James Brooks was drafted No. 24 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1981 NFL Draft out of Auburn. 162 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 82 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #24
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 1981
- NFL games
- 162
- Years as starter
- 8
- Career AV
- 825th at Auburn
- Pro Bowls
- 4
The pick
How James Brooks came off the board in 1981.
- Position
- Running back RB
- College
-
Auburn
SEC at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
162 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 82 career approximate value
- Games played
- 162
- Seasons as a starter
- 8
- Career approximate value
- 825th among Auburn picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 1518% of career value
- Final season
- 199211 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 4× Pro Bowl
Around pick 24
Who came off the board on either side of James Brooks.
Washington
Florida State
Missouri
Auburn in the 1981 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other RB picks from Auburn
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Auburn · 3× Pro Bowl
#29
Joe Cribbs
RB · BUF · 1980
Auburn · 3× Pro Bowl
#100
Rudi Johnson
RB · CIN · 2001
Auburn · 1× Pro Bowl
#2
Ronnie Brown
RB · MIA · 2005
Auburn · 1× Pro Bowl
#1
Bo Jackson
RB · TB · 1986
Auburn · 1× Pro Bowl
#183
Bo Jackson
RB · LV · 1987
Auburn · 1× Pro Bowl
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
James Brooks in the 1981 NFL Draft
James Brooks is a Running back out of Auburn selected No. 24 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1981 NFL Draft. 162 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 82 career approximate value Auburn has produced 183 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 James Brooks drafted?
James Brooks was selected No. 24 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1981 NFL Draft (Rd 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/james-brooks.
What college did James Brooks play for?
James Brooks played college football at Auburn in the SEC. See every Auburn draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/auburn-tigers.
How did James Brooks's NFL career turn out?
162 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 82 career approximate value Accolades: 4× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/james-brooks.