Dwayne Rudd was drafted No. 20 overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1997 NFL Draft out of Alabama. 109 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #20
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 1997
- NFL games
- 109
- Years as starter
- 5
- Career AV
- 4044th at Alabama
The pick
How Dwayne Rudd came off the board in 1997.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- College
-
Alabama
SEC at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
109 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value
- Games played
- 109
- Seasons as a starter
- 5
- Career approximate value
- 4044th among Alabama picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 2562% of career value
- Final season
- 20036 years after the draft
Around pick 20
Who came off the board on either side of Dwayne Rudd.
Miami
California · 3× Pro Bowl
Notre Dame
LSU
Alabama in the 1997 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from Alabama
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Alabama · Hall of Fame · 2× All-Pro · 9× Pro Bowl
#2
Cornelius Bennett
LB · IND · 1987
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl
#17
C.J. Mosley
LB · BAL · 2014
Alabama · 5× Pro Bowl
#25
Dont'a Hightower
LB · NE · 2012
Alabama · 2× Pro Bowl
#5
E.J. Junior
LB · ARI · 1981
Alabama · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
#33
DeMeco Ryans
LB · HOU · 2006
Alabama · 2× Pro Bowl
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Dwayne Rudd in the 1997 NFL Draft
Dwayne Rudd is a Linebacker out of Alabama selected No. 20 overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1997 NFL Draft. 109 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value Alabama has produced 263 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 Dwayne Rudd drafted?
Dwayne Rudd was selected No. 20 overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1997 NFL Draft (Rd 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1997/dwayne-rudd.
What college did Dwayne Rudd play for?
Dwayne Rudd played college football at Alabama in the SEC. See every Alabama draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/alabama-crimson-tide.
How did Dwayne Rudd's NFL career turn out?
109 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1997/dwayne-rudd.