 In the 1981 NFL Draft , Taylor was drafted by the NFL 's New York Giants as the 2nd pick overall . In a poll of NFL General Managers ( GMs ) taken before the draft 26 of the league 's 28 GMs said if they had the first selection they would select Taylor . One of the two GMs who said they would not take Taylor was Bum Phillips , who had just been hired as coach and general manager by the New Orleans Saints . As fate would have it for Taylor , the Saints were also the team who had the first pick in the draft . Giants GM George Young predicted before the draft that he would be better than NFL legends such as Dick Butkus : " Taylor is the best college linebacker I 've ever seen . Sure , I saw Dick Butkus play . There 's no doubt in my mind about Taylor . He 's bigger and stronger than Butkus was . On the blitz , he 's devastating . " 
