Roland James was drafted No. 14 overall by the New England Patriots in the 1980 NFL Draft out of Tennessee. 145 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 50 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #14
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 1980
- NFL games
- 145
- Years as starter
- 8
- Career AV
- 5023rd at Tennessee
The pick
How Roland James came off the board in 1980.
- Position
- Defensive back DB
- College
-
Tennessee
SEC at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
145 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 50 career approximate value
- Games played
- 145
- Seasons as a starter
- 8
- Career approximate value
- 5023rd among Tennessee picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 50100% of career value
- Final season
- 199010 years after the draft
Around pick 14
Who came off the board on either side of Roland James.
Colorado College
Rice
BYU
NC State · 2× Pro Bowl
Tennessee in the 1980 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other DB picks from Tennessee
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Tennessee · 5× Pro Bowl
#5
Eric Berry
DB · KC · 2010
Tennessee · 3× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl
#20
Dale Carter
DB · KC · 1992
Tennessee · 4× Pro Bowl
#57
Deon Grant
DB · CAR · 2000
Tennessee
#136
Gibril Wilson
DB · NYG · 2004
Tennessee
#203
Dave Thomas
DB · DAL · 1993
Tennessee
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Roland James in the 1980 NFL Draft
Roland James is a Defensive back out of Tennessee selected No. 14 overall by the New England Patriots in the 1980 NFL Draft. 145 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 50 career approximate value Tennessee has produced 214 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Roland James drafted?
Roland James was selected No. 14 overall by the New England Patriots in the 1980 NFL Draft (Rd 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1980/roland-james.
What college did Roland James play for?
Roland James played college football at Tennessee in the SEC. See every Tennessee draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/tennessee-volunteers.
How did Roland James's NFL career turn out?
145 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 50 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1980/roland-james.