Hall of Fame
Position: Guard
Years: 1951-1953
Place of Birth: Oklahoma City, OK
Date of Birth: Oct 24, 1932
Place of Death: Oklahoma City, OK
Date of Death: May 24, 2021
Jersey Number: 64
Height: 5-10
Weight: 210
High School: Dallas, TX (Jesuit HS)
A Dallas native, J.D. Roberts played as a guard on offense and defense under College Football Hall of Fame Coach Bud Wilkinson at Oklahoma where he won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top college lineman in 1953 and was a consensus All-America selection.
He was a right guard on offense from 1951-52 before becoming a two-way player in 1953. As a member of the 1953 Sooners, Roberts helped kick off OU's record 47-game winning streak that extended more than four years. The streak began with the Sooners' 19-14 victory over archrival and then-No. 15 Texas on Oct. 10, 1953.
In 1953, Roberts led the 9-1-1 Sooners to a No. 4 final ranking, their third conference title during his collegiate career and an Orange Bowl win over No. 1 Maryland. His key blocked punt against Colorado led to a Sooners victory.
In addition to the Outland Trophy, he was named Lineman of the Year by the Associated Press, the United Press, Fox Movietone News and Williamson Syndicate. Coach Wilkinson said Roberts had "extraordinary ability, speed, and tremendous desire."
In summing up his career in 1993, Roberts said, "I'll always be a Sooner. I had some great teammates. These guys could play on any team in any time - Billy Vessels, Buddy Leake, Larry Grigg, Buck McPhail."
After graduating with a history degree, Roberts was drafted in the 17th round (195th overall) of the 1954 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers but never appeared in a regular season game.
After serving as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, Roberts embarked on a coaching career with stints as an assistant at the University of Denver, University of Houston, the U.S. Naval Academy, Auburn University and the University of Oklahoma.
Roberts was an original member of the New Orleans Saints' staff as a scout and linebackers coach from 1967-69 before being assigned as the head coach for the Atlantic Coast Football League's Richmond Roadrunners.
Hired midway through the 1970 season as the interim head coach on Nov. 3, 1970, Roberts spent the next two seasons in the full time position. In his first game in charge, Roberts led the Saints to a 19-17 victory over the Detroit Lions in Tulane Stadium when Tom Dempsey kicked a then NFL record 63-yard field goal as time expired.
Roberts was the first head coach for NFF Chairman Archie Manning's NFL career.
"J.D. drafted me, he was my first coach," said Manning in an article on the Saints website. "He always had my back and supported me… J.D. was a football coach, he was a disciplinarian and a good, solid guy. I'm proud to say I was friends with him for 50 years. He was a good friend."
Roberts would go on to run an oil and gas business in Oklahoma City before retiring in 2014. He was president of the Oklahoma Lettermen's club in 1989.
He is also a member of the Oklahoma Sports, Texas High School and Dallas Jesuit High School halls of fame.
Roberts passed away May 24, 2021, in Oklahoma City. He was 88.
