The NFL draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting", is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings; the teams with the worst win–loss records receive the earliest picks. Teams that qualified for the NFL playoffs select after non-qualifiers, and their order depends on how far they advanced, using their regular season record as a tie-breaker. The final two selections in the first round are reserved for the Super Bowl runner-up and champion. Draft picks are tradable and players or other picks can be acquired with them.

In 1936, the league introduced the NFL draft after team owners voted on it in 1935. The intention of the draft is to make the NFL more competitive, as some teams had an advantage in signing players. From through the NFL designated the first overall selection as a "bonus" or "lottery pick". The pick was awarded by a random draw and the winner who received the "bonus pick" forfeited its selection in the final round of the draft and became ineligible for future draws. The system was abolished prior to the 1959 NFL draft, as all twelve teams in the league at the time had received a bonus choice.

List of drafts by year Draft Date Venue City First overall pick 1936February 8, 1936 9 81 Ritz-Carlton Hotel Philadelphia Jay Berwanger 4 1937December 12, 1936 10 100 Hotel Lincoln New YorkSam Francis 2 1938December 12, 1937 12 110 Sherman House Hotel Chicago Corbett Davis 2 1939December 9, 1938 22 200 New Yorker Hotel New York Ki Aldrich 1 1940December 9, 1939 22 200 Schroeder Hotel Milwaukee George Cafego 2 1941December 10, 1940 22 204 Willard Hotel Washington, D.C. Tom Harmon 1 1942December 22, 1941 22 200 Palmer House Hotel ChicagoBill Dudley 1 1943April 8, 1943 32 300 Palmer House Hotel ChicagoFrank Sinkwich 0 1944April 19, 1944 32 330 Warwick Hotel Philadelphia Angelo Bertelli 3 1945April 8, 1945 32 330 Commodore Hotel New York Charley Trippi 5 1946January 14, 1946 32 300 Commodore Hotel New York Frank Dancewicz 1 1947December 16, 1946 32 300 Commodore Hotel New YorkBob Fenimore 2 1948December 19, 1947 32 300 Fort Pitt Hotel Pittsburgh Harry Gilmer 3 1949December 21, 1948 25 251 The Bellevue-Stratford HotelSchenley Hotel Philadelphia Chuck Bednarik 4 1950January 20–21, 1950 30 391 Bellevue-Stratford HotelRacquet Club of Philadelphia PhiladelphiaLeon Hart 5 1951January 18–19, 1951 30 362 Blackstone Hotel Chicago Kyle Rote 8 1952January 17, 1952 30 360 Hotel Statler New York Bill Wade 4 1953January 22, 1953 30 360 Bellevue-Stratford Hotel Philadelphia Harry Babcock 8 1954January 28, 1954 30 360 Bellevue-Stratford Hotel Philadelphia Bobby Garrett 1 1955January 27–28, 1955 30 360 Bellevue-Stratford HotelWarwick Hotel New York George Shaw 1 1956November 28, 1955,January 17–18, 1956 30 360 Bellevue-Stratford HotelAmbassador Hotel PhiladelphiaLos Angeles Gary Glick 4 1957November 26, 1956,January 31, 1957 30 360 Bellevue-Stratford HotelWarwick Hotel Philadelphia Paul Hornung 9 1958December 2, 1957,January 28, 1958 30 360 Warwick Hotel Philadelphia King Hill 4 1959December 1, 1958,January 21, 1959 30 360 Warwick Hotel Philadelphia Randy Duncan 1 1960November 30, 1959 20 240 Warwick Hotel Philadelphia Billy Cannon 2 1961December 27–28, 1960 20 280 Warwick Hotel Philadelphia Tommy Mason 7 1962December 4, 1961 20 280 Sheraton Hotel & Towers Chicago Ernie Davis 2 1963December 3, 1962 20 280 Sheraton Hotel & Towers Chicago Terry Baker 5 1964December 2, 1963 20 280 Sheraton Hotel & Towers Chicago Dave Parks 11 1965November 28, 1964 20 280 Summit Hotel New York Tucker Frederickson 5 1966November 27, 1965 20 305 Summit Hotel New York Tommy Nobis 1 1967March 14–15, 1967 17 445 Gotham Hotel New York Bubba Smith 8 1968January 30–31, 1968 17 462 Belmont Plaza Hotel New York Ron Yary 8 1969January 28–29, 1969 17 442 Belmont Plaza Hotel New York O. J. Simpson 5 1970January 27–28, 1970 17 442 Belmont Plaza Hotel New York Terry Bradshaw 2 1971January 28–29, 1971 17 442 Belmont Plaza Hotel New York Jim Plunkett 4 1972February 1–2, 1972 17 442 Essex House New York Walt Patulski 1 1973January 30–31, 1973 17 442 Americana Hotel New York John Matuszak 4 1974January 29–30, 1974 17 442 Americana Hotel New York Ed "Too Tall" Jones 5 1975January 28–29, 1975 17 442 Hilton at Rockefeller Center New York Steve Bartkowski 3 1976April 8–9, 1976 17 487 Roosevelt Hotel New York Lee Roy Selmon 5 1977May 3–4, 1977 12 335 Roosevelt Hotel New York Ricky Bell 1 1978May 2–3, 1978 12 334 Roosevelt Hotel New York Earl Campbell 3 1979May 3–4, 1979 12 330 Waldorf-Astoria Hotel New York Tom Cousineau 3 1980April 29–30, 1980 12 333 New York Sheraton Hotel New York Billy Sims 3 1981April 28–29, 1981 12 332 New York Sheraton Hotel New York George Rogers 6 1982April 27–28, 1982 12 334 New York Sheraton Hotel New York Kenneth Sims 3 1983April 26–27, 1983 12 335 New York Sheraton Hotel New York John Elway 9 1984May 1–2, 1984 12 336 New York Sheraton Hotel New York Irving Fryar 0 1985April 30 – May 1, 1985 12 336 New York Sheraton Hotel New York Bruce Smith 5 1986April 29–30, 1986 12 333 New York Marriott Marquis New York Bo Jackson 1 1987April 28–29, 1987 12 335 New York Marriott Marquis New York Vinny Testaverde 1 1988April 24–25, 1988 12 333 New York Marriott Marquis New York Aundray Bruce 7 1989April 23–24, 1989 12 335 New York Marriott Marquis New York Troy Aikman 5 1990April 22–23, 1990 12 332 New York Marriott Marquis New York Jeff George 6 1991April 21–22, 1991 12 334 New York Marriott Marquis New York Russell Maryland 2 1992April 26–27, 1992 12 336 New York Marriott Marquis New York Steve Emtman 0 1993April 25–26, 1993 8 224 New York Marriott Marquis New York Drew Bledsoe 5 1994April 24–25, 1994 7 222 New York Marriott Marquis New York Dan Wilkinson 6 1995April 22–23, 1995 7 249 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York Ki-Jana Carter 6 1996April 20–21, 1996 7 254 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York Keyshawn Johnson 7 1997April 19–20, 1997 7 240 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York Orlando Pace 5 1998April 18–19, 1998 7 241 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York Peyton Manning 4 1999April 17–18, 1999 7 253 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York Tim Couch 2 2000April 15–16, 2000 7 254 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York Courtney Brown 1 2001April 21–22, 2001 7 246 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York Michael Vick 4 2002April 20–21, 2002 7 261 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York David Carr 3 2003April 26–27, 2003 7 262 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York Carson Palmer 3 2004April 24–25, 2004 7 255 Theater at Madison Square Garden New York Eli Manning 2 2005April 23–24, 2005 7 255 Javits Center New York Alex Smith 1 2006April 29–30, 2006 7 255 Radio City Music Hall New York Mario Williams 1 2007April 28–29, 2007 7 255 Radio City Music Hall New York JaMarcus Russell 4 2008April 26–27, 2008 7 252 Radio City Music Hall New York Jake Long 0 2009April 25–26, 2009 7 256 Radio City Music Hall New York Matthew Stafford 0 2010April 22–24, 2010 7 255 Radio City Music Hall New York Sam Bradford 0 2011April 28–30, 2011 7 254 Radio City Music Hall New York Cam Newton 0 2012April 26–28, 2012 7 253 Radio City Music Hall New York Andrew Luck 1 2013April 25–27, 2013 7 254 Radio City Music Hall New York Eric Fisher 0 2014May 8–10, 2014 7 256 Radio City Music Hall New York Jadeveon Clowney 0 2015April 30 – May 2, 2015 7 256 Auditorium TheatreGrant Park Chicago Jameis Winston 0 2016April 28–30, 2016 7 253 Auditorium TheatreGrant Park Chicago Jared Goff 0 2017April 27–29, 2017 7 253 Eakins Oval Philadelphia Myles Garrett 0 2018April 26–28, 2018 7 256 AT&T Stadium ArlingtonBaker Mayfield 0 2019April 25–27, 2019 7 254 Lower Broadway Nashville Kyler Murray 0 2020April 23–25, 2020 7 255 Virtual Joe Burrow 0 2021April 29 – May 1, 2021 7 259 FirstEnergy Stadium Cleveland Trevor Lawrence 0 2022April 28–30, 2022 7 262 Bellagio Paradise Travon Walker 0 2023April 27–29, 2023 7 259 Union Station Kansas City Bryce Young 0 2024April 25–27, 2024 7 257 Hart PlazaCampus Martius Park Detroit Caleb Williams 0 2025April 24–26, 2025 7 257 Lambeau Field Green Bay Cam Ward 0 2026April 23–25, 2026 7 257 Point State ParkAcrisure Stadium PittsburghFernando Mendoza 2027April 2027 7 TBD National Mall Washington, D.C. 2028April 2028 7 TBD Downtown Minneapolis Minneapolis, MN Notes

See also Drafts in sports List of professional American football drafts List of NFL draft broadcasters List of first overall NFL draft picks List of second overall NFL draft picks Mr. Irrelevant

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