One in a series looking back at notable individuals, teams and events in Western Pennsylvania high school sports.
The year was 1986, and the Pitt football team had yet another player taken in the first round of the NFL draft. This was becoming commonplace for Pitt because it was the Panthers’ 10th first-rounder since 1980.
But for Bob Buczkowski to go in the first round was downright shocking.
Buczkowski, a 6-foot-5, 265-pound defensive lineman from Gateway High School, was selected by the Los Angeles Raiders in the first round. He was the first draft pick ever from Gateway. But pretty much no one saw a first-round selection coming. Not even Buczkowski and his family.
The Buczkowskis had planned a draft party on April 29, 1986, at the family home in Monroeville. But guests were told to come in the afternoon when the middle rounds of the draft would occur.
Buczkowski was projected to be a middle-round pick. He was not even rated among the top 10 defensive linemen in the draft by the BLESTO or National Scouting combines.
But the Raiders and owner Al Davis shocked the league when Buczkowski was already selected around noon. The Raiders took Buczkowski with the 24th overall pick.
“I can’t believe it,” Buczkowski told the Post-Gazette while he stood on the patio of his home.
Buczkowski commented that he had an “inkling” that the Raiders would take him, “but I thought it would be somewhere between the second and fifth round.”
Things never worked for Buczkowski in the NFL. He played in only two games for the Raiders. Plagued by back and shoulder injuries, he played only 21 games with three teams over five seasons.
But Buczkowski has a legacy at Gateway. He played under legendary coach Pete Antimarino. Buczkowski had a tremendous game against Penn Hills and star lineman Bill Fralic, and Buczkowski made the Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 in 1982. Buczkowski also won a state shot put championship at Gateway and won a Big East shot put championship one year at Pitt.
Buczkowski died in his sleep in May of 2018.
Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mwhiteburgh
First Published: April 22, 2020, 11:00 a.m.
