Tom Rathman was drafted No. 56 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1986 NFL Draft out of Nebraska. 131 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #56
- Round
- 3
- Draft class
- 1986
- NFL games
- 131
- Years as starter
- 7
- Career AV
- 4025th at Nebraska
The pick
How Tom Rathman came off the board in 1986.
- Position
- Running back RB
- College
-
Nebraska
Big Ten at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
131 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value
- Games played
- 131
- Seasons as a starter
- 7
- Career approximate value
- 4025th among Nebraska picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 3998% of career value
- Final season
- 19948 years after the draft
Around pick 56
Who came off the board on either side of Tom Rathman.
Indiana State
Washington
Washington State · 2× Pro Bowl
Nebraska in the 1986 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other RB picks from Nebraska
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Nebraska · Hall of Fame · 1× All-Pro · 4× Pro Bowl
#76
Ahman Green
RB · SEA · 1998
Nebraska · 4× Pro Bowl
#56
Andra Franklin
RB · MIA · 1981
Nebraska · 1× Pro Bowl
#121
Correll Buckhalter
RB · PHI · 2001
Nebraska
#54
Ameer Abdullah
RB · DET · 2015
Nebraska
#190
Rex Burkhead
RB · CIN · 2013
Nebraska
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Tom Rathman in the 1986 NFL Draft
Tom Rathman is a Running back out of Nebraska selected No. 56 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1986 NFL Draft. 131 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value Nebraska has produced 203 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 Tom Rathman drafted?
Tom Rathman was selected No. 56 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1986 NFL Draft (Rd 3). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1986/tom-rathman.
What college did Tom Rathman play for?
Tom Rathman played college football at Nebraska in the Big Ten. See every Nebraska draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/nebraska-cornhuskers.
How did Tom Rathman's NFL career turn out?
131 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1986/tom-rathman.