattle → Phoenix (PD). Seattle traded its first- and fifth-round selections (17th and 128th) and fifth-round selection in
1988 (120th) to Phoenix in exchange for QB
Kelly Stouffer.
^No. 22: Philadelphia → Indianapolis (PD). Philadelphia traded its first-round selection (22nd) and fourth-round selection in
1990 to Indianapolis in exchange for G
Ron Solt.
^No. 24: Minnesota → Pittsburgh (PD). Minnesota traded its first-round selection (24th) to Pittsburgh in exchange for LB
Mike Merriweather.
^No. 25: Chicago → Miami (D). Chicago traded its first-round selection (25th) to Miami in exchange for the Dolphins' second- and third-round selections (36th and 65th).
^No. 26: multiple trades: No. 26: Buffalo → Indianapolis (PD). Buffalo traded its first-round selection in
1988 (14th), first- and second-round selections (26th and 53rd) in this draft and RB
Greg Bell to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for LB
Cornelius Bennett. No. 26: Indianapolis → L.A. Rams (PD). Indianapolis then traded all three draft picks received from Buffalo, their own first- and second round selections in 1988 (20th and 47th), their second-round selection (45th) in this draft, Greg Bell and RB
Owen Gill to the Rams in exchange for RB
Eric Dickerson.
^No. 27: Cincinnati → Atlanta (D). Cincinnati traded its first-round selection (27th) to Atlanta in exchange for the Falcons' second- and fourth-round selections (35th and 89th).
Round two
^No. 31: Green Bay → Cleveland (D). Green Bay traded its second- and fifth-round selections (31st and 114th) to Cleveland in exchange for the Browns' third- and fifth-round selections (74th and 127th), first-round selection in
1989 and RB
Herman Fontenot.
^No. 38: Washington → Atlanta (D). Washington traded its second-round selection (38th) and firth-round selection in
1990 to Atlanta in exchange for RB
Gerald Riggs and Atlanta's fifth-round selection in 1990.
^No. 39: L.A. Raiders → Dallas (D). L.A. Raiders traded its second-, third- and fifth-round selections (39th, 68th and 119th) to Dallas in exchange for the rights to G
Steve Wisniewski (drafted by Dallas at 29th in this draft) and Dallas' sixth-round selection (140th).
^No. 51: N.Y. Giants → San Diego (D). The Giants traded its second-round selection (51st) to San Diego in exchange for the Chargers' third-, fourth- and seventh-round selections (64th, 93rd and 175th).