Deshea Townsend was drafted No. 117 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1998 NFL Draft out of Alabama. 191 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #117
- Round
- 4
- Draft class
- 1998
- NFL games
- 191
- Years as starter
- 4
- Career AV
- 4044th at Alabama
The pick
How Deshea Townsend came off the board in 1998.
- Position
- Defensive back DB
- College
-
Alabama
SEC at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
191 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value
- Games played
- 191
- Seasons as a starter
- 4
- Career approximate value
- 4044th among Alabama picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 40100% of career value
- Final season
- 201012 years after the draft
Around pick 117
Who came off the board on either side of Deshea Townsend.
Houston
Toledo
Youngstown State
Hofstra · 1× Pro Bowl
Alabama in the 1998 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other DB picks from Alabama
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Patrick Surtain II
DB · DEN · 2021
Alabama · 2× All-Pro · 4× Pro Bowl
#43
Roman Harper
DB · NO · 2006
Alabama · 2× Pro Bowl
#21
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
DB · GB · 2014
Alabama · 1× Pro Bowl
#45
Brian Branch
DB · DET · 2023
Alabama · 1× Pro Bowl
#7
Mark Barron
DB · TB · 2012
Alabama
#20
Kareem Jackson
DB · HOU · 2010
Alabama
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Deshea Townsend in the 1998 NFL Draft
Deshea Townsend is a Defensive back out of Alabama selected No. 117 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1998 NFL Draft. 191 regular-season games · 4 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 Deshea Townsend drafted?
Deshea Townsend was selected No. 117 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1998 NFL Draft (Rd 4). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1998/deshea-townsend.
What college did Deshea Townsend play for?
Deshea Townsend 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 Deshea Townsend's NFL career turn out?
191 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 40 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1998/deshea-townsend.