Lionel James was drafted No. 118 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1984 NFL Draft out of Auburn. 67 regular-season games · 2 seasons as a starter · 27 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #118
- Round
- 5
- Draft class
- 1984
- NFL games
- 67
- Years as starter
- 2
- Career AV
- 2734th at Auburn
The pick
How Lionel James came off the board in 1984.
- Position
- Running back RB
- College
-
Auburn
SEC at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
67 regular-season games · 2 seasons as a starter · 27 career approximate value
- Games played
- 67
- Seasons as a starter
- 2
- Career approximate value
- 2734th among Auburn picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 27100% of career value
- Final season
- 19884 years after the draft
Around pick 118
Who came off the board on either side of Lionel James.
Weber State
Texas
South Carolina State
Tennessee State
Auburn in the 1984 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other RB picks from Auburn
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Auburn · 4× Pro Bowl
#102
Stephen Davis
RB · WAS · 1996
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
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Lionel James in the 1984 NFL Draft
Lionel James is a Running back out of Auburn selected No. 118 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1984 NFL Draft. 67 regular-season games · 2 seasons as a starter · 27 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 Lionel James drafted?
Lionel James was selected No. 118 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1984 NFL Draft (Rd 5). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1984/lionel-james.
What college did Lionel James play for?
Lionel James 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 Lionel James's NFL career turn out?
67 regular-season games · 2 seasons as a starter · 27 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1984/lionel-james.