Atlanta received Tampa Bay's 1978 seventh-round selection and…
Atlanta received Tampa Bay's 1978 seventh-round selection and used it on Alfred Jackson. Jackson became a productive multi-year Falcons receiver, turning a late-round pick into genuine starting-caliber value. The completed research supports that seventh-rounder as Atlanta's trade return and does not support an additional unidentified sixth-round choice, making Jackson the central piece in evaluating the Falcons' side.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- pick 1978 seventh round pick (#167-Alfred Jackson (b. 1955-08-03))
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- player Allan Leavitt
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1977-09-23, Atlanta Falcons received 1978 seventh round pick (#167-Alfred Jackson (b. 1955-08-03)), while Tampa Bay Buccaneers received Allan Leavitt. The value question is not which side collected more names or nominal draft slots, but what those assets actually produced for the clubs that controlled them. The completed historical research makes the direct return on each side clear enough to compare without crediting later transactions that required separate consideration.
Atlanta Falcons Return
Atlanta received Tampa Bay's 1978 seventh-round selection and used it on Alfred Jackson. Jackson became a productive multi-year Falcons receiver, turning a late-round pick into genuine starting-caliber value. The completed research supports that seventh-rounder as Atlanta's trade return and does not support an additional unidentified sixth-round choice, making Jackson the central piece in evaluating the Falcons' side.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Return
Tampa Bay acquired defensive back Allan Leavitt, but his Buccaneers stay was brief. Leavitt appeared in only eight games for Tampa Bay, while the seventh-round pick sent to Atlanta became Alfred Jackson and produced years of useful offense. The Buccaneers therefore received only a short contribution in exchange for a selection that became a much more durable Falcons player.
Value in Hindsight
The best way to judge this exchange is by the football value directly created by the original consideration. Atlanta received Tampa Bay's 1978 seventh-round selection and used it on Alfred Jackson. Tampa Bay acquired defensive back Allan Leavitt, but his Buccaneers stay was brief. That comparison keeps later moves separate and gives proper weight to starting service, useful depth, longevity, and the actual results of the draft capital involved.
Final Verdict
Atlanta Falcons receives a A- and Tampa Bay Buccaneers receives a D+. The verdict is Atlanta Falcons Win. The grade spread reflects the scale of the direct return: a decisive edge where one club secured sustained production, a narrower edge where the difference was modest, and equal marks when neither side created enough value to separate itself.