Earnest Byner was drafted No. 280 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 1984 NFL Draft out of East Carolina. 211 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 80 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #280
- Round
- 10
- Draft class
- 1984
- NFL games
- 211
- Years as starter
- 8
- Career AV
- 801st at East Carolina
- Pro Bowls
- 2
The pick
How Earnest Byner came off the board in 1984.
- Position
- Running back RB
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
211 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 80 career approximate value
- Games played
- 211
- Seasons as a starter
- 8
- Career approximate value
- 801st among East Carolina picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 3746% of career value
- Final season
- 199713 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 2× Pro Bowl
Around pick 280
Who came off the board on either side of Earnest Byner.
Montana
Miami
Notre Dame
St. Mary's (CA)
East Carolina in the 1984 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other RB picks from East Carolina
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Chris Johnson
RB · TEN · 2008
East Carolina · 1× All-Pro · 3× Pro Bowl
#47
Tony Collins
RB · NE · 1981
East Carolina · 1× Pro Bowl
#134
Jerris McPhail
RB · MIA · 1996
East Carolina
#241
Leonard Henry
RB · MIA · 2002
East Carolina
#252
Tony Baker
RB · ATL · 1986
East Carolina
#288
Sam Harrell
RB · MIN · 1980
East Carolina
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Earnest Byner in the 1984 NFL Draft
Earnest Byner is a Running back out of East Carolina selected No. 280 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 1984 NFL Draft. 211 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 80 career approximate value East Carolina has produced 55 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 Earnest Byner drafted?
Earnest Byner was selected No. 280 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 1984 NFL Draft (Rd 10). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1984/earnest-byner.
What college did Earnest Byner play for?
Earnest Byner played college football at East Carolina in the American. See every East Carolina draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/east-carolina-pirates.
How did Earnest Byner's NFL career turn out?
211 regular-season games · 8 seasons as a starter · 80 career approximate value Accolades: 2× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1984/earnest-byner.